Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP’s premier finance and corporate practices marks the firm as a first port of call for both debt and equity capital markets. Additionally, its full-service national offering ensures that it is a popular choice for large-scale, event-driven transactions. In a recent example, Michael Hickey advised OpenText Corporation on a $1bn notes offering used to support its acquisition of Micro Focus International. Among its equity highlights, Calgary partners Ross Bentley and Jeff Bakker advised TC Energy Corporation on its C$1.8bn bought deal offering of common shares. The deep bench also includes go-to capital markets expert Tim Andison; London managing partner Jeffrey Lloyd, who splits his time between the UK and Toronto; Chris Hewat, who specializes in M&A, capital markets and private equity; corporate finance partner Eric Moncik; national practice head Catherine Youdan; and Montreal-based Pascal de Guise. Named lawyers are based in Toronto unless otherwise stated.
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Leading individuals
Tim's practice focuses on a wide variety of M&A and debt and equity capital markets transactions, including initial public offerings (IPOs), high-yield and other debt offerings, restructurings, and liability-management transactions. He has acted for numerous underwriters, issuers, financial sponsors, lenders and borrowers based in Canada, the United States, South America, Europe and Asia.
Ross specializes in merger and acquisition and capital markets transactions with extensive experience advising acquirors and targets in domestic and cross-border take-over bids, plans of arrangement and mergers. He regularly advises issuers and dealers in equity and debt capital markets transactions and has extensive experience in a wide variety of transaction structures and products, including project financing and offerings of investment grade, subordinated, and high-yield debt. He also assists issuers in establishing shelf financing programs both for domestic offerings as well as cross-border offerings under the Canada/US multi-jurisdictional offering system. He advises issuers, underwriters and selling shareholders on capital markets transactions in the pipeline and energy infrastructure, agribusiness, airline, energy services, oil and gas exploration, chartered bank and railroad sectors. He advises on shareholder activism situations and has acted for several issuers on high profile proxy contests. He regularly advises issuers in connection with corporate governance requirements, continuous and timely disclosure obligations, stock exchange matters and general corporate matters. Ross has experience advising clients on ESG matters, including in respect of corporate governance and compliance, disclosure, and sustainable finance.
Chris practises securities and business law, with focus on mergers and acquisitions, capital markets and private equity transactions. He also advises on securities regulatory and corporate governance matters. He has particular expertise in advising issuers, investment dealers and investors in the technology sector. Chris has also been involved in the development of securities regulation in Canada, having advised the Ontario Securities Commission in connection with its rules reformulation project, and the Toronto Stock Exchange in its review of rules governing listed companies.
Jeff is widely recognized as one of Canada’s leading M&A lawyers. He has advised purchasers, targets and special committees on many of Canada’s most significant M&A transactions, and has extensive experience in both negotiated and unsolicited transactions. He also advises public companies on corporate governance, shareholder activism, restructurings and securities law matters, and in connection with public offerings of equity and debt securities. He has experience in a wide range of industries, including mining, media and telecommunications, real estate, financial services, power generation and retail/consumer products.
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Catherine Youdan