‘An exceptionally commercial team with unparalleled project finance experience’, Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP’s infrastructure group scores highly with clients for its practical approach. A popular choice to handle PPP projects (it has notably closed 60 greenfield PPP projects over the past decade), the group’s experience spans transport, healthcare, energy and natural resources, among other spheres. Real estate and infrastructure partner Gregory Southam is widely regarded as a go-to expert for complex projects; he advised the Canada Infrastructure Bank on the development of a C$1.5bn financing program for the Government of Canada’s zero-emission buses initiative. The Toronto-based group additionally draws on Carol Pennycook, who is sought after for her project finance expertise; William Buchner, who represents developers, investors, lenders and borrowers on infrastructure projects; Nicholas Williams, who combines strength in projects and energy work; and David White, who has a focus on PPP transactions. Associate Trevor Kirsh provides dedicated practice support. Robert Bauer recently retired.
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘The team as a whole is outstanding. Its strengths as a team include being able to combine lawyers’ skill sets and experience (from the junior level all the way to the most senior partner) to provide seamless legal advice to its clients. Its work product is of superior quality to other firms I have worked with.’
‘It adds value in its review and drafting of transaction documentation through its collective knowledge and experience. This is extremely valuable to funds because it provides comfort that the legal diligence and contractual aspects of our transactions are structured properly and mitigate potential risks.’
Key clients
- Plenary Americas
- Brookfield (and its subsidiary, Sera Global, and former subsidiary, Enwave)
Work highlights
- Acted for Canada Infrastructure Bank on the development and roll-out of a flexible financing program for the Government of Canada's zero-emission buses initiative.
- Acted on several US campus energy projects, including advising Maryland Energy Impact Partners (a Plenary Americas and Kiewit Development Company-led consortium) on its shortlisted bid to design, build, finance, operate and maintain the NextGen Energy Program.