Bennett Jones LLP‘s practice offers tax planning advice, as well as transactional and tax controversy support. Non-contentious strengths include advising on tax aspects of M&A, divestitures and other business ventures, while on the contentious side, the group regularly represent clients in negotiations with the Canada Revenue Agency and provincial tax authorities, and in tax appeals. The practice is co-led by Toronto-based contentious and non-contentious practitioner Thomas Bauer, and Calgary-based tax planning specialist Anu Nijhawan. Alongside them, on the contentious side, tax litigation head Edwin Kroft KC works from both the Vancouver and Toronto offices; Calgary-based Jehad Haymour completes the leadership team. Also in Calgary, partner Darcy Moch is noted for his international tax planning expertise.

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Key clients

ATCO Power / Canadian Utilities
BP Canada Energy Group
Canadian Pacific Railway
Cando Rail & Terminals
Cantor Fitzgerald
CapVest Partners
Cenovus Energy
Cresco Labs, LLC
Decarbonization Plus Acquisition Corporation IV
Devon Canada Corporation
Extendicare
ExxonMobil Canada Resources
Equitable Bank
Gateway Casinos & Entertainment
Heritage Resources Limited Partnership
Lee Equity Partners, LLC
Lineage Logistics Holding
North West Refining
Osisko Gold Royalties
Riverstone Holdings LLC
Secure Energy Services
Stone Canyon Industries / Kissner Group
The Denver Broncos NFL Franchise
Third Eye Capital
Total Energy Services
TriWest Capital Partners
Vale Canada
Waste Connections
Zekelman Industries
CBS
CHR Investments
EXC Holdings
Grand Bow Petroleum
Mark Anthony Group
RBC Canada Trading
Schlumberger Canada
Taste of Asia Group
Yong Gang Yang

Work highlights

Acted as Canadian tax and corporate counsel to the Bowlen family in connection with their ownership of a majority stake in the Denver Broncos NFL franchise, stemming from the initial acquisition in 1984.
Acted as Canadian counsel to Cresco Labs in its $2bn acquisition of Columbia Care, making Cresco the second-largest cannabis producer and retailer in the US at the time of the transaction.
Advised Lineage Logistics Holdings, an international refrigerated warehousing and storage company, on its acquisition of VersaCold Logistics Services.