I regularly act for startups and venture capital firms in a variety of transactional and governance matters. From the formation of your company to an angel, seed, series or corporate venture capital round, to exits via a sale or an IPO, I can help you achieve your goals. I have experience in a variety of industries, including energy, consumer products, technology and financial services.
I have transactional and governance experience acting for portfolio companies, domestic and international private equity firms and public sector pension fund managers, including roll ups, growth equity and buyouts. I have been involved in some of Canada's largest private equity transactions in the energy sector, and was a co-founder of the private equity group at one of Canada's preeminent law firms.
I have advised a broad range of clients, including targets, acquirers, founders, minority shareholders and special committees, in over $50 billion of mergers & acquisitions, from small private deals to large public company transactions. These included TD Bank’s acquisition of Canada Trust, the reorganization of Canadian Pacific into five independent publicly traded companies, and the $8 billion merger of Molson and Adolph Coors.
I have advised a variety of businesses in the adult beverage space, including breweries, spirits companies and industry consolidators. I acted for Molson in its merger with Coors, Molson in its acquisition of Creemore Springs, Foxglove Spirits in multiple finance and governance matters, Corby Distilleries in a variety of continuous disclosure matters and Symbev in several acquisitions and financings.
I have acted for clients in many aspects of the energy complex, from upstream oil & gas, hydrogen, wind, solar and biofuels, midstream enterprises and infrastructre plays, to downstream distributors. Some key mandates include acting for Osum Oil Sands, Heritage Oil, Enbridge and Westcoast Energy. I have helped large, midsize and startup clients do business in a number of jurisdictions, including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Iraq, Russia, Uganda and Namibia.
I have broad experience acting for clients in a number of categories of consumer products, including sporting goods, hotels and resorts and food companies. My experiences include acting as General Counsel for G3 Genuine Guide Gear, a leading backcountry ski equipment company, a variety of mandates from Fairmont Hotels & Resorts and a number of retail food startups.
I grew up as a lawyer on Bay Street and became a Partner at one of Canada's preeminent law firms, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, and have practiced in Toronto and Calgary. While I am now utilizing a different model for service delivery, my prior experiences guide me and my professional approach. I practice in association with a leading alternative legal service provider, Caravel Law LLP, and can call on over 100 lawyers in other practice areas in order to deliver a coordinated level of service to a broad spectrum of client legal needs.
I have embraced technology in every aspect of my practice to make it efficient, analytical and cost effective, while at the same time not overwhelming clients with unfamiliar apps or software. The tools I utilize, from precedent systems to the use of artificial intelligence, are industry leading, and few firms or lawyers can match the sophistication of the technology that I have at my disposal. Clients find this approach refreshing, responsive and effective.
Hiring a lawyer is an important step in helping an enterprise achieve its goals. It has also become expensive. For the most dynamic part of the economy, the venture community and a large segment of medium size businesses, finding leading counsel at a good price point is difficult. By embracing technology and maintaining the high standards of professionalism that have been a hallmark of my career, I can deliver superior levels of service at a fraction of the cost of traditional firms.