Cassels — Canada

Alan Merskey

Alan Merskey is a partner in the Litigation and Restructuring & Insolvency Groups at Cassels. Alan’s substantive and procedural experience across various industry sectors informs his overall strategic approach to complex commercial litigation. Alan offers extensive insolvency litigation experience, having acted for court officers, debtors and creditors in a wide range of contested restructuring matters, including many of the major public and private company restructurings of the last 15 years, including the liquidation of Nortel Networks. Learn more. · Litigation

Alison Manzer

Alison Manzer is a partner in the Banking & Specialty Finance Group and Business Law practice at Cassels. Alison has developed expertise in a wide range of practice areas combining skills to work effectively in most corporate/ commercial practice areas, with a focus on financial services and structured transactions. Her recent experience includes block chain and fintech applications. Her cross-border expertise has led to several leadership roles in the leading United States business law organizations such as the American College of Commercial Finance Lawyers and the American Bar Association. Alison has written many books on legal topics, primarily in areas of banking and specialized finance, and routinely lectures and speaks on a wide range of topics. She has undertaken extensive formal education in areas key to her practice, holding degrees including a DBA, MBA, LLM, and MSc., and certificates in the advanced Canadian Securities Institute programs. Alison recently received her Doctorate of Business Administration from the Henley Business School. She is also an adjunct professor at Osgoode Hall Law School teaching the LLM International Finance program, and has been practicing in the field of commercial law since 1979. Learn more. · Banking & Finance

Andrew Salem

Andrew Salem is a partner in the Real Estate & Development Group at Cassels. Andrew practices in the areas of commercial real estate, property development and commercial leasing. He represents clients on all aspects of real property purchases and sales and financing transactions, with a specialization in transactions relating to development projects. He also has a very active commercial leasing practice, acting for both landlords and tenants on all types of leasing transactions. Andrew has acted for a wide range of clients, including property developers and investors, federal and provincial government agencies, municipalities, universities, financial institutions, restaurant and retail chains, energy companies, large manufacturers, railways and many others. Learn more. · Real Estate

Andrew Skodyn

Andrew Skodyn is a partner in the Intellectual Property Group at Cassels. Andrew is a very experienced intellectual property and commercial litigator, with particular emphasis on patent litigation, trademark litigation, complex commercial disputes, product liability defence, and class actions. His intellectual property litigation experience covers a wide range of industries, including pharmaceuticals and life sciences, information technology and social media, professional services, manufacturing, agribusiness, and oil and gas. Learn more. · Intellectual Property

Arend Hoekstra

Arend Hoekstra, CPA, CA, is a partner in the Business Law Group at Cassels. Arend is also a Chartered Professional Accountant. Arend provides advice on the duty to consult, treaty negotiations, project-related environmental and regulatory matters, mining projects, legislative drafting, litigation matters including judicial review proceedings, use of Reserve lands including Section 53(1) easements, Section 28(2) tenures, and rights-of-way, drafting of Impact Benefit Agreements and Capacity Funding Agreements, and financing and acquisition of mineral resource properties. His previous experience includes acting as a Senior Advisor for one of Canada’s largest mines and acting as a controller for a large helicopter services company serving the mineral exploration and mining industry in the NWT. As a Chartered Professional Accountant, Arend worked with governments, including Indigenous governments and communities, across the NWT and Nunavut. Learn more. · Aboriginal Law

Armen Khajetoorian

Armen Khajetoorian is a partner in the Real Estate & Development Group at Cassels and co-lead of the commercial leasing team. His practice focuses on all aspects of commercial leasing transactions, including reviewing, drafting and negotiating retail, office, and industrial leases and subleases, and related documents such as termination and surrender agreements, non-disturbance agreements, and license agreements. Armen has extensive experience in representing both landlords and tenants using a practical approach, including representing international property managers and developers and prominent international luxury retailers in lease-related matters. Prior to joining Cassels, Armen practiced law in New York City and served as senior counsel in the New York office of Loeb & Loeb LLP. Armen is recognized as a leading leasing lawyer by numerous industry leading directories, including Best Lawyers and Lexpert. He is a frequent speaker and contributor at leasing conferences, seminars and workshops, including the Eight Minute Commercial Leasing Lawyer and the ICSC Canadian Law Conference. Armen was called to the bar in New York in 2011 and in Ontario in 2019. Learn more. · Real Estate

Brenda Swick

Brenda Swick is a partner in the International Trade Group at Cassels. One of Canada’s leading practitioners in international trade and investment law, Brenda also offers extensive experience in government contracting, anti-money laundering compliance, anti-corruption enforcement & compliance, and government relations. Learn more. · International Trade

Bria Fallen

Bria Fallen is a partner serving as Co-Chair of the Banking & Specialty Finance Group at Cassels. Bria advises financial institutions, lenders, and corporate borrowers on all aspects of secured and unsecured lending transactions. She offers expertise in many areas of commercial lending, including real estate financing, commercial buyouts, asset-based lending, loans made through the Canada Small Business Financing Program, equipment financing, and intercreditor agreements. Bria’s mid-market commercial lending experience is diversified across industries such as energy, aviation, automotive, food services, retail, and real estate. Learn more. · Banking & Finance

Casey Chisick

Casey Chisick is a partner at Cassels, serving as a member of the firm’s Executive Committee, and as Chair of its Intellectual Property and Entertainment, Media & Sports practices. Certified by the Law Society of Ontario as a Specialist in Intellectual Property (Copyright), and having worked as a law professor, a jazz producer, a concert promoter, and a musician, Casey offers his clients a rare combination of recognized expertise in copyright and other IP matters and first-hand experience in the business of entertainment. He provides transactional advice and litigation counsel to clients in a wide array of industries, including music, film, television, broadcasting, theatre, video games, advertising, publishing, software, visual arts, new media, fitness and leisure, health care, fashion, and higher education. He also advises general business clients with IP needs and consults on negotiation strategy for businesses of all kinds. Learn more. · Intellectual Property

Chandimal Nicholas

Chandimal Nicholas is a partner in the Intellectual Property Group at Cassels, and is also a Registered Trademark Agent. Chandimal assists clients in all areas of intellectual property law with a focus on patents and trademarks. Chandimal also assists and advises clients with regulatory issues in the cannabis, food, alcohol, pharmaceutical, medical device, cosmetic and natural health products industries. Learn more. · Intellectual Property

Charles Newman

Charles Newman is a partner serving as Co-Chair of the Banking & Specialty Finance Group at Cassels. Charles’ practice focuses on all types of secured and unsecured lending transactions, including cross-border transactions, project/infrastructure financings, syndicated loan transactions, debtor-in-possession financings, asset-based and real estate-based lending matters. Charles also does extensive work in the subordinated and convertible debt areas and in treasury management. He is recognized as a leader in his field by such authorities as the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, Best Lawyers in Canada, IFLR, and Chambers Canada which notes that clients commend Charles’ “attention to detail, accuracy and problem-solving skills.” Learn more. · Banking & Finance

Charles Rich

Charles (Chuck) Rich is a partner at Cassels, serves as Chair of the firm’s Financial Services Group, and is a member of the firm’s top-ranked Cannabis Group. Chuck’s practice focuses on secured and unsecured loan transactions and debt restructurings. He offers expertise in corporate and commercial lending, including syndicated financings, acquisition financing, leveraged buyouts, asset-based lending, subordinate debt/first lien/second lien financings, cross-border transactions, receivables financing, special project financings (including trusts, partnership and limited partnerships), scientific research, and experimental development financing, as well as debt liability management transactions. Chuck acts for domestic banks, corporations, financial sponsors, and family offices, as well as many foreign financial institutions. In addition, he acts as Canadian Counsel to numerous foreign law firms. Chuck’s practice also includes security enforcement, workouts, and insolvency/debt restructurings for financial institution and corporate clients. Learn more. · Banking & Finance

Daniel Cipollone

Daniel Cipollone is a partner in the Banking & Specialty Finance Group at Cassels and is a member of the firm’s top-ranked Private Equity, Restructuring, and Cannabis Groups. He specializes in complex secured and unsecured lending transactions, including cross-border acquisition financings, sponsor leveraged buyouts, project financings, and multi-jurisdictional financing transactions. His practice also includes advising clients in distressed transactions, security enforcement, workouts, and debt restructurings, as well as debt liability management transactions. His clients include domestic and foreign banks, financial institutions, sponsors and corporations, as well as law firms who retain him to assist with the Canadian aspects of multi-jurisdictional financings. For his work, Daniel is recognized as a leader in his field by Lexpert and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch. · Banking & Finance

David Budd

David Budd* (he/him/his) is a partner in the firm’s Mining, Banking & Specialty Finance, and Sports & Entertainment Groups and serves clients from both the Toronto and Vancouver offices. He has worked extensively with both lenders and resource companies in the mining sector on a variety of unsecured and senior secured debt facilities. He regularly acts for both lenders and borrowers on domestic and multi-jurisdictional transactions with an emphasis on corporate credit facilities, acquisitions, and project finance matters, including the financing of mines, hotels, and other real property developments. David offers extensive experience in sports law having provided advice with respect to the acquisition and financing of professional sports franchises. In addition, he has experience with respect to financing (acting for lenders and borrowers) across a broad range of industries including retail, retirement lifestyle, transportation, recycling and waste management, financial services and hospitality. Learn more. · Banking & Finance

David Kolesar

David Kolesar is a partner in the Banking & Specialty Finance Group at Cassels. With a practical approach informed by a long history of experience representing clients in banking and finance matters, David is skilled in both domestic and cross-border, internationally focused transactions. Learn more. · Banking & Finance

David Redford

David Redford is a partner in the Securities Group at Cassels. David’s practice focuses primarily on corporate and securities law, including capital markets, mergers and acquisitions and finance transactions. David has represented clients in numerous public and private debt and equity securities offerings, corporate acquisitions, reorganizations, joint ventures and other corporate and commercial transactions. He also advises on securities regulatory reporting and compliance. David works extensively with mineral resource issuers and has developed a broad depth of experience in respect of the requirements of National Instrument 43-101 and the securities law requirements for mineral resource issuers. Learn more. · Securities

David Redmond

David Redmond is a partner in the Real Estate & Development Group at Cassels. David’s practice encompasses all types of commercial real estate transactions. He has a sophisticated commercial mortgage lending practice acting for institutional lenders dealing with all types of financing for commercial properties, including multi-residential, office, shopping centre and industrial developments. David also has extensive experience in purchase and sale transactions, financing and structuring of real estate transactions, commercial leasing, joint ventures and co-ownerships, dealing with REITs and work involving all asset classes in the commercial real estate field. He is recognized as a leader in his field by the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, Legal500 Canada, and Chambers Canada which notes that clients consider him a “go-to guy for larger, more complex deals.” Learn more. · Real Estate

Davit Akman

Davit Akman is a partner in the Business Law Group at Cassels and Chair of the firm’s Competition & Foreign Investment Group. A leader in his field, he advises market-leading domestic and international firms on all aspects of Canadian competition and foreign investment review law, including mergers & acquisitions, cartels and other criminal matters, private actions (including class actions), advertising and marketing practices, abuse of dominance and other reviewable trade practices. Learn more. · Competition / Antitrust

Douglas Richardson

Douglas (Doug) Richardson is a Co-Chair of the Tax & Trusts Group and is a partner in the Business Law Group. Doug’s practice focuses on the tax treatment of domestic and international energy related transactions and investments, mergers and acquisitions, corporate reorganizations and cross-border private equity investments. He has provided tax advice to a number of public and private companies, including multinational, domestic and foreign-owned companies, public utilities, and corporations engaged in the power generation and pipeline business, including foreign asset income trusts, and other investment vehicles. Doug has also provided advice to domestic and international energy clients with respect to the tax treatment of renewable energy and critical mineral projects, the acquisition and disposition of oil sands, midstream and pipeline assets, the development of LNG projects and internal tax matters. Doug has received advance income tax rulings and legislative amendments where appropriate and has participated in OECD meetings regarding the tax treatment of emission allowances and tradable permits. Learn more. · Tax

Eric Buist

Eric Buist is an associate in the Business Law Group at Cassels and a member of the firm’s Competition & Foreign Investment Group. Eric advises on all aspects of Canadian Competition and foreign investment review law, including mergers and acquisitions, cartels and other criminal matters, private actions (including class actions), advertising and marketing practices, abuse of dominance and other reviewable trade practices. Learn more. · Competition / Antitrust

Eric Mayzel

Eric Mayzel is a partner in the Litigation Group at Cassels. Eric’s practice focuses on intellectual property, including copyright, trademark, trade secrets, and entertainment matters, as well as the resolution of franchise law disputes, including rescission claims. Eric prioritizes a strategic and practical approach to litigation based on an understanding of each client’s goals. Learn more. · Intellectual Property

Gordon Chambers

Gordon Chambers is a partner in the Mining Group at Cassels. Gordon advises on all aspects of securities law, including public and private offerings of securities, mergers and acquisitions (including takeover bids and going private transactions) and continuous disclosure and other ongoing regulatory requirements applicable to public companies. He also advises special committees of boards of directors. Gordon acts for a wide range of clients in diverse industries. He focuses on corporate finance for mining companies and has extensive experience advising dual-listed issuers. Gordon has acted for mining issuers, forestry companies, financial institutions and industrial issuers. He has served as the independent chair for contested shareholder meetings and has been a director of three public companies. Learn more. · Corporate / M&A

Gordon Goodman

Gordon Goodman is a partner in the Insurance & Reinsurance Group at Cassels. Gordon focuses on providing corporate and regulatory advice to insurance clients, including advice with respect to corporate governance, transactions, licensing and other regulatory matters. Gordon’s clients include life and general insurance companies, insurance agents and brokers, reinsurance companies and other financial services clients. Gordon’s practice involves mergers and acquisitions, portfolio transfers, demutualization, corporate reorganizations, formation of insurers, federal and provincial licensing, corporate governance, compliance matters and working with regulators. He regularly provides advice on insurance policies, reinsurance contracts and other types of agreements, and assists clients with product development and distribution issues. Gordon has also advised insurance clients in connection with the establishment and operation of captive insurers, reciprocal insurance exchanges and other risk retention and transfer structures. Learn more. · Insurance & Reinsurance

Jamie Litchen

Jamie Litchen is a partner in the Securities Group at Cassels. Jamie is also an active member of the firm’s Mining and Cannabis Groups. Jamie represents a wide variety of public and private companies as well as investment dealers in connection with various securities, corporate and commercial matters. Her practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions and corporate finance transactions in a broad range of industries, including mining, cannabis and technology. Jamie has extensive experience advising on complex domestic and cross-border transactions, including numerous M&A transactions, business combination transactions, take-over bids, corporate reorganizations and go-public transactions. Through Jamie’s corporate finance practice, she assists startup clients as well as established companies in connection with seed capital, private placements, public offerings and secondary offerings. Learn more. · Securities

Jason Arbuck

Jason Arbuck is the Chair of the Banking & Specialty Finance Group and Co-Chair of the Hospitality Group at Cassels. Jason’s practice is devoted to commercial and asset-based lending transactions, banking and securitization transactions, factoring and fintech related legal work, hotel financing and acquisition transactions, and real estate development projects. A large portion of his practice is focussed on cross-border transactions. He has significant experience in drafting and negotiating loan and credit agreements, receivables purchase agreements, hotel purchase agreements, and hotel management agreements. Learn more. · Banking & Finance

Jason Bullen

Jason (Jake) Bullen serves as Co-Chair of the firm’s Private Equity Group and is a partner in the Business Law Group at Cassels. Jake’s practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, financings, strategic advice, corporate re-organizations and complex commercial agreements, with a significant cross-border component. He advises private equity funds, large Canadian, US & international companies and emerging companies on corporate transactions (such as M&A and financings) and commercial agreements. Jake also provides strategic advice on matters such as multi-jurisdictional structuring and corporate governance. His clients include private equity funds, hedge funds, family offices, investment banks, athletes, artists and innovative providers of goods and services in retail, consumer goods, food & beverage, manufacturing and distribution, financial services, technology, FinTech, AI, waste management, real estate, sports, entertainment and cleantech/renewable energy. Learn more. · Private Equity

Jay Goldman

Jay Goldman is a partner in the Securities Group at Cassels. Jay’s practice focuses primarily on securities and corporate finance law. His experience includes structuring and negotiating securities and commercial transactions. Jay has acted for issuers, investment dealers and investment advisors in a broad range of areas including the resource, high-tech, industrial and biotech sectors. He has acted on numerous amalgamations, mergers, acquisitions, takeovers, private placements and public offerings. Clients call on Jay to perform management and advisory roles with a focus on the formulation and implementation of business strategies, saying “he’s very invested in the transactions, has strong personal client relationships and works to get his clients a real advantage.” Learn more. · Corporate / M&A

Jen Hansen

Jen Hansen is a partner in the Securities Group at Cassels, serving as Co-Chair of the Mining Group and as a member of the firm’s Executive Committee. Jen’s practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions and corporate finance. She specializes in the representation of public mining companies involved in complex transactions, including business combination transactions, take-over bids, domestic and cross-border public offerings and other finance transactions. In addition, Jen advises on continuous disclosure obligations, corporate governance and regulatory compliance, including mineral project disclosure and recommendations for aligning governance practices with best practice recommendations. She is recognized as a leader in her field by such authorities as the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, Chambers Canada and Best Lawyers in Canada. Learn more. · Corporate / M&A

Jennifer Traub

Jennifer Traub is a partner in the Securities Group at Cassels and serves as Co-Chair of the firm’s Mining Group. Jennifer represents both issuers and investment dealers in connection with public and private securities offerings, mergers and acquisitions and other financing transactions. She has particular expertise and experience in the resource sector and has played an integral role in managing some of the largest and most complex corporate finance and M&A deals in the mining industry in Canada. Jennifer has completed the Osgoode Certificate in Mining Law. In addition to transactional work, Jennifer regularly advises public companies regarding general corporate and securities law matters, including continuous disclosure, corporate governance and Canadian stock exchange issues. Learn more. · Capital Markets

Jennifer Wasylyk

Jennifer Wasylyk serves as Deputy Managing Partner at Cassels and is a member of the firm’s Mining, Banking & Specialty Finance and Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) Groups. Jennifer acts on behalf of both borrowers and lenders in a broad range of domestic and international corporate finance transactions. She has extensive experience structuring and negotiating secured and unsecured transactions, syndicated facilities, project finance facilities, asset-based lending transactions, alternative finance structures and complex intercreditor arrangements. Jennifer has particular expertise in the natural resources field and regularly works with both lenders and resource companies in the mining sector. She has worked at the Ontario Energy Board, Canada Energy Regulator, and Alberta Energy Regulator. Jennifer has completed the Osgoode Certificate in Mining Law and the Osgoode Certificate in ESG, Climate Risk and the Law. Jennifer is recognized as a leader in her field by the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory (Asset Equipment Finance/Leasing) and Best Lawyers in Canada (Banking and Finance Law). In 2023, Jennifer was named a Lexpert Rising Star, an award that celebrates Canada’s leading lawyers under 40. Learn more. · Banking & Finance

Jeremy Barretto

Jeremy Barretto is a partner at Cassels and serves as Chair of the firm’s national Regulatory Law Group and Co-Chair of the Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) Group. He has extensive regulatory, environmental, and Aboriginal law experience. Jeremy frequently represents proponents in obtaining approvals and negotiating agreements for resource development projects across Canada. He has expertise in renewable energy, oil and gas, mining, and infrastructure development. Jeremy published the book The Law of Indigenous Ownership and Projects with Thomson Reuters and has published articles in the Alberta Law Review and Globe and Mail. Jeremy previously worked in environmental engineering, earning his Professional Engineer designation. He is recognized as a leader in his field by Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch, Chambers Canada, and Chambers Global. Jeremy is a guest lecturer with the University of Calgary and University of Alberta Faculty of Law. Learn more. · Regulatory

Jessica Zagar

Jessica Zagar is a partner in the Litigation Group at Cassels. Jessica practices in the area of copyright, trademark, and commercial litigation. She provides strategic direction and support to clients in the music, literary, television, film, broadcasting and entertainment sectors in the development, exploitation, and enforcement of intellectual property. Learn more. · Intellectual Property

John Birch

John Birch is a partner in the Restructuring & Insolvency Group at Cassels. For more than 25 years, John has acted for debtors, creditors, receivers, monitors, trustees, and directors in a wide variety of proceedings under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act and Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act, including some of the most significant Canadian insolvencies in recent years. He also regularly represents creditors’ committees and other official committees in cross-border insolvencies. John has repeatedly acted as court-appointed representative counsel for members of the public who are affected by the insolvency of investment firms and real estate developers. Learn more. · Restructuring & Insolvency

Jonathan Freeman

Jonathan Freeman is a partner at Cassels, serving as Chair of the Real Estate & Development Group and as a member of the firm’s Executive Committee. Jonathan’s practice focuses on all aspects of commercial real estate law, including real estate lending transactions and acquisitions and dispositions of commercial properties. He routinely represents traditional bank and non-bank lenders in complex real estate financing transactions, including those relating to term, acquisition, mezzanine and construction loan facilities. Jonathan also has extensive experience with CMHC insured loans, commercial mortgage-backed securities and other types of securitized debt. He has financed all real estate asset classes, including many of Canada’s largest seniors housing projects, hotels, office buildings, shopping centres and multi-family residential apartment complexes. Jonathan also advises issuers and underwriters in capital market offerings, as well as some of Canada’s largest REITs, private equity funds, developers and real estate investment companies on mergers and acquisitions, cross border real estate transactions, joint venture structuring, asset management and insolvency related matters. Learn more. · Real Estate

Jonathan Sherman

Jonathan Sherman serves as Executive Co-Chair, is a partner in the Securities Group at Cassels and Chair of the Cannabis Group. Jonathan’s practice focuses on emerging and high-growth industries, including cannabis, technology, natural resources, beverage alcohol, gaming, blockchain, cryptocurrency and psychedelic medicines. In his role as Co-Chair of the firm’s Cannabis Group, Jonathan is at the forefront of many of the largest industry transactions in this evolving sector, providing strategic and legal advice to a range of leading industry players on complex and innovative transactions. Learn more. · Cannabis

Karen MacDonald

Karen MacDonald is a partner in the Intellectual Property Group at Cassels. Karen has extensive experience in litigating matters in all areas of intellectual property, including patents, trademarks, copyright, industrial designs, and confidential information. She has appeared before the Federal Court, the Federal Court of Appeal, the British Columbia Supreme Court, and the British Columbia Court of Appeal. Learn more. · Intellectual Property

Kristin Taylor

Kristin Taylor serves as the Managing Partner at Cassels and is a partner in the Employment & Labour Group. Kristin provides practical and strategic advice to employers on a wide range of employment matters including employee hiring, discipline and termination; severance packages; corporate restructuring; employment agreements and personnel policies; certification applications; privacy and AODA compliance; mergers & acquisitions and employment standards and human rights issues. Kristin regularly represents employers in court in wrongful dismissal actions, severance pay class actions, restrictive covenant disputes and injunctions; in grievance arbitrations, in collective bargaining and before various administrative tribunals, including the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, and labour relations boards. She also conducts supervisory development and harassment prevention training to proactively prevent workplace disputes. Learn more. · Employment & Labour

Laurie Jessome

Laurie Jessome is a partner in the Employment & Labour Group at Cassels. Laurie provides advice to, and advocates on behalf of, employers on all aspects of the employment relationship, including drafting employment agreements, drafting and enforcing restrictive covenants, discipline and dismissal issues, employment standards compliance, and human rights complaints. She also advises on and conducts workplace investigations into allegations of discrimination, harassment and other forms of employee misconduct. Laurie has represented clients before provincial and federal human rights tribunals, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, the Ontario Labour Relations Board, the Employment Standards Branch of the Ontario Ministry of Labour, and in mediations and grievance arbitrations. Laurie also provides strategic employment advice in corporate transactions and supports cross-border clients with operations in Canada. Learn more. · Employment & Labour

Leonard Glickman

Leonard (Len) Glickman is a partner in the Business Law Group at Cassels and serves as Co-Chair of the firm’s Sports & Entertainment and Cannabis Groups. Len provides transactional and intellectual property advice to clients in the entertainment and sports industries. He is Chair of the ABA’s Entertainment and Sports Law Forum, a frequent speaker at industry events and seminars, and co-author of the Music Law chapter of Entertainment Law in Canada (published by Butterworths). He is counsel to several high-profile recording artists, including: Shawn Mendes, The Weeknd, Barenaked Ladies, Bob Dylan, Avril Lavigne, Sarah McLachlan, The Tragically Hip, Serena Ryder and Ren. Leonard provides intellectual property, branding and sponsorship counsel to Canada’s largest home improvement retailer and advises Roots – one of Canada’s leading lifestyle brands – on its worldwide trademark matters. He is also counsel to Endeavor/WME/IMG and Mavericks VFX, one of Canada’s leading visual effects companies. Learn more. · Business Law

Lindsay Dykstra

Lindsay Dykstra is a partner in the Business Group at Cassels. Her practice focuses on entertainment and corporate matters. She has significant transactional experience, and regularly advises clients in the music, film, and television industries on a variety of commercial and copyright matters. Learn more. · Entertainment

Manny Mukkar

Manny Mukkar is a partner in the Real Estate & Development Group at Cassels. Manny’s practice focuses on all aspects of commercial real estate law and general corporate matters in which he routinely acts on behalf of developers, vendors, purchasers, lenders and borrowers on a broad range of commercial real estate transactions, with a particular concentration on acquisitions and dispositions of commercial properties, commercial mortgage lending transactions involving all real estate asset classes, and tenant and landlord side leasing. Learn more. · Real Estate

Marc Mercier

Marc Mercier is a partner in the Banking & Specialty Finance Group at Cassels, serving as a current member and Past Chair of the firm’s Audit & Risk Management Committee. Marc’s practice places a particular emphasis on secured, unsecured and merger and acquisition financing, treasury management and financial derivatives-related matters, along with reorganizational workouts and restructurings. Marc also has an extensive practice serving the needs of various financial institutions in their family office, high net worth and ultra-high net worth areas, as well as various family enterprises and family offices. Learn more. · Banking & Finance

Mark Bennett

Mark Bennett is a partner in the Mining Group at Cassels. Mark practises corporate and securities law with an emphasis on corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions transactions. He provides strategic and transactional advice to Canadian and international mining companies involved in business combinations, take-over bids, domestic and cross-border public offerings, private placements, metal streaming and royalty transactions, and stock exchange listings. Mark’s corporate finance experience includes equity, convertible instruments and debt. He has advised exploration, development and producing resource companies in the Americas, Eastern Europe, Africa and Australia on property acquisitions and dispositions, joint ventures and option agreements. His practice also includes acting for investment dealers in public and private corporate finance transactions as well as mergers and acquisitions. Mark also advises boards of directors and special committees on corporate governance and securities law compliance, including mineral project disclosure. Learn more. · Corporate / M&A

Mark Davis

Mark Davis is a partner in the Intellectual Property Group at Cassels. An accomplished intellectual property litigator, he is certified as a Specialist in Intellectual Property (Patents/Trademarks/Copyright) by the Law Society of Ontario. Mark offers significant experience in patent and trademark litigation, including in proceedings involving pharmaceutical and biologic products under the Patented Medicines (Notice of Compliance) Regulations, as well as in anti-counterfeiting, trade secret and breach of confidence, copyright and industrial design disputes. Mark has successfully argued numerous precedent-setting intellectual property cases at trial and on appeal. Learn more. · Intellectual Property

Mark St. Cyr

Mark St. Cyr (he/him/his) is a partner in the Construction & Infrastructure Groups at Cassels, where he provides bespoke solutions and practical legal advice to clients at any stage of any construction project. From initial concept, through design, procurement, and construction Mark advises clients on how to navigate and redistribute project risks. Learn more. · Construction

Matthew Alter

Matthew Alter is a partner in the Litigation Group at Cassels and a member of the Construction Law and Infrastructure Law teams, ranked Band 1 by Chambers Canada for his expertise. Matthew’s practice focuses on representing public and private owners and developers, general contractors, and other construction industry participants in all aspects of construction and procurement. He advises clients on project delivery methods and procurement processes and drafts and negotiates various agreements for construction and infrastructure projects and related acquisitions, including Public-Private Partnership arrangements. Matthew also represents industry participants in all types of contract and project disputes and litigation, including: tendering claims and defences, contractor defaults, interference and delay claims, liens, trust claims, insolvency claims, and surety bond claims. Recognized internationally as a top construction and procurement lawyer, Matthew is certified as a Specialist in Construction Law by the Law Society of Ontario and is proud to have served as a past President of the Canadian College of Construction Lawyers. Learn more. · Construction

Mike Hrabok

Mike Hrabok is a partner in the Banking & Specialty Finance Group at Cassels, and a member of the Real Estate team with particular experience in secured lending financing transactions and commercial real estate matters. Mike brings invaluable insight into the complex challenges faced by his clients, having served as in-house counsel at a national commercial real estate developer. Learn more. · Banking & Finance

Paul Stein

Paul Stein is a partner in the Securities Group at Cassels. Paul acts as lead counsel for a number of public clients that have been involved in mergers, acquisitions, takeover bids, going-private transactions, spin-off transactions, corporate reorganizations, corporate finance and corporate governance matters. Paul’s practice also involves assisting mining clients in the negotiation of joint ventures, farm-in agreements and financing of exploration and development projects, both domestically and internationally. Paul is listed as one of the world’s leading mining practitioners by Chambers Global, Chambers Canada, the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, the Lexpert/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada, the Lexpert Guide to the Leading US/Canada Cross-Border Corporate Lawyers in Canada, and Best Lawyers in Canada. Learn more. · Capital Markets

Ryan Jacobs

Ryan Jacobs is a partner in the Restructuring & Insolvency Group at Cassels and serves as Co-Chair of the firm’s Executive Committee. A former New York practitioner with one of the most active bankruptcy groups in the United States, Ryan has developed a leading cross-border restructuring practice in Canada. He is routinely retained to act on behalf of ad hoc and official creditor groups, debtors, DIP Lenders, boards, institutional and distress investors, bidders and stalking-horse purchasers and other interested parties across a broad spectrum of industries. Ryan has been a trusted advisor in many of the largest and most complex in-court and out-of-court reorganizations, recapitalizations, and restructurings in recent history. Ryan is also an advisor to a number of boards of public and private companies in Canada and the United States. Learn more. · Restructuring & Insolvency

Sandra Gogal

Sandra Gogal is a partner in the Aboriginal Law Group at Cassels. A strategic thinker and trusted advisor to resource developers, investors, governments and agencies on matters relating to Aboriginal and environmental law, Sandra has a nationally recognized practice with extensive regulatory experience in mining, hydro-electric, nuclear, forestry, and oil and gas. · Aboriginal Law

Sean Jackson

Sean’s practice is primarily focused on intellectual property litigation where he represents clients from a range of industries, such as pharmaceuticals, medical products, oil and gas, and telecommunications. Sean regularly advises and represents clients from the pharmaceutical industry in proceedings under the Patented Medicines Notice of Compliance Regulations (PM(NOC) Regulations). He has appeared before the Federal Court and the Federal Court of Appeal and was part of a trial team that secured a damages award exceeding C$120-million. Whether asserting IP rights or defending against allegations of infringement, Sean takes pride in using his Ph.D. in biochemistry to merge science and the law into creative solutions for his clients. · Intellectual Property

Shayne Kukulowicz

Shayne Kukulowicz is a partner in the Banking, Lending & Specialty Finance Group at Cassels and serves as Chair of the firm’s Restructuring & Insolvency Group. Shayne’s practice is focused on structured transactions, corporate reorganizations and commercial restructurings. He offers significant expertise in cross-border restructurings and liquidations, formal and informal corporate reorganizations, as well as security enforcement and creditor remedies. Consistently recognized as a leading lawyer in the insolvency and restructuring arenas, Shayne is a frequent lecturer and presenter on insolvency-related matters for the Law Society of Ontario, the Ontario Bar Association, and other professional conference providers. Learn more. · Restructuring & Insolvency

Stephanie Garraway

Stephanie Garraway is an associate in the Construction & Infrastructure Groups. Stephanie’s practice involves advising clients on all aspects and stages of infrastructure development and construction projects, with a specific focus on the review, preparation and negotiation of “front end” documents. Learn more. · Construction

Tayyaba Khan

Tayyaba Khan is a partner in the Business Law Group at Cassels, focused on corporate and securities law matters. Tayyaba advises public and private companies, partnerships, startups and entrepreneurs in matters related to mergers and acquisitions and corporate finance, including private and public securities offerings, corporate governance, private equity, and venture capital transactions. She routinely advises cannabis companies, including licensed producers, retail operators and ancillary businesses, with respect to strategic transactions as well as day-to-day securities compliance, disclosure and corporate governance matters. Her experience in the industry includes M&A transactions for Canadian companies pursuing global expansion in the United States, Denmark, Germany, and Latin America. Tayyaba also has experience working with investors and technology companies at all stages of development with matters relating to incorporation, organization and acting on a variety of transactions, including private equity financings and exit transactions. Learn more. · Corporate / M&A

Thomas Isaac

Thomas Isaac is Chair of the firm’s Aboriginal Law Group. A nationally recognized authority in Aboriginal law, Tom advises business and government clients across Canada on Aboriginal legal matters and related regulatory, environmental assessment, negotiations and constitutional issues. Tom has extensive national experience advising energy, oil, gas, pipeline, mining, forestry, real estate and transportation companies, and federal, provincial, territorial, municipal and Indigenous governments and agencies on Aboriginal, regulatory and constitutional matters. He regularly negotiates on behalf of industry and governments concerning impact, benefit, economic development, replacement tenure, and access agreements with Aboriginal groups, and advises on Aboriginal consultation and accommodation processes and agreements. In recognition of his important and significant work in this area, Tom was honoured as one of Canada’s “Top 25 Most Influential” lawyers by Canadian Lawyer magazine in 2018. · Aboriginal Law

Zahra Nurmohamed

Zahra Nurmohamed is a partner of the Tax & Trusts Group at Cassels, where she serves as Co-Chair of the team. An award-winning tax practitioner, Zahra offers 20 years of experience in Canadian corporate tax matters, including the structuring of mergers and acquisitions, as well as reorganizations and financings. With significant experience in the mining industry, Zahra offers niche expertise in resource taxation and an in-depth understanding of tax matters affecting Canadian businesses in a broad range of industries including telecommunications, manufacturing, and technology. She is a dedicated and collaborative community leader and is passionate about mentoring and fostering diverse and inclusive teams. Learn more. · Tax