Blakes has one of the largest and most active mergers and acquisitions practices in Canada, having been involved in more than 500 public and private M&A transactions, with an aggregate dollar value in excess of US$650-billion, since January 1, 2006. As in 2007 and 2008, Blakes was Canada's busiest M&A law firm in 2009. We ranked No. 1 in Bloomberg's 2009 M&A league tables in numerous categories, including No. 1 in Canadian Announced Deals by deal count and as the No. 1 Canadian firm in Global Announced Deals by deal value and deal count. We ranked No. 2 in Canadian Announced Deals by deal value in Bloomberg's 2009 M&A league tables.
We are frequently retained by major domestic and international companies, financial institutions, private equity funds and leading international law firms to provide strategic counsel in M&A transactions. We have more than 100 lawyers who focus on M&A. Our cross-Canada and international presence gives Blakes exceptional cross-border capability in principal markets.
Transactions on which we regularly advise range from privately negotiated transfers of shares or assets to the largest
public company or trust mergers and acquisitions completed by way of take-over bids, amalgamations and plans of arrangement.
We advise clients on structuring considerations, related-party rules, special committee obligations, take-over defences
and contested shareholder meetings.
Blakes also provides its M&A clients with the benefit of strategic advice from our Competition Group, Canada's top-ranked competition law practice that has unparalleled experience in representing clients before the Canadian Competition
Bureau in domestic and cross-border mergers. Our competition lawyers have successfully represented clients in four of
the five contested merger cases that have been litigated in Canada.
Our expertise in securities regulatory matters, tax structuring and addressing benefits, litigation, real estate, environmental, intellectual property and information technology issues, together with industry knowledge gained in serving
a diverse client base, ensures that we are able to provide highly effective and specialized advice to clients.
Representative Transactions
Clients Blakes has recently advised in connection with mergers and acquisitions transactions include:
BHP Billiton on its US$40-billion offer to acquire Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan.
Red Back Mining Inc. on its proposed US$7.1-billion acquisition by Kinross Gold Corporation.
UTS Energy Corporation on its C$1.5-billion plan of arrangement with Total E&P Canada Ltd. whereby Total will acquire UTS Energy.
Biovail Corporation on its proposed US$8-billion merger with U.S. public company Valeant Pharmaceuticals International.
Sinopec International Petroleum Exploration and Production Corporation on its C$4.65-billion purchase of ConocoPhillips' interest in the Syncrude joint venture. The Syncrude joint venture is the largest oil sands venture in the world, that includes surface mining, extraction and upgrading, and has been in production for over 30 years.
Quadra Mining Ltd. on its merger with FNX Mining Company to form a US$3.5-billion copper company.
Macquarie Long Term Care LP on the sale of ownership interests in the Leisureworld seniors housing business to Leisureworld Senior Care Corporation in connection with the initial public offering of Leisureworld Senior Care Corporation.
Open Text Corporation on its C$35-million acquisition of Nstein Technologies Inc.
Oakville Hydro Corporation on the sale of its wholly owned subsidiary, Blink Communications Inc., to Rogers Communications Inc.
Kinross Gold Corporation in connection with the proposed US$368-million acquisition of the Dvoinoye deposit and the Vodorazdelnaya property in Russia.
Nestle S.A. on its US$3.7-billion acquisition of Kraft Foods' North American frozen pizza business.
Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. on its C$240-million acquisition of Freewest Resources Canada Inc., which was supported by Freewest as superior to an unsolicited take-over bid by Noront Resources Ltd.
An affiliate of Sun Capital Partners, Inc. on its sale for approximately US$157-million of Timothy's Coffees of the World, Inc. to Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. and, immediately prior to that sale, on the sale by Timothy's Coffees of its franchise restaurant operations to an affiliate of Bruegger's Enterprises, Inc.
Kinross Gold Corporation on the sale of its Gurupi Project in Brazil to Jaguar Mining Inc.
Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. on its US$88-million acquisition of a 73% interest in Wabush Mines Joint Venture held by U.S. Steel Canada Inc. and ArcelorMittal Dofasco Inc.
Tui Canada Holdings Inc. and its subsidiary First Choice Canada Inc. on its proposed combination with Sunwing Travel Group Inc.
The CUMIS Group Limited on its C$232-million acquisition by Central 1 Credit Union and Co-operators Life Insurance Company.
Australian Solomons Gold Limited in connection with its C$52-million acquisition by Allied Gold Limited.
Jien Canada Mining Ltd. and Goldbrook Ventures Inc. in connection with their C$197-million take over bid for Canadian Royalties Inc.
Randgold Resources Limited on its C$578-million acquisition (together with AngloGold Ashanti Limited) of Moto Goldmines Limited.
TriStar Oil & Gas Ltd. on its C$2.8-billion acquisition by Petrobank Energy and Resources Ltd, thereby creating a new publicly-listed company named PetroBakken Energy Ltd.
Ericsson on its US$1.13-billion acquisition of substantially all of Nortel's CDMA business and LTE assets in North America.
T&T Supermarket Inc. on its C$225-million acquisition by Loblaws Inc.
Canadian Hydro Developers, Inc. on its C$1.6-billion acquisition by TransAlta Corporation.
Richardson Partners Financial Limited on its acquisition of GMP Capital Inc.
Roark Capital Group on its C$143.7-million acquisition of Pet Valu Canada Inc.
Macquarie Group Limited on its C$116-million acquisition of Tristone Capital Inc.
Orvana Minerals Corp. on its acquisition of Kinbauri Gold Corp. by way of an unsolicited take-over bid.
Pure Energy Services Ltd. in respect of its strategic merger with Canadian Sub-Surface Energy Services Corporation.
Royal Philips Electronics NV, PHG-N on the acquisition by its affiliate, Philips Electronics Ltd., of Traxtal Inc.
Premier Oil Plc on its US$505-million acquisition of Oilexco North Sea Ltd. from Oilexco Inc., in administration.
Suncor Energy Inc. on its strategic merger with Petro-Canada.
Agrium Inc. in respect of its US$4.8-billion unsolicited tender offer for CF Industries Holdings, Inc.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated, as Canadian counsel, in connection with its acquisition of ViroChem Pharma Inc. for consideration consisting of US$100-million in cash and approximately 10.7 million Vertex common shares.
Dana Petroleum Plc on its C$218-million acquisition of Bow Valley Energy Ltd.
Certicom Corp. on its C$131-million acquisition by Research In Motion Limited.
UTS Energy Corporation on its successful defence of an unsolicited take-over bid by a subsidiary of Total SA.
JPMorgan Chase & Co. on its acquisition of UBS Commodities Canada Ltd., the Canadian energy operations of UBS AG, as well as the firm's global agriculture business.
Nexen Inc. on its C$735-million acquisition of an additional 15% interest in the Long Lake oil sands joint venture project and the joint venture lands from OPTI Canada Ltd.
Sierra Wireless, Inc. as Canadian counsel, on its proposed €218-million acquisition of Wavecom S.A.
Mineralogy Pty Ltd. on its C$100-million acquisition of Waratah Coal Inc. by way of an unsolicited take-over-bid.
Kinross Gold Corporation on its US$250-million acquisition of the Lobo-Marte gold project from Teck Cominco Limited and Anglo American plc.
The Independent Committee of the Board of Directors of Progress Energy Trust on its C$2.6-billion strategic merger with ProEx Energy Ltd.
Capstone Mining Corp. on its C$349-million acquisition of Sherwood Copper Corp.
Gran Tierra Energy, Inc. on its US$675-million acquisition of Solana Resources Ltd.
Vestar Capital Partners, as Canadian counsel, on its C$1-billion acquisition of the North American detergent business of Unilever PLC.
Petaquilla Copper Ltd. on its C$400-million acquisition by Inmet Mining Corp.
Grey Wolf Inc. on its C$1.6-billion acquisition by Precision Drilling Trust.
IGM Financial Inc. on its C$287-million acquisition of Saxon Financial Inc.
Saxon Energy Services Inc. on its C$677-million acquisition by Sword Canada Acquisition Company (indirectly jointly owned by Schlumberger Limited and First Reserve Corporation).
Schneider Electric S.A. on its C$500-million acquisition of Xantrex Technology Inc.
ABN AMRO Bank N.V. on the sale of its asset-based lending business to TD Bank Financial Group.
Enerplus Resources Fund on the sale of its interest in the Joslyn Oil Sands Project to Occidental Petroleum Corporation for US$500-million
Gentry Resources Ltd. on its US$268-million acquisition by Crew Energy Inc.
AkzoNobel on the sale of its Para and Crown Diamond brands to General Paint Corp.
Penn West Energy Trust on its US$162-milion acquisition of Endev Energy Inc.
Frontier Pacific Mining Corporation on its US$123-million acquisition by Eldorado Gold Corporation.
China National Gold Group Corporation on its US$218-million acquisition of a 42 per-cent controlling interest in Jinshan Gold Mines from Ivanhoe Mines Ltd.
Burmis Energy Inc. on its US$222-million acquisition by Baytex Energy Trust.
A Sun Capital Partners, Inc. affiliate in its acquisition of Timothy's Coffees of the World, Inc., which operates under its Timothy's World Coffee, mmmuffins and Michel's Baguette brands.
Ford Motor Company in connection with Canadian aspects of its US$2.3-billion sale of Jaguar and Land Rover to Tata Motors.
First Reserve Corporation on its C$3.7-billion acquisition of CHC Helicopter Corporation, the largest-ever buyout in the oilfield services industry. Winner of the 2008 Financial Times-mergermarket Private Equity Deal of the Year Canada Award.
Enerplus Resources Fund on its C$7.6-billion strategic merger with Focus Energy Trust.
Canetic Resources Trust on its C$15-billion strategic business combination with Penn West Energy Trust.
Industry Recognition
In each of the last three years, Blakes was Canada's busiest M&A law firm. Our No. 1 rankings in a wide range of M&A categories continued in the first quarter of 2010.
Our No. 1 rankings on Bloomberg's 2010 Q1 M&A league tables include:
- No. 1 in Canada Announced Deals by deal value
- No. 1 Canadian firm in Cross Border Announced Deals by deal value
- No. 1 Canadian firm in United States Announced Deals by deal value
- No. 1 Canadian firm in United States Announced Deals by deal count
- No. 1 Canadian firm in United States Announced Deals – Counsel to Principals by deal value
- No. 1 Canadian firm in United States Announced Deals – Counsel to Principals by deal count
- No. 1 Canadian firm in Global Announced Deals by deal value
- No. 1 Canadian firm in Global Announced Deals by deal count
- No. 1 Canadian firm in Global Announced Deals – Counsel to Principals by deal value
- No. 1 Canadian firm in Global Announced Deals – Counsel to Principals by deal count
- No. 1 Canadian firm in Europe Announced Deals by deal value
- No. 1 Canadian firm in Europe Announced Deals by deal count
- No. 1 Canadian firm in Europe Announced Deals – Counsel to Principals by deal value
- No. 1 Canadian firm in Europe Announced Deals – Counsel to Principals by deal count
Our No. 1 rankings on Thomson Reuters 2010 Q1 M&A league tables include:
- No. 1 in Any Canadian Involvement Announced Deals by deal value
- No. 1 Canadian firm in Any United States Involvement Announced Deals by deal value
- No. 1 Canadian firm in Any United States Involvement Completed Deals by deal count
- No. 1 Canadian firm in United States Target Announced Deals by deal value
- No. 1 Canadian firm in United States Target Announced Deals by deal count
- No. 1 Canadian firm in United States Target Completed by deal count
- No. 1 Canadian firm in Worldwide Announced Deals by deal value
- No. 1 Canadian firm in Any European Involvement Announced Deals by deal value
Our No. 1 rankings on mergermarket 2010 Q1 M&A league tables include:
- No. 1 Canadian firm in United States Announced Deals by deal value
- No. 1 Canadian firm in United States Announced Deals by deal count
- No. 1 Canadian firm in Global Announced Deals by deal value
- No. 1 Canadian firm in Global Announced Deals by deal count
- No. 1 Canadian firm in Europe Announced Deals by deal value
- No. 1 Canadian firm in Europe Announced Deals by deal count.
Chambers Global: The World’s Leading Lawyers for Business 2010
IFLR1000: The Guide to the World’s Leading Financial Law Firms - 2010 Edition
The 2010 Lexpert/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada
The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory 2010
PLC Which Lawyer? 2010
PLC Cross-border Mergers and Acquisitions Handbook 2008/09
Law Business Research’s The International Who's Who of Business Lawyers 2010
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