Sean Maxwell

Recent representative transactions include advising:

Fund Experience

• Various private and public sector pension plans on their private equity, real estate, hedged, fixed income and infrastructure fund investments

• Various private and public sector pension plans on compliance with applicable investment rules

• Various private and public sector pension plans negotiating investment manager mandates

M&A and Reorganizations

• Agrium Inc. in connection with its C$1.8-billion supported funding of Glencore International plc's C$6.1-billion acquisition of Viterra Inc., and the subsequent acquisition by Agrium of Viterra's wholesale and retail Agri-products division

• Counsel to Agrium Inc. on its US$38-billion proposed merger of equals with Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc.

• Counsel to BCE Inc. on its C$594-million acquisition of Glentel Inc. and sale of 50% of Glentel to Rogers Communications Inc.

• Counsel to Canadian Western Bank on the proposed sale of its property and casualty insurance subsidiary Canadian Direct Insurance Inc. to Intact Financial Corporation for C$197-million

• Cenovus Energy Inc. on the proposed sale of its Suffield crude oil and natural gas operations in southern Alberta to International Petroleum Corporation for C$512-million

• Kinder Morgan Canada Limited on its C$1.75-billion initial public offering

• Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, L.P. on its agreement to sell its one-third interest in the Express-Platte pipeline system to Spectra Energy Corp. for C$380-million as part of a C$1.49-billion transaction

• Nexen Inc. on its C$15.1-billion acquisition by CNOOC Limited

• Painted Pony on its proposed acquisition of UGR Blair Creek Ltd. and respective equity financing for approximately C$100.9-million

• Pembina Pipeline Corporation on its proposed acquisition of Provident Energy Ltd. in a transaction valued at C$3.2-billion

• Safeway Inc. on the sale of its Canadian operations to Sobeys Inc. for C$5.8-billion

• Counsel to Suncor Energy Inc. on its agreement to sell its Petro-Canada lubricants division to HollyFrontier Corporation for C$1.13-billion

• The Forzani Group Ltd. on its C$771-million acquisition by Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited

• Trican Well Service Ltd. on the proposed acquisition of Canyon Services Group Inc. for approximately C$637-million

• Counsel to Trinidad Drilling Ltd. on its C$505-million acquisition of CanElson Drilling Inc.

• UTS Energy Corporation on its C$1.5-billion plan of arrangement with Total E&P Canada Ltd. whereby Total will acquire UTS Energy

Sean has been recognized as a leading lawyer in the following publications:

• The Best Lawyers in Canada – 2022–2024 (Employee Benefits Law)

• The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory – 2020–2023 (Pensions and Employee Benefits)

• Chambers Canada: Canada’s Leading Lawyers for Business – 2021–2023 (Pensions & Benefits)

• The Best Lawyers in Canada 2023 – Lawyer of the Year (Employee Benefits Law – Calgary)
  

• The Legal 500 Canada (2022: Next Generation Partners: Pensions; 2021: Pensions)

• The Best Lawyers in Canada 2021 – Lawyer of the Year (Employee Benefits Law)

• Thomson Reuters Stand-out Lawyer 2021 – Independently Rated Lawyers (As nominated by senior in-house counsel; formerly, Acritas Stars)

Sean has written articles on issues related to pension and employee benefits for many industry publications including Benefits Canada, Compensation & Benefits Update, Employee Benefits News Canada, the Lancaster House Pension and Benefits E-Bulletin and the Canadian Bar Association's National Addendum. He has also spoken at conferences and seminars across the country.

Sean presently serves as a past chair of the Alberta Regional Council for the Association of Canadian Pension Management and as a member of its National Policy Committee.

Sean is the chair of the board of directors of Clear Water Academy Foundation.

• Speaker: Regulatory Round-up and Case Law Update
  Webcast #5: Blakes Spring Pensions Webcast Series, June 17, 2021.
• Speaker: Cross-Border Executive Compensation Issues
  Blakes Pensions Update for Multinational Employers Seminar, June 2, 2021.
• Speaker: Cross-Country Legal Update
  International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans Virtual Conference, May 13, 2021.
• Speaker: Legal Update
  CPBI Southern Alberta Chapter Webinar, April 27, 2021.
• Speaker: What’s New in Pensions and Benefits: Legal and Regulatory Update
  Canadian Bar Association Webinar, April 1, 2021.
• Speaker: Equity Incentive Plans: New Stock Option Rules and Administration Issues
  Webcast #1: Blakes Spring Pensions Webcast Series, February 23, 2021.

Admitted to the Alberta Bar – 2010
Admitted to the Ontario Bar – 2003
JD, University of Toronto – 2002
BA (Hon.), University of Toronto – 1999