Kevin Rusli, New York, Toronto | Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP

About Kevin

Kevin's practice encompasses Canadian corporate and securities law. He advises Canadian and U.S. investment dealers, advisers, private equity sponsors, asset managers, banks and corporations on corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions.

He regularly provides legal advice regarding the regulation, fund formation and registration of investment fund managers, portfolio advisers and dealers, and has considerable experience in structuring fund platforms in Canada for both domestic and international sponsors. He is a regular conference speaker and major contributing author of many fund publications.

Kevin is the Managing Partner of the New York office.

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Recent significant transactions include acting as counsel to:

Mergers & Acquisitions/Private Equity

Dynamic Funds, a division of 1832 Asset Management LP, on the acquisition and assumption of investment management responsibilities of nine exchange traded funds from BlackRock Canada
Jarislowsky Fraser Limited, one of Canda's leading institutional and private wealth investment managers, on entering into a strategic relationship with HarbourVest Partners, an independent, global private markets investment specialist
Sheridan Capital Partners on the sale of Canadian Orthodontic Partners, including 69 locations nationally serving more than 30,000 active patients, to Pamlico Capital
Bartek Ingredients Inc. on its sale to Torquest Partners
Questrade Wealth Management Inc. on the sale of its fund assets to WisdomTree Canada
Evolve Funds Group Inc. on the acquisition of fund assets managed by Sphere Investment Management Inc.
IMCD Group, a Netherlands-based public company, in connection with its acquisition of L.V. Lomas, a private Canadian and US specialty and ingredients distributor
Bluespire Marketing, an affiliate of High Road Capital Partners, in connection with its acquisition of Ariad Communications
Borealis Infrastructure and LifeLabs Medical Laboratory Services in connection with LifeLabs' acquisition of CML Healthcare Inc.
KSL Capital in connection with its acquisition of 24% of Whistler-Blackcomb Holdings
Gilead Sciences, Inc. in connection with its US$500-million acquisition of YM BioSciences Inc.
H&R REIT on its acquisition of Primaris Retail REIT and subsequent agreement to sell a portfolio of 18 Primaris properties to a consortium led by KingSett Capital
Nexen Inc. in connection with its acquisition by CNOOC Limited
BHP Billiton on its offer to acquire Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan

Investment Products & Asset Management

Advising several Canadian and US fund sponsors and asset managers, including Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, CIBC Asset Management Inc., BMO Asset Management Inc., 1832 Asset Management LP, TD Asset Management Inc., Desjardins Global Asset Management Inc., CI Investments Inc., AGF Investments Inc., PIMCO Canada Corp., Horizons ETF Management (Canada) Inc., Evolve Funds Group Inc., Tangerine Investment Management Inc., Harvest Portfolios Group Inc., Goldman Sachs Asset Management L.P., Van Eck Associates Corporation and State Street Global Advisors

Fairness

Advising numerous investment banks, including Credit Suisse, Jefferies and Moelis, in connection with their roles as financial advisors to acquirors and targets in M&A transactions

Awards & Recognition

Professional Activities

Kevin is engaged in the regulatory changes and development of the mutual fund and exchange-traded fund (ETF) industry and currently sits as a member of the Policy Committee and Media and Public Relations Committee of the Canadian ETF Association. He has also been a guest lecturer on the topic of investment funds at the Osgoode Hall Law School LLM Program on international securities regulation.

Kevin is also a member of the Canadian Association of New York, the Investment Funds Institute of Canada, the Canadian ETF Association, Canada's Venture Capital & Private Equity Association and the Association for Corporate Growth.

Kevin has been co-chair of the Blakes United Way Associates Committee, and currently sits as co-chair of the annual Blakes United Way Partners Campaign. He sits on the board of directors of Magicana, a not-for-profit arts organization dedicated to the advancement of magic as a performing art. He remains actively involved in various charitable organizations and activities.