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About Sébastien

Sébastien specializes in bank financing, project financing and asset-based financing. He has been involved in numerous bank and project financings in Canada, Europe, Africa and Asia. Other areas of expertise include renewable energy and infrastructure projects, aircraft leasing and financing.

Sébastien acts for financial institutions, investment funds, development banks, sponsors and companies.

Sébastien served on the Blakes Executive Committee for six years.

Select Experience

Sébastien has acted as legal counsel on a wide range of issues including to:

  • The lenders for the project financing of a 230-megawatt wind-farm project in Ontario

  • A syndicate of lenders for the financing of four wind farms in Quebec, totaling 480 MW in aggregate

  • The lenders on a C$1-billion club deal facility

  • A lender for the financing of a 22 MW wind farm project in of Saskatchewan

  • The lenders for the financing of a 22 MW hydroelectric power project in British Columbia

  • The lenders for the project financing of a 69 MW wind-farm project in Quebec

  • The sponsor on the development of a 15 MW solar power plant in Burkina Faso, Africa

  • A lender for the financing of a 50 MW wind-farm project in Quebec

  • The agent and the lenders on multiple syndicated transactions and on acquisition finance transactions (including the lenders on the C$3.2-billion financing for Alimentation Couche-Tard for the Statoil acquisition)

  • The lenders for the C$725-million project financing of a 272 MW wind-farm project in Quebec (Project Finance Americas Deal of the Year 2011, PFI Awards 2011 Renewables Deal of the Year – Americas, Trade Finance Deal of the Year 2011 – Americas (Trade Finance Magazine))

  • A lender for the financing of a 100 MW wind-farm project in Quebec

  • The sponsor for the acquisition and financing of 90 MW of wind-farms projects in Ontario

  • The agent and the lenders on a C$70-million syndicated asset based financing

  • The sponsor for a US$107.5-million financing of a gold mine in Mexico

  • The lenders on restructuring and financing of a corporate borrower

Awards & Recognition

Sébastien is also recognized as a leading lawyer in the following publications:

  • The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory – 2017–2024 (Asset Equipment Finance/Leasing, Asset-Based Lending, Banking & Financial Institutions, Energy (Electricity), Infrastructure Law, Project Finance)

  • Thomson Reuters Stand-out Lawyers 2024 – Independently Rated Lawyers (As nominated by senior in-house counsel)

  • The Legal 500 Canada – 2022–2024 (Energy & Natural Resources: Power)

  • Chambers Global: The World's Leading Lawyers for Business – 2022–2024 (Project Finance)

  • Chambers Canada: Canada's Leading Lawyers for Business – 2022–2024 (Project Finance)

  • The Best Lawyers in Canada (2017–2024: Asset-Based Lending Practice, Banking and Finance Law, Energy Law, Project Finance Law; 2020–2024: Equipment Finance Law)

  • IFLR1000: The Guide to the World's Leading Financial and Corporate Law Firms (2023: Project Finance; 2017–2022: Project Finance – Highly Regarded; 2020: Banking – Highly Regarded)

  • Who's Who Legal: Global (2021–2023: Project Finance; 2021–2022: Energy – Renewables)

  • Who's Who Legal: Canada (2022–2023: Energy, Project Finance; 2020: Project Finance – Global Leader & National Leader)

  • The Legal 500 Canada 2021 (Banking and Finance, Energy and Natural Resources: Power – Recommended)

  • The Lexpert/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada – 2019–2021 (Project Finance) 

  • Who's Who Legal: Renewables 2021

  • Who's Who Legal: Project Finance 2019

  • A Word About Wind's Legal Power List 2016 (Recognized as one of the top 100 most influential lawyers in the global wind sector)
Professional Activities

Sébastien is the regional Practice Group Leader of the Financial Services group.

Sébastien is a member of many organizations, including the Barreau du Québec, the Canadian Bar Association and the Bar of the State of New York.

Publications
Education

Admitted to the Quebec Bar – 1998
Admitted to the New York State Bar – 1997
LLB/BCL, McGill University – 1996
BA (Hon., Economics), McGill University – 1992

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