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About Will

Will's primary focus is on corporate finance transactions and public mergers and acquisitions, from public offerings and private placements of equity and debt securities on behalf of issuers, dealers and strategic investors to take-over bids, merger transactions and proxy battles on behalf of offerors, targets, activist investors and special committees. In particular, he has significant experience with domestic and cross-border REITs, REOCs, income funds and mutual fund corporations.

Will also regularly advises issuers and other market participants on corporate governance and regulatory compliance matters.

Select Experience

Recent representative matters over the past several years include acting for:

  • Starlight Investments in connection with the proposed going private transaction with Northview Properties REIT by way of unitholder- and court-approved arrangement valued at C$4.8-billion announced in February 2020

  • WPT Industrial REIT in connection with its US$240-million subscription receipt offering and related acquisition of a US$730-million US industrial portfolio in February 2020, the July 2018 internalization of its asset and property management functions and establishment of a private capital joint venture targeting US$1-billion of equity allocation to pursue industrial value-add and development investments, as well as numerous follow-on offerings of REIT units totalling approximately US$420-million since July 2016

  • H&R REIT in connection with its October 2018 court-approved internal reorganization to unwind its "stapled unit" structure with H&R Finance Trust, as well as all of its offerings of units and debentures since its 1996 IPO including offerings totalling approximately C$987.5-million since 2017

  • The dealers in connection with Minto Apartment REIT's C$230-million IPO of REIT units in 2018, as well as follow-on offerings of REIT units totalling C$398-million post-IPO

  • InterRent REIT's Special Committee in connection with the internalization of the REIT's property management functions for C$38-million in February 2018

  • The dealers in connection with Choice Properties REIT's C$1-billion IPO of REIT units and debentures in 2013, as well as numerous follow-on offerings of REIT units, partnership notes and debentures totalling approximately C$6.345-billion post-IPO

  • H&R REIT and H&R Finance Trust in connection with its friendly C$2.75-billion acquisition of Primaris REIT by way of a court approved plan of arrangement and concurrent C$1.28-billion sale of a portfolio of Primaris retail properties to the Kingsett group of funds in April 2013

  • The dealers in connection with BSR REIT's (a Southeastern US apartment operator) US$135-million IPO of REIT units in 2018, as well as follow-on offering of REIT units totalling US$40.3-million post-IPO

  • Starlight US Multi-Family Core Plus Fund in connection with its US$163.2-million IPO of various classes of LP units in February 2020

  • The dealers in connection with Automotive Properties REIT's C$75-million IPO of REIT units in 2015, as well as numerous follow-on offerings of REIT units totalling C$220-million post-IPO

  • Nexus REIT in connection with its REIT conversion by way of a court approved plan of arrangement and concurrent acquisition of C$68-million of industrial properties and its friendly merger with Nobel REIT to create a C$300-million diversified REIT in April 2017, as well as follow-on offerings of REIT units for C$89-million since 2014

  • Starlight US Multi-Family Value Add Fund in connection with its going private transaction with PSP Investment Board valued at US$240-million in January 2020 and its C$86.1-million IPO of LP units in June 2017

  • The dealers in connection with First Capital Realty Inc.'s C$453.2-million offering of common shares (represented by instalment receipts) and concurrent C$741.6-million repurchase of common shares from Gazit Canada Inc. in April 2019

  • The dealer manager in connection with Slate Retail REIT's C$52.8-million substantial issuer bid for its REIT units in February 2019

  • R&R REIT in connection with its separate acquisitions of three hotel portfolios totalling 2,576 rooms for US$118.6-million since June 2017

  • The dealers in connection with Continuum Residential REIT's C$300-million IPO of REIT units, withdrawn in 2019

  • The dealers in connection with True North Commercial REIT's REIT unit offerings totalling C$268.5-million since August 2016

  • Starlight U.S. Multi-Family (No. 5) Core Fund in connection with its security holder-approved and court-approved arrangement transaction pursuant to which it was acquired by Tricon Capital Group Inc. at a value of US$1.4-billion in June 2019, as well as its creation through a securityholder- and court-approved arrangement transaction merging the four predecessor Starlight US public funds and concurrent C$61.8-million IPO of LP units in October 2016

  • The dealers in connection with Inovalis REIT's (a cross-border REIT which owns French and German office properties) C$105-million IPO of REIT units in April 2013, as well as follow-on offerings of REIT units totalling C$83-million post-IPO

  • The dealers in connection with Invesque Inc.'s US$95-million "initial" public offering of common shares by way of RTO in June 2016, as well as follow-on offerings of subscription receipts and convertible debentures totalling US$169.8-million post-IPO

  • Starlight Group Property Holdings Inc. in connection with the establishment of a closed-end Canadian multi-res real estate fund on an equity commitment basis in April 2019

  • The dealers in connection with Slate Office REIT offerings of REIT units and subscription receipts totalling C$462-million since 2014

  • The dealers in connection with Sienna Senior Living Inc.'s offerings of REIT units and subscription receipts totalling C$322-million since May 2016

  • The dealers in connection with Tricon Capital Group Inc.'s C$63-million IPO of common shares in 2010 as well as numerous follow-on offerings of common shares, subscription receipts and convertible debentures for C$800-million post IPO, including the March 2017 offering of subscription receipts and extendible convertible debentures for US$321-million to acquire Silver Bay Realty Trust Corp.

  • The dealers in connection with American Hotel Income Properties REIT LP's (a cross-border fund vehicle which owns a portfolio of U.S. hotel properties) C$100-million IPO of LP units in February 2013, as well as follow-on offerings of LP units and debentures totalling C$530-million post-IPO

  • TransGlobe Apartment REIT in connection with its C$2-billion privatization by PD Kanco LP and Starlight Investments Ltd., the internalization of its asset and property management functions and its C$250-million IPO, as well as its follow-on bought-deal offerings of subscription receipts and extendible convertible debentures for C$353.8-million

Awards & Recognition

Will has been recognized as one of Canada's leading lawyers in the following publications:

  • Chambers Canada: Canada's Leading Lawyers for Business 2025 (REITs)

  • The Best Lawyers in Canada 2025 (Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities Law)

  • The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory 2024 (Corporate Finance & Securities, Mergers & Acquisitions)

  • Lexpert Special Edition: Finance and M&A 2024

  • Lexology Index: Capital Markets 2024 (Debt & Equity)

  • The Lexpert/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada 2023 (Corporate Finance & Securities)

  • Who's Who Legal: Canada 2023 (Capital Markets)

  • Who's Who Legal: Thought Leaders – Global Elite 2022 (Capital Markets – Debt & Equity)

  • The Lexpert Special Editions on Leading Corporate Lawyers in Report on Business Magazine (Globe and Mail)

  • Lexpert magazine as one of Canada's "Top 40: 40 and Under 40" (November/December 2004)

Professional Activities

Will is a member of the Hong Kong Canada Business Association and the American Bar Association.

Education

Admitted to the Ontario Bar – 1992
LLB, University of Ottawa – 1990
BAdmin, University of Regina – 1989

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