Department profile
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP

Private Equity: Buyouts

Global Guide 2026 : Canada

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Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP

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About

Provided by Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP

Blakes has a team of more than 100 M&A lawyers across Canada as well as representation in major international markets. We have the ability to execute major Canadian M&A transactions around the world.

Major domestic and international companies, financial institutions, private equity funds and leading international law firms regularly retain us to provide strategic counsel in M&A transactions. Advising on deals ranging from privately negotiated share or asset transactions to the largest public company mergers and acquisitions, we offer guidance regarding structuring considerations, regulatory issues, stock exchange requirements, related-party rules, fiduciary obligations and take-over defences.

Working closely with our Competition & Antitrust group, Canada’s top-ranked competition law practice, we possess unparalleled insights and experience in representing clients before the Canadian Competition Bureau in domestic and cross-border mergers and advising on Canada’s foreign investment regime.

Our expertise in securities regulatory matters, tax structuring, benefits, litigation, real estate, environmental, intellectual property and information technology law, 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.

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Private Equity: Buyouts - Canada

Band 1

What the Team is Known For
Blake, Cassels & Graydon is a premier national law firm with an excellent M&A platform and a strong track record of advising on major public and private transactions. The firm is a regular feature on international inbound and domestic merger deals, and is equally well placed to advise on public and private equity and debt offerings. The firm offers significant high-end as well as mid-market capabilities with expertise that cuts across sectors, including technology and financial services. The firm's recent deal sheet features a number of important transactions in the oil and gas, telecoms and media, agriculture and hospitality sectors. The team services clients from its offices across Canada's key financial centres, as well as providing additional support from New York and London, UK.
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Work Highlights

Provided by Chambers

  • Blake, Cassels & Graydon acted for the Special Committee of the Board of Directors of Veren in its CAD15 billion business combination with Whitecap Resources.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • We can always rely on Blakes to respond quickly and with an answer that is practical and business-minded, with the right level of detail to be digestible and usable.

    Private Equity: Buyouts respondentGlobal

  • It does not matter how complex the issue is, the Blakes corporate and commercial team can handle it.

    Private Equity: Buyouts respondentGlobal

  • Blake, Cassels & Graydon's commitment to providing excellent service to their clients is evident in their thoughtful and timely responses.

    Private Equity: Buyouts respondentGlobal

  • Blakes is the absolute best in Canada. They have a deep bench and expertise in all of the practice areas required to manage a large, complex transaction.

    Private Equity: Buyouts respondentGlobal

  • The Blakes team has a strong understanding of current market trends and provides us with practical and actionable advice.

    Private Equity: Buyouts respondentGlobal

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

  • Geoffrey Belsher
    Geoffrey Belsher

    Geoffrey Belsher

    Toronto-based Geoffrey Belsher advises multinational corporations and Canadian clients on cross-border M&A transactions.

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  • John-Paul Bogden
    John-Paul Bogden

    John-Paul Bogden

    Vancouver-based John-Paul Bogden has a wealth of experience in the private equity space, assisting various clients, from tech players to pension scheme providers.

    • JP is one of the most commercially savvy lawyers that I know.

      Private Equity: Buyouts respondentGlobal

    • John-Paul Bogden is attentive, thorough and extremely commercial.

      Private Equity: Buyouts respondentGlobal
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  • Michael I Gans
    Michael I Gans

    Michael I Gans

    Michael Gans is a respected lawyer in the private equity and M&A space with extensive experience supporting clients in acquisitions, dispositions, and minority investments.

    • Mike is very commercial and practical.

      Private Equity: Buyouts respondentGlobal

    • Michael Gans is great, we have great confidence in him as a partner.

      Private Equity: Buyouts respondentGlobal

    • Michael Gans is reasonable and really creative in his thinking.

      Private Equity: Buyouts respondentGlobal

    • Michael's ability to see the bigger picture and provide risk-adjusted advice is unmatched.

      Private Equity: Buyouts respondentGlobal
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  • Patrick Menda
    Patrick Menda

    Patrick Menda

    Montréal-based Patrick Menda is a highly experienced attorney who is frequently called upon by private equity firms to handle significant transactional work.

    • Patrick is a very skilled lawyer who is well versed in M&A.

      Private Equity: Buyouts respondentGlobal

    • Patrick's knowledge of cross-border transactions is extremely helpful and he is extremely responsive and attentive.

      Private Equity: Buyouts respondentGlobal

    • Patrick Menda's way of managing clients is fantastic and he knows how to collaborate.

      Private Equity: Buyouts respondentGlobal

    • Patrick Menda is consistently very strong and practical.

      Private Equity: Buyouts respondentGlobal
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  • Alex Moore
    Alex Moore

    Alex Moore

    Toronto-based Alex Moore is a highly skilled lawyer who acts on a range of corporate and capital markets transactions, with a particular emphasis on the financial services sector.

    • Alex is remarkable.

      Private Equity: Buyouts respondentGlobal
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  • Chad C Schneider
    Chad C Schneider

    Chad C Schneider

    Chad Schneider has a wealth of experience advising clients on corporate reorganisations and M&A transactions, with a particular focus in the energy sector.

    • Chad has great industry relationships and extensive experience. He is great at his trade.

      Private Equity: Buyouts respondentGlobal

    • He is fabulous in thinking about deal structures that will make sense, given the business context.

      Private Equity: Buyouts respondentGlobal
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  • Kurt Sarno
    Kurt Sarno

    Kurt Sarno

    Kurt Sarno is an experienced transactional attorney who frequently advises private equity firms on deals work. He is based in the firm's Toronto office.

    • Kurt is our go-to for many deals and has an excellent reputation.

      Private Equity: Buyouts respondentGlobal

    • Kurt brings a rare combination of deep legal expertise, commercial intuition and is calm under pressure.

      Private Equity: Buyouts respondentGlobal
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  • Ross A. Bentley
    Ross A. Bentley

    Ross A. Bentley

    Ross Bentley is a well-regarded securities and M&A lawyer with impressive experience across the full spectrum of transactional matters in a range of industries.

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  • Shlomi Feiner
    Shlomi Feiner

    Shlomi Feiner

    Shlomi Feiner is an experienced Toronto-based lawyer noted for his work representing clients in complex corporate transactions.

    • Shlomi is great to work with and is available whenever he is needed.

      Private Equity: Buyouts respondentGlobal

    • Shlomi is the most effective, practical, business-oriented transaction lawyer that I've worked with. He can handle large, cordial principles and is exceptional at finding a practical path through.

      Private Equity: Buyouts respondentGlobal
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  • Bob J. Wooder
    Bob J. Wooder

    Bob J. Wooder

    Based in Vancouver, Bob Wooder has a strong reputation for mergers and acquisitions, as well as capital markets transactions. He is especially well known for his work representing clients in the mining sector.

    • Bob has exceptional client service, knowledge and ability.

      Private Equity: Buyouts respondentGlobal

    • Bob is a spectacular lawyer with a breadth of experience.

      Private Equity: Buyouts respondentGlobal
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  • Jeff Bakker
    Jeff Bakker

    Jeff Bakker

    Jeff Bakker is an experienced lawyer who advises clients on securities law issues and M&A transactions.

    • Jeff is top-tier. He is very smart.

      Private Equity: Buyouts respondentGlobal

    • He has a wealth of knowledge and gets answers to me immediately.

      Private Equity: Buyouts respondentGlobal
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  • Rory ffrench
    Rory ffrench

    Rory ffrench

    Rory ffrench is based in the Toronto office, where he is frequently active on buyout transactions alongside a complementary practice advising on corporate structuring, joint ventures and commercial contracts.

    • Rory ffrench is incredibly smart and dedicated.

      Private Equity: Buyouts respondentGlobal

    • Rory is strong across all metrics.

      Private Equity: Buyouts respondentGlobal

    • Rory is great to work with.

      Private Equity: Buyouts respondentGlobal
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  • Kevin Rusli
    Kevin Rusli

    Kevin Rusli

    Kevin Rusli heads the New York office of Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP. His practice features a wealth of expertise in Canadian securities law, with particular emphasis on advising clients on fund formation and regulatory work for major Canadian and international sponsors.
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Ranked Individuals at Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP (15)

Canada

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