Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Corporate/M&A | Chambers Global Profile

Regional Rankings
Global
Asia-Pacific
Brazil
Canada
Europe
France
Greater China Region
Latin America
UK
UK Bar
Germany
USA
Specialist Rankings
NewLaw
Crisis & Risk Management
FinTech
High Net Worth
Litigation Support
Spotlight Rankings
USA: Spotlight
Content
Global Practice Guides
Expert Focus
Legal Articles
Customer Voices
Chambers Content
Events
Guide Launch Dates
Upcoming Events
Browse All Events
Event Sponsorship
About Our Events
DEI Events
Amplify your presence
Profile Platform
Amplify your ranking and be more discoverable
Includes:

Online Profile

Referee Management

Research Analytics

Marketing Toolkit

Plaques
Improve your performance
Insight
Improve your ranking with unique market insight
Includes:

Client and Market Intelligence

Client Intelligence

Rankings Data Hub

Business Intelligence
Market PulseNew
Showcase your expertise
Global Practice Guides Contributions
Highlight your subject matter expertise
Expert Focus
Provide commentary on key legal matters
In-depth Overviews
Events Sponsorship
Global Practice Guides
View our latest publications
Elevate your talent strategies
Chambers Talent
Access a range of ways to gain valuable insights to inform talent strategies
Leading Teams
Heighten your understanding of and identify the key drivers of talent retention and motivation
Chambers Student
Chambers Associate
Discover what's new at Chambers and Partners - click here to find out more
Submissions
Submissions Process
Methodology
Research Schedule
Research Team
Help
My Account

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

1

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.

View ranking table

Work Highlights

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 respondent
Global

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

Private Equity: Buyouts respondent
Global

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

Private Equity: Buyouts respondent
Global

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 respondent
Global

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

Private Equity: Buyouts respondent
Global

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 respondent
Global

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

Private Equity: Buyouts respondent
Global

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

Private Equity: Buyouts respondent
Global

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 respondent
Global

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

Private Equity: Buyouts respondent
Global

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

E

Geoffrey Belsher

E

Eminent Practitioners

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

2

John-Paul Bogden

2

Band 2

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.

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

2

Michael I Gans

2

Band 2

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.

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

Michael Gans is reasonable and really creative in his thinking.

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

2

Patrick Menda

2

Band 2

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.

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

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

Patrick Menda is consistently very strong and practical.

3

Alex Moore

3

Band 3

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.

3

Chad C Schneider

3

Band 3

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.

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

3

Kurt Sarno

3

Band 3

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.

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

3

Ross A. Bentley

3

Band 3

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.

3

Shlomi Feiner

3

Band 3

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.

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.

4

Bob J. Wooder

4

Band 4

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.

Bob is a spectacular lawyer with a breadth of experience.

4

Jeff Bakker

4

Band 4

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.

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

4

Rory ffrench

4

Band 4

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.

Rory is strong across all metrics.

Rory is great to work with.

Kevin Rusli

Expertise Based Abroad

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.

Filter by

Canada

Corporate/M&A

E

Geoffrey Belsher

E

Eminent Practitioners

2

Michael I Gans

2

Band 2

3

Alex Moore

3

Band 3

3

Chad C Schneider

3

Band 3

3

John-Paul Bogden

3

Band 3

3

Ross A. Bentley

3

Band 3

3

Shlomi Feiner

3

Band 3

4

Bob J. Wooder

4

Band 4

4

Jeff Bakker

4

Band 4

Kevin Rusli

Canada, expertise based abroad in USA

Private Equity: Buyouts

2

John-Paul Bogden

2

Band 2

2

Patrick Menda

2

Band 2

3

Kurt Sarno

3

Band 3

4

Michael I Gans

4

Band 4

4

Rory ffrench

4

Band 4

Members

Provided by Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP

Chad C Schneider

Geoffrey Belsher

John-Paul Bogden

Ross A. Bentley

Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP has rankings in the following guides

1

Corporate/M&A

Canada 2026

Nationwide - Canada

Go to department