Ranking tables
Private Equity: Buyouts | Canada
Nationwide - Canada
Rankings overview for Departments
Band 2
Band 3
Eminent Practitioners
Band 2
- John-Paul Bogden Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP9 Years Ranked
- Laurie Duke Torys LLP6 Years Ranked
- Michael Akkawi Mintz8 Years Ranked
- Neill May Goodmans LLP9 Years Ranked
- Patrick M. Shea McCarthy Tétrault LLP9 Years Ranked
- Patrick Menda Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP3 Years Ranked
- Samantha Horn Stikeman Elliott LLP8 Years Ranked
Band 3
- James McClary Bennett Jones LLP4 Years Ranked
- John Connon Goodmans LLP1 Years Ranked
- John Mercury Bennett Jones LLP6 Years Ranked
- Michel Boislard Fasken9 Years Ranked
- Patrick Barry Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP8 Years Ranked
- Peter Castiel Stikeman Elliott LLP9 Years Ranked
- Shevaun McGrath McCarthy Tétrault LLP7 Years Ranked
- Sophie Lamonde Stikeman Elliott LLP6 Years Ranked
- Stewart Sutcliffe Stikeman Elliott LLP6 Years Ranked
Band 4
- Brett Stewart McMillan LLP1 Years Ranked
- Caitlin Rose Fasken5 Years Ranked
- Cameron M Rusaw Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP1 Years Ranked
- Curtis A Cusinato Bennett Jones LLP9 Years Ranked
- Jason (Jake) Bullen Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP4 Years Ranked
- John W Groenewegen Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP5 Years Ranked
- Jonathan See McCarthy Tétrault LLP7 Years Ranked
- Kurt Sarno Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP2 Years Ranked
All Departments profiles
Band 1
1 Stikeman Elliott LLPPrivate Equity: Buyouts2025 | Band 1 | 8 Years RankedStikeman Elliott is a dominant corporate law firm offering long-standing experience of private equity transactions across its offices throughout Canada. The private equity lawyers act for both buyers and sellers, demonstrating considerable depth of expertise in relation to private equity and venture capital funds. The team advises on both high-end and mid-market deals originating in a variety of industry sectors. The firm regularly represents foreign investors and is cited as a top choice of Canadian counsel on US-Canadian private equity deals.1 Torys LLPPrivate Equity: Buyouts2025 | Band 1 | 8 Years RankedTorys is respected for its experience in major private equity deals and recognised by the market for its long-term commitment to this practice area. The firm has a strong tradition of representing large Canadian-based pension funds in global transactions, and benefits from the support of its New York office to advise Canadian and US private equity firms on cross-border matters. It offers further expertise in mid-market buyouts and draws on additional experience in areas such as fund formation and corporate governance. Its Toronto and Calgary-based lawyers also offer strength in secondary acquisitions and divestitures, with expertise cutting across a variety of sectors including infrastructure, energy and consumer products.
Band 2
2 Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLPPrivate Equity: Buyouts2025 | Band 2 | 8 Years RankedBlake, Cassels & Graydon operates an active deal practice in private equity, with a significant national scope. The group demonstrates equal strength acting for buyers and sellers on domestic and cross-border buyout, investment and exit transactions. It also stands out for its representation of US funds in connection with their Canadian investments, supported by the firm's office in New York. With impressive Toronto, Vancouver and Montréal-based lawyers, the team has experience handling private equity buyouts in an array of active sectors, including technology.2 Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLPPrivate Equity: Buyouts2025 | Band 2 | 8 Years RankedDavies Ward Phillips & Vineberg is a well-regarded M&A law firm with a strong reputation for fund formation and transactional work in private equity. The group attracts significant clients including major private equity houses and their funds, institutional investors and sponsors. It advises on both acquisition and financing work, and maintains a longstanding presence in both Toronto and Montréal. The buyouts team often collaborates with colleagues in other departments to advise on a range of mandates; it has a strong track record of advising large clients investing in the Canadian mid-market. Its expertise cuts across sectors including real estate, technology, consumer products and the automotive industry.
Band 3
3 FaskenPrivate Equity: Buyouts2025 | Band 3 | 5 Years RankedFasken is a national law firm that is adept at handling a wide array of private equity mandates. The team's buyouts expertise is complemented by an assured grasp of corporate restructuring and regulatory matters. It is particularly noted as a leading force for private equity in Québec, with highly experienced teams in both Montréal and Québec City.3 Goodmans LLPPrivate Equity: Buyouts2025 | Band 3 | 8 Years RankedGoodmans is a major player in the private equity space in Toronto. It represents institutional investors and large private equity firms in cross-border deals on both the buy and sell sides, with wide-ranging industry expertise. The firm advises on transactions in the private equity secondary market and is recognised for its representation of funds clients in corporate restructuring and recapitalisation mandates. It displays supplementary strengths in areas such as fund formation and public M&A.3 McCarthy Tétrault LLPPrivate Equity: Buyouts2025 | Band 3 | 8 Years RankedMcCarthy Tétrault has a strong private equity platform for inbound transactions, fielding significant experience in relation to real assets, including infrastructure, energy and power assets, as well as a growing focus on sectors such as tech. The firm's clients include pension funds, domestic and foreign private equity investors and investment banks across Canada and the USA. The private equity team further assists with leveraged buyouts and going-private transactions. It supplements its transactional practice with fund formation expertise.3 Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLPPrivate Equity: Buyouts2025 | Band 3 | 8 Years RankedOsler, Hoskin & Harcourt is noted for its frequent representation of Canadian pension plans in the private equity space, as well as its varied list of domestic and international deals. It assists clients with a range of buyout and private equity financing mandates, as well as PIPE transactions. The firm has noted strengths in the venture capital space across its offices and frequently advises private equity firms investing in tech.
Band 4
4 Bennett Jones LLPPrivate Equity: Buyouts2025 | Band 4 | 7 Years RankedBennett Jones is consistently viewed as a leading law firm in Alberta, with deep expertise relating to buyouts in the energy and natural resources sector. The private equity group further benefits from the expertise of its growing offices in New York and Toronto. It is well versed in the representation of Canadian and US asset managers, along with funds and portfolio companies. The firm's buyouts strength is bolstered by complementary financial services and regulatory expertise.4 Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLPPrivate Equity: Buyouts2025 | Band 4 | 1 Years RankedCassels Brock & Blackwell is a respected national law firm whose Toronto office is regularly active on mid-market private equity buyouts. It is well versed in counselling private equity firms on the acquisition of portfolio companies in sectors as diverse as logistics and food and beverages. Its buyouts team has significant experience representing US-based clients, and is able to deploy the broader expertise of the firm in other practice areas when advising on high-value and multi-stranded transactions.4 McMillan LLPPrivate Equity: Buyouts2025 | Band 4 | 7 Years RankedMcMillan regularly advises on mid-market transactions, acting on behalf of Canadian and US private equity houses. The firm also frequently fulfils the role of Canadian counsel in US-Canada big-ticket transactions, acting alongside major US law firms. Its private equity and venture capital industry lawyers have further experience acting for private investors and target companies across a variety of industry sectors.