Blake Cassels & Graydon LLP - Who's Who Legal 70

What is the Who's Who Legal 70?

Blake Cassels & Graydon LLP in Who's Who Legal

	Real Estate
	9

	Oil & Gas
	6

	Insolvency & Restructuring
	4

	Project Finance
	2

	Corporate Governance
	4

	Aviation
	1

	Life Sciences
	2

	Trademarks
	3

	Patents
	1

	Competition
	5

	Mergers & Acquisitions
	4

	Competition
	5

	Mergers & Acquisitions
	4

	Corporate Tax
	3

	Commercial Litigation
	2

	Management Labour & Employment
	1

	Environment
	3

	Insurance & Reinsurance
	1

	Banking
	5

	Internet & e-Commerce
	3

	Mining
	2

	Trade & Customs
	2

	Product Liability Defence
	4

	Regulatory Communications
	3

	Public Procurement
	5

	Capital Markets
	4

With 65 listings across 23 chapters, Blake Cassels & Graydon LLP enjoys an impressive representation in the 2011 research. Its strongest chapters are oil and gas and competition, with notable inclusions in corporate and financial practice areas. Blakes sees more of its lawyers selected than any other firm in Canada, and wins our national award for the third consecutive year.

In the oil and gas chapter the firm has five individuals from its London and Calgary offices. The firm’s chairman, Brock Gibson QC, is an internationally renowned practitioner and has acted as lead counsel in a number of multi-billion dollar deals, including Suncor’s merger with Petro-Canada and Calpine Power Income Funds’ take over of a Harbinger Capital Partners affiliate. He is also well known for his corporate governance and M&A practices and features in both those chapters. Mungo Hardwicke-Brown primarily focuses on the natural resources and infrastructure industries with experience in petroleum, natural gas, oil sands, electricity, potash and other commodities. He is joined by C Kemm Yates QC, an experienced counsellor in both litigation and arbitration disputes concerning energy, pipeline, producer and consumer interests. Dan Fournier QC is “highly regarded” by his peers for his oil and gas work and also features in the project finance chapter where he advises on all aspects of public and private financing, from the issuer, lender and underwriter perspective. In London, managing partner of the European Office David Glennie has acted for Equinoz Minerals, Orange-Nassau and Frontier Rare Earths. He is also considered a mining “expert”, and earns a mention in that chapter, as does Bob Wooder who is highly ranked by his peers.

In the competition chapter the firm’s Toronto office fields some of the best practitioners in the area: Calvin Goldman QC is highly praised for his leadership as co-chair of the competition, antitrust and foreign investment group. He is described as having “impressive technical legal expertise and understanding of the regulatory process”. He works closely with Brian Facey who is similarly highly rated as “vastly experienced”. Julie Soloway has worked on a number of high profile and complex transactions and was strongly recommended to researchers, as was Jason Gudofsky. Robert Kwinter has significant experience in antitrust matters and is also extremely well thought of.

In the corporate governance chapter, Eric Spindler and Rob Collins earn a mention as notable inclusions in Toronto, as does the “very capable” David Jackson who is further lauded for his capital markets knowledge. Jackson is joined in that chapter and in M&A by Pat Finnerty.

The firm has an impressive contingent of four lawyers in both the capital markets and banking chapters. Alongside Jackson and Finnerty in capital markets, William Sirett in Vancouver is a recognised leader in securities deals, and counts Gateway Casinos, T&T Supermarkets and Novagold Resources as clients. In Toronto, Michael Gans specialises in corporate ventures for financial institutions in both the US and Canada. Former chairman of the firm Jim Christie is recognised for his “phenomenal practice” in all types of banking law, while John Teolis is a “trailblazer” and one of the first three Canadian lawyers elected to the American College of Commercial Finance Lawyers. Leader of the financial services group Michael Harquail is “definitely in the top tier of Canadian banking lawyers”.

The firm performs well in the insolvency and restructuring chapter with four listings. In Vancouver, William Kaplan QC is a seasoned litigator with experience in commercial, insolvency and securities matters. Similarly, Peter Rubin focuses on contractual disputes, securities litigation and corporate arrangements. Susan Grundy is the “leading light” for insolvency, debt restructuring and M&A involving distressed businesses at the firm’s Toronto office, where she works with Pamela Huff, an experienced insolvency lawyer.

In Vancouver Anne Stewart QC acts in public procurement matters for public and private companies, providing advice on structure, reorganisation, M&A, divestiture, financing and contracts. Considered “one of the best in Toronto” by respondents to our survey, Judy Wilson earns an inclusion. In Ottawa, Gordon Cameron has a “respected” practice litigating before energy regulatory tribunals and boards. His practice focuses on litigation of commercial infrastructure projects ad administrative issues. Alain Massicotte heads the Montréal infrastructure practice group and has advised consortiums, lenders and operators in a range of procurement matters.

Blakes has a good profile in the environment chapter, with the head of the environmental practice group, Dufferin Harper particularly highly regarded in Calgary. He acts for clients on due diligence, redevelopment and liability matters and has extensive experience in contamination, permits, ponds and mining. Paul Cassidy in Vancouver combines a regulatory advice practice with acting for clients in litigation disputes. In Toronto Robert Fishlock and Jonathan Kahn are both very experienced in this field and received many nominations from international peers.

Blakes is also well represented in a range of other areas, including product liability defence, internet, real estate, regulatory communications and trade and customs, and once again stands out as the leading firm in our Canadian research.