Canada: Aviation
Aviation has always been a thriving industry in Canada, and this year’s research suggests that this prosperity will continue. Lawyers we spoke to remarked on the increased regulatory measures in the field and the increase in M&A transactions following the end of the global financial crisis. We feature 20 lawyers this year.
Davis LLP fields three lawyers including Laura Safran QC, the head of the national aviation practice, who draws on her expertise as former vice president of Canadian Airlines International to provide “first class regulatory and financing” advice. As former general counsel of the International Air Transport Association, Robert Donald brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the firm’s aviation and dispute resolution groups from his base in Calgary. In Toronto, Catherine Pawluch is an “established player” having represented companies in aviation-related M&A matters for over 25 years.
At Bersenas Jacobsen Chouest Thomson Blackburn LLP, “key guy” Gerald Chouest is known for his regulatory expertise in aviation, and Carlos Martins is a Supreme Court advocate and a “respected” contributor to the field.
Based in the Toronto office of McMillan LLP Andrew McFarlane is an aviation financing lawyer and is “very good to deal with”. In Montreal, Éric Vallières is a both a litigator and regulatory lawyer. He has acted in some high profile deals and restructurings and is highly rated in the market.
In Calgary, Bennett Jones LLP boasts David Lennox and Patrick Brennan. Brennan is joint head of the financial services practice and advises airlines and manufacturers on aircraft acquisition, financing and general aviation law. He counts Air Canada among his list of clients, as does Lennox, who is “big in aircraft finance” and has considerable experience in acquisitions, leasing and disposition transactions.
In Toronto, co-chair of the aviation group for Blake Cassels & Graydon LLP, Donald Gray is recommended for his work in financing as a “leading aircraft leasing lawyer”. He counts Boeing and Boeing Capital among his clients.
Bruce Garrow for Borden Ladner Gervais LLP is a “leading light” for aviation insurance and also demonstrates his know-how and expertise as a trial lawyer, with over 25 years’ experience appearing before the Supreme Court of British Colombia, Ontario Superior Court of Justice, the Court of Appeal and Federal Court of Canada.
Edwin Nobbs QC at his own firm is “very senior” in the aviation field. He acts on regulatory matters for carriers and is a “first class expert”.
“Top insurance practitioner” Bruce MacDougall QC at Paterson MacDougall represents air and land carriers and insurers and reinsurers.
Kenton Rein at Stikeman Elliott LLP is known for his work in project financing within the context of M&As. He is a corporate lawyer with a prominent practice in aviation and transportation law, as is the “impressive” Michael Feldman at Torys LLP.
At Norton Rose OR LLP in Montreal Richard Desgagnés acts for airlines and airports in bankruptcy, restructuring and insolvency proceedings. He is chair of the firm’s transportation team and regularly appears before the Supreme and Federal Courts of Canada.
Jean-Marc Fortier at Robinson Sheppard Shapiro acts as an adviser in corporate financing and M&A to aerospace companies and is a “top tier” practitioner according to sources. At Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP, Bogdan Teofilovici has been repeatedly praised for his work in structuring and negotiating deals involving aircraft and he counts Lufthansa Technik AG and German Operating Aircraft Leasing GmbH & Co KG as clients.
In Calgary, Dino DeLuca of Burnet Duckworth & Palmer LLP comes highly recommended by his peers. He is “preeminent” and has acted as outside counsel for WestJet.
In British Colombia, Patrick Saul at Alexander Holburn Beaudin & Lang LLP is a former in-house counsel to Air Canada and brings “outstanding” corporate and commercial expertise to the table in regulatory financing transactions for companies in the aerospace field.