2020 Winners and Excellence Awardees

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CAPITAL MARKETS DEAL OF THE YEAR


Winner: TransAlta strategic Partnership with Brookfield

Firms
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP, Torys LLP

Organizations
Brookfield Asset Management; TransAlta Corporation

Banks
CIBC World Markets, Inc., RBC Global Asset Management


EXCELLENCE AWARDEES


Aquilini/Enthusiast Merger
Firms

Minden Gross LLP, Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP

Accountants
MNP LLP, Segal LLP


BMO Sustainability Bond
Organizations
BMO Financial Group, Sustainalytics


Home Trust Company Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities Trust Program
Firms

Lavery de Billy LLP, Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP, Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, Torys LLP

Banks
BMO Capital Markets, BofA Securities, RBC Capital Markets


Katanga Rights Offering
Firms

Bennett Jones LLP, Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP


Keyera Hybrid Notes Offering
Firms

Dentons Canada LLP, Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP

Banks
AltaCorp Capital Inc., BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc., CIBC, Citigroup Global Markets Canada Inc., MUFG Securities (Canada), Ltd., National Bank Financial Inc., Peters & Co. Limited, RBC, Scotia Capital Inc., TD Securities Inc.


Lightspeed POS IPO
Firms

Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP

INFRASTRUCTURE & PROJECTS DEAL OF THE YEAR


Winner: Wataynikaneyap Transmission Project

Firms
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, McMillan LLP, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP, Torys LLP

Organization
Ministry of the Attorney General

Banks
CIBC, National Bank of Canada, RBC, Scotiabank, TD Bank


EXCELLENCE AWARDEES


Brookfield Buys Enbridge’s Natural Gas Business
Firms

Kirkland and Ellis LLP, Latham & Watkins LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, Torys LLP

Banks
Credit Suisse Group, HSBC, RBC Capital Markets Inc.


Pembina Pipeline’s Acquisition of Kinder Morgan
Firms
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Goodmans LLP, Latham & Watkins LLP, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP


SNC-Lavalin Sells Interest in 407
Firms

McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP


TD Greystone, IST3 Infrastruktur and Seven Indigenous Communities Acquire Alberta PowerLine
Firms

Alberta Counsel, Bennett Jones LLP, Biamonte LLP, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Dentons Canada LLP, Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, George Lepine Professional Corporation, Main Street Law, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Olthuis Kleer Townshend LLP, Prowse Chowne LLP, Torys LLP

Bank
BNY Mellon

INSOLVENCY & RESTRUCTURING DEAL OF THE YEAR


Winner: Catalyst Paper Restructuring

Firms
Bennett Jones LLP, Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP, Goodmans LLP, Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP, Jones Day, Lawson Lundell LLP, Miller Titerle Law Corporation, Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP


EXCELLENCE AWARDEES


Clairvest Restructuring
Firms

Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, Goldman Sloan Nash & Haber LLP, Goodmans LLP, Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP, Miller Thomson LLP, Torys LLP


Nautilus Minerals Insolvency
Firm
Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP

M&A DEAL OF THE YEAR


Winner: Air Canada Acquires Aeroplan

Firms
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Miller Thomson LLP, Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP, Torys LLP

Organization
Air Canada

Banks
American Express, CIBC, TD Bank


EXCELLENCE AWARDEES


Aphria’s Takeover Defence of Green Growth’s Hostile Bid
Firms

Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP


Axium and Manulife buy Northwest British Columbia Hydroelectric Facilities from AltaGas
Firms
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP


Canadian Natural Acquires Devon Canada Assets
Firms

Bennett Jones LLP, Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP, Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP


Digital Colony Buys Cogeco Peer
Firms

McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Miller Thomson LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP


First Air and Canadian North Merge
Firms

Bennett Jones LLP, Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP


Osisko Mining Reverse Takeover of Chantrell Ventures
Firms

Bennett Jones LLP, Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP, Peterson McVicar LLP


The Stars group Combine with Flutter Entertainment
Firms

Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP

PRIVATE EQUITY DEAL OF THE YEAR


Winner: BC Partners Buys GardaWorld

Firms
McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP, Séguin Racine, Attorneys


EXCELLENCE AWARDEES


CCMP Purchase of BGIS From Brookfield
Firms

Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, Latham & Watkins LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Ropes & Gray LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP, Torys LLP

Organization
BGIS Global Integrated Solutions

Accountants
Alvarez and Marsal, Deloitte LLP, Ernst & Young LLP, Wilmington Trust

Banks
Bank of Montreal, Citibank, CIBC, Morgan Stanley


Onex Acquires WestJet
Firms
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP‎, Dentons Canada LLP, DLA Piper (Canada) LLP, Goodmans LLP, Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP


Sale of Canada’s Shares in Ridley Terminals
Firms

Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, Goodmans LLP, Latham & Watkins LLP, Lawson Lundell LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP

Bank

Macquarie Capital Markets Canada Ltd.

CROSS BORDER DEAL OF THE YEAR


Winner: Newmont Acquires Goldcorp/Newmont Barrick Joint Venture

Firms
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP‎, Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP, Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, Goodmans LLP, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP


EXCELLENCE AWARDEES


Brookfield Acquires Genworth
Firms

Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Goodmans LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP, Torys LLP

Banks
Bank of Montreal, CIBC, Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Lazard Frères & Co. LLC, National Bank of Canada, RBC, Scotiabank, TD Bank


Canopy Acquires Acreage
Firms
Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP, Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, DLA Piper (Canada) LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP


Dream Global Sale to Blackstone
Firms

Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, Goodmans LLP, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP


Hasbro Acquires Entertainment One
Firms

Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP

CLASS ACTION TEAM OF THE YEAR


Winner: Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP – Federal Indian Day School Class Action

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Bennett Jones LLP – Das v. George Weston Limited
Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP – TELUS Communications Inc. v. Wellman
Koskie Minsky LLP, Raven, Cameron, Ballantyne & Yazbeck LLP, Wagners Law Firm, Acheson Sweeney Foley Sahota LLP, Quessy Henry St-Hilaire, avocats – Sherry Heyder v. The Attorney General of Canada and Larry Beattie v. The Attorney General of Canada
McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Koskie Minsky LLP – Reddock v. Canada (Attorney General)
Torys LLP – Saurette v. AstraZeneca Canada Inc.

COMMERCIAL LITIGATION TEAM OF THE YEAR


Winner: McCarthy Tétrault LLP – Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration) v. Vavilov, and the dual appeal in Bell Canada v. Canada (Attorney General)

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP – Canada Post Corp v. Canadian Union of Postal Workers
Lenczner Slaght Royce Smith Griffin LLP – Third Eye Capital Corporation v. Resources Dianor Inc./Dianor Resources Inc.
Nathanson, Schachter & Thompson LLP – Concord Pacific Acquisitions Inc. v. Oei
Torys LLP – Ituna Investment LP v. Industrial Alliance Insurance and Financial Services Inc. and Mosten Investment LP v. Manufacturers Life Insurance Company|
Torys LLP – Ontario First Nations (2008) Limited Partnership v. Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation

CANADIAN DEAL OF THE YEAR


Winner: Newmont Acquires Goldcorp/Newmont Barrick Joint Venture

Firms
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP‎, Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP, Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, Goodmans LLP, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP


EXCELLENCE AWARDEES


Air Canada acquires Aeroplan
Firms

Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Miller Thomson LLP, Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP, Torys LLP

Organization
Air Canada

Banks
American Express, CIBC, TD Bank


BC Partners buys GardaWorld
Firms
McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP, Séguin Racine, Attorneys


Paulson & Co. Replaces Detour Gold’s Board
Firms

Goodmans LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP


TransAlta strategic Partnership with Brookfield
Firms

Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP, Torys LLP

Organizations
Brookfield Asset Management; TransAlta Corporation

Banks
CIBC World Markets, Inc., RBC Global Asset Management


Wataynikaneyap Transmission Project
Firms

Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, McMillan LLP, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP, Torys LLP

Organization
Ministry of the Attorney General

Banks
CIBC, National Bank of Canada, RBC, Scotiabank, TD Bank

IP BOUTIQUE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR


Winner: Smart & Biggar LLP

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Aitken Klee LLP
Bereskin & Parr LLP
Deeth Williams Wall LLP
Gilbert’s LLP
Oyen Wiggs Green & Mutala LLP

LITIGATION & DISPUTE RESOLUTION BOUTIQUE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR


Winner: Lenczner Slaght Royce Smith Griffin LLP

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Crawley MacKewn Brush LLP
Hunter Litigation Chambers
Lax O’Sullivan Lisus Gottlieb LLP
Nathanson, Schachter & Thompson LLP
Singleton Urquhart Reynolds Vogel LLP
Thomson Rogers

BEST USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN A LAW FIRM


Winner: Norton Rose Fulbright LLP

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP
Dentons Canada LLP
Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP
Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP
MacKay Real Property Law
Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP

ATLANTIC CANADA LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR


Winner: Cox & Palmer LLP

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

MDW Law
Wagners LLP

ATLANTIC CANADA LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR


Winner: Cox & Palmer LLP

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

MDW Law
Wagners LLP

ONTARIO LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR


Winner: WeirFoulds LLP

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Barriston Law
Beard Winter LLP
Lerners LLP
McLeish Orlando LLP
Torkin Manes LLP

PRAIRIES LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR


Winner: Thompson Dorfman Sweatman LLP

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Fillmore Riley LLP
McDougall Gauley LLP
Pitblado LLP

QUEBEC LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR


Winner: Lavery de Billy LLP

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

BCF Business Law
Cain Lamarre LLP
Langlois Lawyers LLP

WESTERN CANADA LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR


Winner: Farris LLP

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

DuMoulin Black LLP
Hakemi & Ridgedale LLP
Harper Grey LLP
Harris & Company LLP

LITIGATOR OF THE YEAR


Winner: Linda Plumpton – Torys LLP

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Awatif Lakhdar – Lavery de Billy LLP
Chris Rusnak – Harper Grey LLP
Irwin G. Nathanson, Q.C. – Nathanson, Schachter & Thompson LLP
Julie Girard – Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP
Malcolm Ruby – Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP
Sean Griffin – Langlois Lawyers LLP
Steven Mason – McCarthy Tétrault LLP

MANAGING PARTNER OF THE YEAR


Winner: Les Viner – Torys LLP

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Anik Trudel – Lavery de Billy LLP
Blair McCreadie – Dentons Canada LLP
Dave Leonard – McCarthy Tétrault LLP
Julia E. Lawn – Nathanson, Schachter & Thompson LLP
Robert Seidel, Q.C. – DLA Piper (Canada) LLP
Teresa Dufort – McMillan LLP
Tom Curry – Lenczner Slaght Royce Smith Griffin LLP

CANADIAN BOUTIQUE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR


Winner: Lenczner Slaght Royce Smith Griffin LLP

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Goldblatt Partners LLP
Green and Spiegel LLP
Howie, Sacks & Henry LLP
Oatley Vigmond LLP
Roper Greyell LLP
Smart & Biggar LLP
Whitten & Lublin PC
Wildeboer Dellelce LLP

BANKING & FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS LAW DEPARTMENT OF THE YEAR


Winner: BMO Financial Group

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

CIBC
CPP Investments
iA Financial Group
National Bank of Canada
PSP Investments
Sun Life Financial
TD Bank Group
TMX Group Limited

CONSTRUCTION, INFRASTRUCTURE & TRANSPORTATION LAW DEPARTMENT OF THE YEAR


Winners: Aecon Group Inc.

Winners: Air Canada

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Construction Association of Quebec
Metrolinx

LAW DEPARTMENT LEADER OF THE YEAR


Winner: Kerry O’Reilly Wilks – TransAlta Corporation

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Andrea Cotroneo – Capital One Bank (Canada Branch)
Chris Wallace – Federation of Canadian Municipalities
David Hanick – Starlight Investments
Dr. Christelle Gedeon – Aphria Inc.
Jennifer Suess – RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust
Phil Shaer – Canopy Growth Corporation

THE FASKEN AWARD FOR LAW DEPARTMENT INNOVATION


Winner: Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Aecon Group Inc.
BMO Financial Group
GS1 Canada
Tilray

CANADIAN LAW DEPARTMENT OF THE YEAR


Winner: Bell Canada

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Aecon Group Inc
Air Canada
BMO Financial
Hudson’s Bay Company
Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan
Pembina Pipeline Corp
RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust

THE GOWLING WLG AWARD FOR WOMAN OF THE YEAR


Winners: Audrey Boctor – IMK LLP

Winners: Claire Hunter, Q.C. – Hunter Litigation Chambers

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Barbara De Dios – Canadian Dental Services Corp
Faren Bogach – WeirFoulds LLP
Heather L. Treacy, Q.C., ICD.D. – DLA Piper (Canada) LLP
Jennifer Suess – RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust
Kerry O’Reilly Wilks – TransAlta Corporation
Leanne O’Leary – Cox & Palmer LLP

PRO BONO INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR


Winner: BMO Financial Group – “Closing the access to justice gap through pro bono activities”

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Cox & Palmer LLP – “Newfoundland Court of Appeal decision in Re A.A”
Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP – “Pro Bono Gender Markers initiative”
Lax O’Sullivan Lisus Gottlieb LLP, co-counsel McCarthy Tétrault LLP – “Court of Appeal for Ontario decision in Canadian Civil Liberties Association v Canada”
Nicola Law Group – “Traffic Court Duty Counsel Project”

THE BERESKIN & PARR AWARD FOR DIVERSITY INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR


Winner: McCarthy Tétrault LLP – “Inclusion Now”

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP – “Our People First: Mental Health Strategy”
Jensen Shawa Solomon Duguid Hawkes LLP – “Enhancing Diversity and Inclusion in Recruitment and Advancement Policy”
Lenczner Slaght Royce Smith Griffin LLP – “ReferToHer™”
Ministry of the Attorney General – “Bimickaway”
Norton Rose Fulbright LLP – “Achieving greater representation of women in leadership and partnership”
Smart & Biggar LLP – “Diversity Goals: Diversity Leadership & Programs”