2022 Winners and Excellence Awardees

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CAPITAL MARKETS DEAL OF THE YEAR


Winner: Definity Insurance IPO

Firms:
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, Stikeman Elliot LLP, Shearman & Sterling LLP

Accountants:
Ernst & Young LLP

Banks:
Barclays, BMO Capital Markets, RBC Capital Markets, CIBC Capital Markets, National Bank Financial Inc., UBS Securities Canada Inc., Desjardins Securities Inc., Raymond James Ltd., Canaccord Genuity Corp., Cormark Securities Inc., Scotia Capital, TD Securities Inc.


EXCELLENCE AWARDEES


CAE purchase of L3Harris Technology Military Training Assets
Firms:

Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP, DLA Piper, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP

Accountants:
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Banks:
Goldman Sachs, RBC Capital Markets


Launch of Sprott Physical Uranium Trust
Firms:
Stikeman Elliott LLP, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP, Goodmans LLP, Thorsteinssons LLP, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP

Banks:
Cormark Securities Inc.


Li-Cycle Corp go-public SPAC Transaction
Firms:

McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer US LLP, Kirkland & Ellis LLP, Maples and Calder (Cayman) LLP, Ogier

Accountants:
Deloitte, Withum Smith+Brown, PC

Banks:
Barclays, Citi, Cowen, INFOR Financial Inc., UBS Investment Bank


Northern Private Capital purchase of MacDonald Dettwiler and IPO
Firms:

Goodmans LLP, Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, Covington & Burling LLP, Vinson & Elkins LLP, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP


Telus International IPO
Firms:
Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP

Accountants:
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

INFRASTRUCTURE & PROJECTS DEAL OF THE YEAR


Winner: Henvey Inlet Wind LP Refinancing

Firms:
Torys LLP, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP


EXCELLENCE AWARDEES


Burnaby Hospital Redevelopment
Firms:

DLA Piper (Canada) LLP, McMillan LLP, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP

Banks:
Canada Infrastructure Bank


Pembina Pipeline Corp Acquisition of Stake in Cedar LNG Project
Firms:
Stikeman Elliott LLP, Bennett Jones LLP, Miller Titerle Law Corporation, Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP


Scarborough Subway Extension P3 Advanced Tunnel Project
Firms:

Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, DLA Piper (Canada) LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP


St. Paul’s Hospital and Health Campus Project
Firms:

Bennett Jones LLP, Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, Reynolds Mirth Richards & Farmer LLP

INSOLVENCY & RESTRUCTURING DEAL OF THE YEAR


Winner: Groupe Dynamite CCAA and Chapter 15 Restructuring

Firms:
McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Camelino Galessiere LLP, Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP, Minden Gross LLP, Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, Dentons, Kirkland & Ellis

Accountants:
Deloitte Restructuring Inc.

Banks:
National Bank of Canada, Bank of Montreal, The Toronto-Dominion Bank and Fédération des caisses Desjardins du Québec


EXCELLENCE AWARDEES


CannTrust Group – CCAA Plan of Arrangement
Firms:

McCarthy Tétrault, Aird & Berlis LLP, Bennett Jones, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Crawley MacKewn Brush LLP, Dentons Canada LLP, Henein Hutchison LLP, Kalloghlian Myers LLP, Lax O’Sullivan Lisus Gottlieb LLP, Siskinds LLP, Stikeman Elliot LLP, Stockwoods, Strosberg Sasso Sutts, Torys LLP, Tyr LLP, Cleary Gottlieb, Paul Weiss, Skadden


FNX-INNOV Successful Opposition to City of Montreal’s SCC appeal in SM Group Restructuring
Firms:
Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP


iAnthus Capital Holdings Restructuring
Firms:
Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP, Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, Kornfeld Shapray & Partners LLP, McMillan LLP, M. Singh Law, Skylaw Professional Corporation, Stikeman Elliott LLP, Duane Morris LLP

Banks:
Canaccord Genuity


North American Lithium restructuring under CCAA
Firms:
Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, Woods LLP


Spectra Premium Group Insolvency
Firms:
Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, Fishman Flanz Meland Paquin sencrl/LLP, Lavery de Billy LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Miller Thomson LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP, Dickinson Wright, FCA US LLC

M&A DEAL OF THE YEAR


Winner: Brookfield Acquisition and Privatization of Inter Pipeline

Firms:
McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Burnet, Duckworth & Palmer LLP, Davies Ward Phillips and Vineberg LLP, Dentons Canada LLP, Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, Torys LLP, White & Case


EXCELLENCE AWARDEES


Alstom acquisition of Bombardier Transportation
Firms:

Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, Cleary Gottlieb, Freshfields, Jones Day


Canadian Pacific Railway – Kansas City Southern Merger
Firms:
Davies Ward Phillips and Vineberg LLP, Bennett Jones LLP, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, Torys LLP, Baker & Miller PLLC, Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez, S.C., Freshfields LLP, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP, Law Office of David L. Meyer, Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, White & Case, S.C., Willkie Farr & Gallagher, WilmerHale

Banks:
BofA Securities, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, BMO Capital Markets, Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Evercore


Cenovus Energy – Husky Energy Merger
Firms:

Bennett Jones LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, Stikeman Elliot LLP, Norton Rose Fulbright, Paul Weiss, Skaddens


IFM and Ontario Teachers Joint Acquisition of Enwave Canadian District Energy Operations
Firms:

Goodmans LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP, Torys LLP, Mayer Brown LLP


Synnex Corporation Acquisition of Tech Data

Firms:
DLA Piper, Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Cooley LLP, Davies Ward Phillips and Vineberg LLP, Cooley LLP


Tilray – Aphria merger
Firms:

DLA Piper, Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Cooley LLP, Davies Ward Phillips and Vineberg LLP, Cooley LLP

Accountants:
PwC, Deloitte

Banks:
Jefferies LLC, Cowen, Imperial Capital

MID-MARKET DEAL OF THE YEAR


Winner: Agnico Eagle Acquisition of TMAC Resources

Firms:
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP, DLA Piper (Canada) LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP, Torys LLP

Banks:
Trinity Advisors Corporation, First Asia Group Ltd., Blair Franklin Capital Partners, BMO Capital Markets, CIBC Capital Markets


EXCELLENCE AWARDEES


CVC Capital Partners and Caisse de Dépôt et Placement du Québec Acquisition of Majority Stake in BlueFocus Intelligent Communication Group’s international group of marketing, advertising, and communications agencies
Firms:

Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, White & Case

Accountants:
PJT Partners


Empire Company Acquisition of Longo’s
Firms:
Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, Stewart McKelvey, Stikeman Elliott LLP


Newmont Purchase of GT Gold
Firms:

Stikeman Elliott LLP, Davies Ward Phillips and Vineberg LLP, Goodmans LLP, Lawson Lundell LLP, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP

Banks:
BMO Capital Markets, Maxit Capital LP, Agentis Capital Mining Partners, Rothschild & Co.


TMX acquisition of AST Investor Services
Firms:

Torys LLP, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP


WELL Health Technologies Acquisition of CRH Medical
Firms:
Torys LLP, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Clark Wilson LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Chapman & Cutler, Foley Lardner, Skaddens

Accountants:
KPMG

Banks:
JP Morgan

COMMERCIAL LITIGATION TEAM OF THE YEAR


Winner: Goodmans LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP – Cineplex v. Cineworld

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Alberta Securities Commission, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Burnet, Duckworth & Palmer LLP, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Dentons Canada LLP – Re Bison Acquisition Corp., 2021 ABASC 100 (Order) / Re Bison Acquisition Corp., 2021 ABASC 188
Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, Nathanson, Schachter & Thompson, Torys LLP, Attorney General of British Columbia – Wastech Services Ltd. v. Greater Vancouver Sewerage and Drainage District, 2021 SCC 7
Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, Aitkin Klee LLP – Pharmascience Inc. v. Pfizer Canada ULC
Olthuis Kleer Townshend LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Department of Justice Canada – Tataskweyak Cree Nation et al. v. Canada and Curve Lake First Nation et al. v. Canada

THE SINGLETON URQUHART REYNOLDS VOGEL LLP AWARD FOR CONSTRUCTION, INRASTRUCTURE AND TRANSPORTATION
LAW DEPARTMENT OF THE YEAR


Winner: EllisDon

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Canada Post Corporation
Greater Toronto Airports Authority
Infrastructure Ontario
Metrolinx

BANKING & FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS LAW DEPARTMENT OF THE YEAR


Winner: Definity Financial Corporation

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Intact Financial Corporation
Novacap

ENERGY & RESOURCES LAW DEPARTMENT OF THE YEAR


Winner: Enbridge

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

TransAlta Corporation

CANADIAN LAW DEPARTMENT OF THE YEAR


Winner: Cineplex Entertainment

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Celestica Inc.
City of Vaughan
Definity Financial Corporation
EllisDon
Enbridge
Ivanhoé Cambridge

LAW DEPARTMENT LEADER OF THE YEAR


Winner: Innes Dey – Definity Financial Corporation

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Albert Lin – Brookfield Infrastructure
Cecile Chung – Samuel, Son & Co.
Denis Boulianne – Ivanhoé Cambridge
Francis Lecomte – Airbus Canada Limited Partnership
Heather Mullen – Johnson & Johnson Consumer Health
Leola Pon – Toronto District School Board

LAW DEPARTMENT INNOVATION AWARD


Winner: Enbridge

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

 Excellence Awardees

Ivanhoé Cambridge
Sun Life

THE LEXISNEXIS CANADA AWARD FOR BEST USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN A LAW FIRM


Winner: Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Gluckstein Lawyers
Mason PC
McCarthy Tétrault LLP (MT>3)

IP BOUTIQUE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR


Winner: Smart & Biggar LLP

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Oyen Wiggs Green & Mutala LLP

LITIGATION & DISPUTE RESOLUTION BOUTIQUE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR


Winner: Lenczner Slaght

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Branch MacMaster LLP
Crawley MacKewn Brush LLP
Jensen Shawa Solomon Duguid Hawkes LLP (JSS Barristers)
Nathanson, Schachter & Thompson LLP
Singleton Urquhart Reynolds Vogel LLP
Thomson Rogers

ONTARIO LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR


Winner: WeirFoulds LLP

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Blaney McMurtry LLP
Gluckstein Lawyers
PooranLaw Professional Corporation
Torkin Manes LLP

PRAIRIES LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR


Winner: Thompson Dorfman Sweatman LLP

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

McDougall Gauley LLP
McKercher LLP
Pitblado LLP
Taylor McCaffrey LLP

QUEBEC LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR


Winner: Lavery Lawyers

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Galileo Partners Lawyers Inc.
Langlois Lawyers, LLP

WESTERN CANADA LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR


Winner: Burnet, Duckworth & Palmer, LLP

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Clark Wilson LLP
Farris LLP
Hakemi & Ridgedale LLP
Harper Grey LLP
Lawson Lundell LLP
Roper Greyell LLP

LITIGATOR OF THE YEAR


Winner: Nadia Effendi – Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG)

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Craig A.B. Ferris, QC, FCIArb. – Lawson Lundell LLP
Laura Cooper – Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP
Peter Griffin – Lenczner Slaght
Philip J. Prowse – Prowse Chowne LLP
Sarit E. Batner – McCarthy Tétrault LLP

MANAGING PARTNER OF THE YEAR


Winner: Stephanie Vaccari – Baker McKenzie

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Charles Gluckstein – Gluckstein Lawyers
James Speakman – Clark Wilson LLP
John Murphy – Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG)
Mia Hempey – Nelligan Law
Robert Seidel, Q.C. – DLA Piper (Canada) LLP
Tom Curry – Lenczner Slaght

LAW DEPARTMENT INNOVATION AWARD


Winner: Teck Resources Ltd.’s business transformation program – RACE21TM

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

CPP Investments’ deal risk rating frameworks and app
IBI Group’s process automation tools
Royal Bank of Canada’s contest rules compliance and global brand portfolio management
Siemens’ Healthineers in Canada app

THE BERESKIN & PARR AWARD FOR DIVERSITY INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR


Winner: Harper Grey LLP – Life in Law (LiL)

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Aird & Berlis LLP – The ABDI Educational Curriculum
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG) – LGBTQ2s+ Firm Hop
Dentons Canada LLP – Indigenous inclusion: Foundations for reconciliation
TD Bank – TD Bank Diversity Initiatives 2021

THE LINCOLN ALEXANDER SCHOOL OF LAW AWARD FOR SHAPING THE FUTURE


Winner: McCarthy Tétrault LLP

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Gale Law Professional Corporation
Jamieson Law
Lenczner Slaght

THE GOWLING WLG AWARD FOR FEMALE TRAILBLAZER OF THE YEAR (IN-HOUSE COUNSEL)


Winner: Jane Langford – TD Bank

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Kate Salter – Ryerson University
Lara Speirs – Randstad Canada
Lilac Bosma – HSBC Bank Canada

THE GOWLING WLG AWARD FOR FEMALE TRAILBLAZER OF THE YEAR (PRIVATE PRACTICE)


Winner: Ena Chadha – Ethical Associates Inc.

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Ashlee Froese – Froese Law
Danielle Bisnar – Cavalluzzo LLP
Karen Perron – Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG)
Kim Jakeman, QC – Harper Grey LLP
Lindsay Charles – McLeish Orlando LLP
Molly Reynolds – Torys LLP
Sana Halwani – Lenczner Slaght
Sherry Fitzsimmons, Q.C. – McDougall Gauley LLP
Yola Ventresca – Lerners LLP

PRO BONO INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR


Winner: Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG) / Landings LLP – Initiative to support evacuations from Afghanistan

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Access Pro Bono BC – Virtual Family Mediation Project
Dentons Canada LLP – Galloway v A.B, 2019 BCSC 395
DLA Piper (Canada) LLP – The Black and Indigenous Business Law Clinic
Heron Law Offices – Heron Law’s initiative to help Indigenous people reclaim their traditional names
Taylor McCaffrey LLP – Manitoba families challenge Family Maintenance Act for LGBTQ2S+ discrimination