2020 Winners & Excellence Awardees

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If you or your firm contributed to any of the finalist deals below and deserve credit for your participation, or if you have been incorrectly noted, please contact [email protected].

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DEAL AND CASE AWARDS

FIRM AWARDS

IN-HOUSE AWARDS

LEGAL PROFESSION AWARDS

DEAL AND CASE AWARDS

Capital Markets Deal of the Year

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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
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
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

FIRM AWARDS

IP Boutique Law Firm of the Year

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

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

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

Cox & Palmer LLP

Excellence Awardees
MDW Law
Wagners LLP

Ontario Law Firm of the Year

WeirFoulds LLP

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

Prairies Law Firm of the Year

Thompson Dorfman Sweatman LLP

Excellence Awardees
Fillmore Riley LLP
McDougall Gauley LLP
Pitblado LLP

Quebec Law Firm of the Year

Lavery de Billy LLP

Excellence Awardees
BCF Business Law
Cain Lamarre LLP
Langlois Lawyers LLP

Western Canada Law Firm of the Year

Farris LLP

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

Litigator of the Year

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

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

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

IN-HOUSE AWARDS

Banking & Financial Institutions Law Department of the Year

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

Aecon Group Inc.

Air Canada

Excellence Awardees
Construction Association of Quebec
Metrolinx

Energy & Resources Law Department of the Year

Pembina Pipeline Corporation

Excellence Awardees
Bruce Power L.P.
Enbridge Inc.
Graymont Limited
Manitoba Hydro
Ontario Power Generation
TransCanada Energy Corporation

Law Department Leader of the Year

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

Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan

Excellence Awardees
Aecon Group Inc.
BMO Financial Group
GS1 Canada
Tilray

Canadian Law Department of the Year

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

LEGAL PROFESSION AWARDS

The Gowling WLG Award for Woman of the Year

Audrey Boctor - IMK LLP

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

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

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”