Award Categories

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CAPITAL MARKETS DEAL OF THE YEAR

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Winner: Pembina Pipeline Corporation’s $1.28 Billion Offering of Subscription Receipts

Canadian Law Firms
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP (for Pembina Pipeline Corporation)
Stikeman Elliott LLP (for underwriters)

Non-Canadian Law Firms
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

Accountants
KPMG LLP
RBC Dominion Securities Inc.
Scotia Capital Inc.
TD Securities Inc.


EXCELLENCE AWARDEES


Hammerhead Resources’ business combination with Decarbonization Plus Acquisition Corporation IV, forming Hammerhead Energy
Canadian Law Firms
Bennett Jones LLP (for Decarbonization Plus Acquisition Corporation IV)
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP (for the Special Committee of the Board of Directors of Hammerhead Resources Inc.)
Burnet, Duckworth & Palmer LLP (for Hammerhead Resources)

Non-Canadian Law Firms
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP (for Hammerhead Resources)


Thoma Bravo’s acquisition of Magnet Forensics Inc.
Canadian Law Firms
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP (for Magnet Forensics)
Dentons Canada LLP (for Special Committee of Magnet)
Goodmans LLP (for Nellore)
McMillan LLP (Canadian Counsel for Thoma Bravo)

Non-Canadian Law Firms
Allen & Overy LLP (for the Lenders)
Kirkland & Ellis LLP (US Counsel for Thoma Bravo)

Organizations
CIBC Capital Markets (independent valuator to the Special Committee)
Morgan Stanley (exclusive financial advisor to the Special Committee of Magnet)


Thomson Reuters’ US$2.2 billion return of capital and reverse-stock-split transaction
Canadian Law Firms
Torys LLP (for Thomson Reuters)

INFRASTRUCTURE & PROJECTS DEAL OF THE YEAR

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Winner: Umicore’s investment in Ontario, building an EV battery components factory

Canadian Law Firms
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP (lead; for Umicore)


EXCELLENCE AWARDEES


Canada Infrastructure Bank’s $52 million investment in the Thompson Regional Airport redevelopment project
Canadian Law Firms
McCarthy Tétrault LLP (for Canada Infrastructure Bank)
MLT Aikins LLP (for Thompson Regional Airport Authority)

Organizations
Canada Infrastructure Bank
Thompson Regional Airport Authority


Chiniki and Goodstoney First Nations’ energy infrastructure equity partnership with ATCO
Canadian Law Firms
Bennett Jones LLP (for ATCO)

Organizations
ATCO EnPower


Oneida Energy Storage Project
Canadian Law Firms
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (for Northland Power)
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP (for Aecon Construction Group)”
Fogler Rubinoff LLP (for Six Nations)
McCarthy Tétrault LLP (for Canada Infrastructure Bank)
Torys LLP (for Oneida)

Organizations
Aecon Concessions
Canada Infrastructure Bank
Northland Power
NRStor Inc.
Oneida Energy Storage LP
Six Nations of the Grand River Development Corporation

INSOLVENCY & RESTRUCTURING DEAL OF THE YEAR

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Winner: Bank of Montreal’s acquisition of Loyalty One’s AIR MILES reward business

Canadian Law Firms
Bennett Jones (for Ad Hoc Group of Loyalty Ventures Inc. Lenders
Borden Ladner Gervais (Canadian counsel to Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent)
Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP (for Loyalty One)
Dentons LLP (counsel to American Express)
Goodmans LLP (counsel to the monitor)
McCarthy Tetrault (counsel to RBC Investor Services Trust)
Stikeman Elliott LLP (Canadian counsel to Bread Financial Holdings Inc.)
Torys LLP (for BMO)

Non-Canadian Law Firms
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP (U.S. bankruptcy counsel to Loyalty Ventures)
Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP (U.S. counsel to Bread Financial Holdings Inc.)
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP (U.S. counsel to Ad hoc term loan B lenders)
Haynes And Boone LLP (U.S. counsel to Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent)
Sullivan & Cromwell LLP (U.S. bankruptcy counsel to BMO)

Organizations
Alvarez & Marsal Holdings, LLC (Financial Advisor to LoyaltyOne and Loyalty Ventures)
BMO Financial Group
KSV Restructuring, Inc., (CCAA Monitor)
Morgan Stanley (Financial Advisor to BMO)
Piper Sandler & Co. (Financial Advisor to Ad hoc term loan B lenders)
PJT Partners Inc. (Financial Advisor to LoyaltyOne and Loyalty Ventures)


EXCELLENCE AWARDEES


Groupe Selection’s financial restructuring under CCAA
Canadian Law Firms
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP (for Investissement Québec, Otéra Capital Inc., and Timbercreek Mortgage Servicing, Inc.)
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP (for Revera Inc., Desjardins, Fonds de Solidarité FTQ, Blackstone and SmartCentres)
Dentons Canada LLP (for Laurentian Bank of Canada)
Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP (for Scotiabank, CIBC Bank, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP)
Norton Rose Fulbright Canada (for National Bank of Canada)
Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP (for Groupe Montoni, Royal Bank of Canada)
Stikeman Elliott LLP (for Groupe Sélection Inc. et. al.)
Woods LLP


Repsol’s restructuring
Canadian Law Firms
Bennett Jones LLP (for Repsol Oil & Gas Inc.))
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP (for Landlords to Repsol Oil & Gas Inc.)


Xebec and its affiliates’ restructuring under CCAA
Canadian Law Firms
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (for National Bank of Canada)
McCarthy Tétrault LLP (for Deloitte Restructuring Inc.)
Goodmans LLP (for Sullair, LLC, the purchaser of Xebec’s California Compression business)
Norton Rose Fulbright Canada (for Export Development Canada)
Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP (for Xebec)

Organizations
Deloitte Restructuring
PricewaterhouseCoopers
Richter

M&A DEAL OF THE YEAR

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Winner: Rogers Communications’ $26 billion acquisition of Shaw Communications

Canadian Law Firms
Bennett Jones LLP (competition counsel to Videotron)
Burnet, Duckworth & Palmer LLP
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP (lead counsel; for Shaw Communications Inc.)
Dentons Canada LLP (for Shaw Family Trust)
Goodmans LLP (lead counsel; for Rogers Communications Inc.)
Lax O’Sullivan Lisus Gottlieb LLP
McCarthy Tetrault (for Bank of America N.A. and Bank of America Securities Inc.)
Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP (lead counsel for Quebecor)
Torys LLP (for Rogers Control Trust)


EXCELLENCE AWARDEES


Cameco/Brookfield acquisition of Westinghouse Electric Company
Canadian Law Firms
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
Goodmans LLP (for the independent directors of Brookfield Renewable Partners)
McCarthy Tétrault LLP (for Cameco Corporation)
Stikeman Elliott LLP (for Westinghouse Electric Company)
Torys LLP

Non-Canadian Law Firms
Covington & Burling LLP
Conyers Dill & Pearman
Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
Weil, Gotshal and Manges LLP


Pan American Silver Corp. and Agnico Eagle Mines’ $6.9 Billion joint acquisition of Yamana Gold Inc.
Canadian Law Firms
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (lead counsel; for Pan American Silver Corp.)
Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP (for Yamana Gold Inc.)
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP (lead counsel; for Agnico Eagle Mines Limited)
Norton Rose Fulbright Canada (counsel to the special committee of the Board of Yamana Gold Inc.)

Non-Canadian Law Firms
Ashurst (UK counsel to Pan American)
Carey y Cia Ltda (Chilian counsel to Pan American)
Mattos Filho Advogados (Brazilian counsel to Pan American)
Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison LLP (US counsel to Yamana)
Pinheiro Neto Advogados (Brazilian counsel to Yamana)
Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP (US counsel to Pan American)

Organizations
BMO Capital Markets (financial advisor to Pan American)
Canaccord Genuity Ltd (financial advisor to Yamana)
GenCap Mining Advisory Ltd (financial advisor to Pan American)
Scotia Capital Inc. (financial advisor to the special committee of the Board of Yamana)
Stifel Financial Corp (financial advisor to Yamana)


Smith Financial Corporation’s US$1.7 billion acquisition of Home Capital
Canadian Law Firms
Stikeman Elliott LLP (for Smith Financial Corporation)
Torys LLP (for Home Capital)

Organizations
BMO Capital Markets
Deloitte
Home Capital Group Inc.
RBC Capital Markets
TD Securities


Strathcona Resources’ $8.6 billion acquisition of Pipestone
Canadian Law Firms
Bennett Jones LLP (for Riverstone Pipestone – largest shareholders of Pipestone)
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP (lead counsel; for Strathcona Resources Ltd.)
McCarthy Tétrault LLP (for Pipestone Energy Corp.)
Stikeman Elliott LLP (for Waterous Energy Fund)

Non-Canadian Law Firms
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP (US legal advisors to Strathcona)

Organizations
BMO Capital Markets
CIBC Capital Markets
Mizuho Securities USA
Raymond James Ltd.
Scotiabank
Strathcona Resources Ltd.
TD Securities
The Bank of Nova Scotia


TotalEnergies’ $5.5 billion sale of its Canadian oil and gas assets
Canadian Law Firms
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP (lead for Suncor Energy)
Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP (lead for Conoco)
Torys LLP (lead for TotalEnergies)

Organizations
KPMG France (accountant for TotalEnergies)
TotalEnergies

MID-MARKET DEAL OF THE YEAR

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Winner: Sagicor Financial Company Ltd.’s acquisition of ivari

Canadian Law Firms
Stikeman Elliott LLP (for Sagicor)
Torys LLP (for ivari)

Non-Canadian Law Firms
Appleby (for Wilton Re Ltd.)
Paul Hastings LLP (US Counsel to Sagicor)

Organizations
National Bank Financial (lead financial advisor)
J.P. Morgan (financial advisor)
RBC Capital Markets (financial advisor)
ET (financial and due diligence advisor)
RSM (assisted with actuarial diligence)
Goldman Sachs (financial advisor to Wilton Re Ltd.)
Wells Fargo (financial advisor to Wilton Re Ltd.)


EXCELLENCE AWARDEES


Linamar’s acquisition of Mobex Global’s Propulsion-Agnostic Business
Canadian Law Firms
Aird & Berlis LLP (for Linamar Corporation)

Non-Canadian Law Firms
Warner Norcross + Judd LLP (US Counsel to Linamar)

Organizations
Linamar Corporation


Skyservice’s investment in Fontainebleau Aviation’s fixed-based operator at Miami Opa-Locka Executive Airport
Canadian Law Firms
McCarthy Tétrault LLP (for Skyservice™)

Non-Canadian Law Firms
Cooley LLP
DLA Piper LLP

Organizations
William Blair & Company


Wonderfi, Coinsquare, and CoinSmart business combination
Canadian Law Firms
Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP (for WonderFi)
Goodmans LLP (legal counsel to Coinsquare)
Wildeboer Dellelce LLP (counsel to CoinSmart)

Non-Canadian Law Firms
Dorsey & Whitney LLP (US legal counsel to WonderFi)

Organizations
Eight Capital Corp. (financial advisor to CoinSmart)
Haywood Securities Inc. (financial advisor to WonderFi)
Origin Merchant Partners (financial advisor to Coinsquare)

COMMERCIAL LITIGATION TEAM OF THE YEAR

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Winner: McCarthy Tétrault LLP – Canada (Privacy Commissioner) v. Facebook, Inc., 2023 FC 533

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (“BLG”) – Ouellet c. Compagnie de chemin de fer Canadien Pacifique, 2022 QCCS 4643
Bennett Jones LLP; Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP; Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (“BLG”); Branch MacMaster LLP; Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP; Dutton Brock LLP; Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP; Koskie Minsky LLP; Lerners LLP; Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP; Stikeman Elliott LLP; Thomas Gold Pettingill LLP – Workman Optometry Corporation et al. v. Certas Home and Auto Insurance et al.
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP; Dentons Canada LLP – Petty v. Niantic Inc., 2023 BCCA 315
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP; Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP; Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP – Sandoz Canada Inc. v. British Columbia, 2023 BCCA 306

BANKING & FINANCIAL SERVICES LAW DEPARTMENT OF THE YEAR

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Winner: BMO Financial Group

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Fengate Asset Management
iA Financial Group
OPTrust

The winner of this category will automatically progress to become an excellence awardee in Canadian Law Department of the Year

CANADIAN LAW DEPARTMENT OF THE YEAR

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Winner: Teck Resources Limited

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

BMO Financial Group
Dow Chemical Canada
EY Canada (Ernst & Young LLP)
Linamar Corporation Legal Department
Northland Power
Ontario Infrastructure and Lands Corporation / (“Infrastructure Ontario” or “IO”)
The Descartes Systems Group Inc.

LAW DEPARTMENT INNOVATION

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Winner: City of Vaughan

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Laurentian Bank of Canada

THE LAWSON LUNDELL LLP AWARD FOR LAW DEPARTMENT LEADER OF THE YEAR

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Winner: Bindu Cudjoe – Laurentian Bank of Canada

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Carisa Gordon – Calian Group Ltd.
David Taylor – Corporation of the Municipality of Chatham-Kent
Gassim Bangoura – Birks group
Laurie Sargent – Indigenous Rights and Relations Portfolio at the Department of Justice Canada
Sarah Qadeer – Deloitte LLP
Sharon Haward-Laird – BMO Financial Group

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

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Winner: Ontario Infrastructure and Lands Corporation / (“Infrastructure Ontario” or “IO”)

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Aecon Group Inc.
BC Ministry of the Attorney General, Legal Services Branch Transportation Major Projects Team (LSB)
CDPQ Infra Inc.
Manitoba Hydro Legal Services
Pomerleau
Transdev Canada

The winner of this category will automatically progress to become an excellence awardee in Canadian Law Department of the Year

THE DYE & DURHAM AWARD FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION – IN-HOUSE

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Winner: Andrea Wood – TELUS

BOUTIQUE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

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Winner: Smart & Biggar LLP

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Deeth Williams Wall LLP
Hicks Morley Hamilton Stewart Storie LLP
Howie, Sacks & Henry LLP
Landings LLP
Roper Greyell LLP

LITIGATION & DISPUTE RESOLUTION BOUTIQUE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

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Winner: Lenczner Slaght

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Adair Goldblatt Bieber LLP
Crawley MacKewn Brush LLP
Lax O’Sullivan Lisus Gottlieb LLP
Singleton Urquhart Reynolds Vogel LLP
Thomson Rogers

LITIGATOR OF THE YEAR

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Winner: Crawford Smith – Lax O’Sullivan Lisus Gottlieb LLP

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Craig Ferris – Lawson Lundell LLP
Kimberly Gale – Gale Law Professional Corporation
Morgan Camley – Dentons Canada LLP
Rob Martz – Burnet, Duckworth and Palmer LLP
Sophie Melchers – Norton Rose Fulbright Canada

MANAGING PARTNER OF THE YEAR

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Winner: Allan Ritchie – Loopstra Nixon LLP & Kevin Kiley – McInnes Cooper

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Anik Trudel – Lavery
Charles Hurdon – Norton Rose Fulbright Canada
Jean-François Gagnon – Langlois Lawyers LLP
Jeffrey Cohen – Torkin Manes LLP

REGIONAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR – ATLANTIC CANADA & PRAIRIES

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Winner: Cox & Palmer

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

McKercher LLP

REGIONAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR – CENTRAL CANADA

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Winner: Torkin Manes LLP

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Delegatus
Langlois Lawyers LLP
Lavery
WeirFoulds LLP

REGIONAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR – WESTERN CANADA

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Winner: Lawson Lundell LLP

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Burnet, Duckworth and Palmer LLP
Clark Wilson LLP
Farris LLP
Witten LLP

THE LEAP LEGAL SOFTWARE AWARD FOR BEST USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN A LAW FIRM

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Winner: Torys LLP

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (“BLG”)
Dentons Canada LLP
Lavery
Legate Injury Lawyers
McInnes Cooper
MT>3, a division of McCarthy Tétrault LLP

THE LEAP LEGAL SOFTWARE AWARD FOR FAMILY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

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Winner: MacLean Law

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Crossroads Law
McCarthy Hansen & Company LLP
Russell Alexander Collaborative Family Lawyers
Wood Gold LLP

THE DYE & DURHAM AWARD FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION – PRIVATE PRACTICE

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Winner: Sheila Block – Torys LLP

DIVERSITY INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR

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Winner: McCarthy Tétrault LLP – Action Groups

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Aird & Berlis LLP – Black Voices (In)Justice: Supporting Black Youth Representation in the Legal Profession
WeirFoulds LLP – Racial Equity Audit

FEMALE TRAILBLAZER OF THE YEAR (ACADEMIA & IN-HOUSE)

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Winner: Christine Chen – University Pension Plan Ontario

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Angela Yadav – HSBC Bank Canada (Royal Bank of Canada)
Ashley Butts – BASF Canada
Caroline Healey – Transportation Industry
Jana Prete – Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCo)
Sara Ross – Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University
Soma Choudhury – Onex Canada Asset Management Inc.

FEMALE TRAILBLAZER OF THE YEAR (PRIVATE PRACTICE)

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Winner: Jacqueline Dinsmore – Caravel Law LLP

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Anne Merminod – Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (“BLG”)
Karen Sargeant – Fasken
Karima Kanani – Miller Thomson LLP
Katherine Hensel – Fogler Rubinoff LLP
Olga Farman – Norton Rose Fulbright Canada
Rima Ramchandani – Torys LLP
Tara Vasdani – Remote Law Canada

PRO BONO INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR

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Winner: McCarthy Tétrault LLP – McCarthy Tétrault’s work with Egale Canada and 2SLGBTQI+ organizations in Saskatchewan and New Brunswick

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Cochrane Saxberg LLP – Cochrane Saxberg Indigenous Empowerment Legal Initiatives
Fasken – Dickson v Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation, SCC docket number 39856
McInnes Cooper – Immigration Project
Norton Rose Fulbright Canada – Housing Empowerment Legal Program (HELP)

THE LINCOLN ALEXANDER SCHOOL OF LAW AWARD FOR SHAPING THE FUTURE

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Winner: Legal Aid Alberta

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Caravel Law LLP
Dentons Canada LLP
Gale Law Professional Corporation for NCA Network
Norton Rose Fulbright Canada
PooranLaw