Michael I. Gans Partner | Toronto, New York

Recent examples of Michael's experience include:

Mergers & Acquisitions

• Leading the Blakes team advising Sea Electric Inc. in connection with its merger with Exro Technologies Inc.

• Leading the Blakes team advising AstraZeneca Inc. in connection with its acquisition of Fusion Pharmaceuticals

• Advising the Special Committee of the Board of Directors of Teck Resources Inc. in connection with the collapse of its dual class voting structure and subsequent sale of its coal business to Glencore plc

• Leading the Blakes team advising ABC Technologies Holdings in connection with its acquisition of Windsor Mold Group Technologies

• Leading the Blakes team advising HP, Inc. in connection with its acquisition of Teradici Corporation

• Advising WPT Industrial REIT in connection with its US$3.1-billion acquisition by Blackstone REIT

• Leading the Blakes team advising Danaher Corporation in connection with its acquisitions of Aquatics Informatics, VanRx Pharmasystems, Precision Nanosystems and Tilia Labs

• Leading the Blakes team advising Americold Realty Trust in connection with its acquisitions of Nova Cold Logistics and Liberty Infrastructures

• Advising The Stars Group on its US$15-billion combination with Flutter Entertainment to form the world's largest online betting and gaming operator

Private Equity

• Leading the Blakes team advising Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners in connection with its agreement, together with Blue Wolf Capital Partners, to acquire Logistec Corporation

• Leading the Blakes team advising ABC Technologies Holdings in connection with its take-private transaction led by Apollo Global and Oaktree Capital

• Leading the Blakes team advising BlackRock Infrastructure in connection with its acquisition of Environmental 360 Solutions

• Leading the Blakes team in connection with the acquisition by Sycamore Partners of the Canadian business of Lowe’s Companies

• Leading the Blakes team advising Audax Capital in connection with its sale of LifeMark Health Group to George Weston Limited and acquisition of Thermogenics Inc.

• Leading the Blakes team advising Barentz International, a portfolio company of Cinven, in connection with its acquisition of Pestell Nutrition

• Leading the Blakes team advising Electrical Components International, a portfolio company of Cerberus Capital Management, in connection with its acquisitions of Promark Electronics and Aerosystems International

• Leading the Blakes team advising Cerberus Capital Management in connection with its sale of ABC Technologies Inc. 

• Leading the Blakes team in connection with Cerberus Capital Management's offer to acquire Dorel Industries

• Advising WestJet in connection with its C$5-billion acquisition by funds affiliated with Onex Corporation

Fairness

• Advising numerous investment banks, including Bank of America, Credit Suisse, Jefferies, Moelis and Macquarie, in connection with their roles as financial advisers to acquirors and targets in M&A transactions

Michael has been recognized as a leading lawyer by the following publications:

• The Legal 500 Canada 2025 (Corporate and M&A)

• Chambers Canada: Canada's Leading Lawyers for Business 2025 (Corporate/Commercial)

• The Best Lawyers in Canada 2025 (Corporate Law, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities Law)

• Lexpert Special Edition: Finance and M&A 2024

• The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory 2024 (Corporate Commercial Law, Private Equity, Mergers & Acquisitions)

• The Lexpert/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada 2023 (Corporate Commercial Law, Private Equity and M&A)

• Who's Who Legal: Canada 2023 (M&A, Capital Markets)

• Who's Who Legal: Thought Leaders – Global Elite – 2021 and 2023 (M&A)

• Who's Who Legal: Global 2023 (M&A, Capital Markets – Debt & Equity)

• Chambers Global: The World's Leading Lawyers for Business 2023 (Corporate/M&A)

• IFLR1000: The Guide to the World's Leading Financial and Corporate Law Firms 2023 (Mergers & Acquisitions)

Michael is a member of the board of governors of Branksome Hall. He is a former member of the Mergers and Acquisitions and the Securities Regulation Committees of the New York City Bar Association.

Admitted as a Legal Consultant, State of New York – 2004
Admitted to the Ontario Bar – 1996
LLB, University of British Columbia – 1994
BA, University of Pennsylvania – 1991