Private Equity

Blakes has one of the strongest and most experienced private equity legal practices in Canada. We drive innovative investment structures and strategic thinking, with a depth of industry knowledge and perspectives from across the country.

Our Private Equity team spans various legal specialty areas, including financial services, mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, competition, foreign investment review, real estate, intellectual property, pensions, benefits, and executive compensation.

The Blakes Tax group also plays a key role in assisting our clients, working to ensure tax-effective investments within Canada and across borders.

We also have specialized and regulatory experience in core Canadian industry sectors such as financial services, technology, life sciences, energy, food and agribusiness, gaming, insurance, logistics/supply chain management, manufacturing and retail, among other areas.

We provide strategic advice and legal counsel at each stage of the investment lifecycle: fund formation, fund management and governance, financing, Canadian and international investment-related acquisitions and dispositions, management of portfolio companies, and exit strategies.

Fund Formation and Management

With a comprehensive understanding of the market and close connections to Canadian and international financial institutions, our team works with fund sponsors to establish –publicly registered and private funds as well as investment vehicles. We also advise domestic and non-resident investors on structuring, commercial agreements, governance, regulatory compliance, market expectations and tax planning.

Visit our Fund Formation page for more details on our expertise and experience.

Fund Investments

We work closely with our clients, as both buyers and sellers, to provide advice when formulating an investment strategy and structuring and executing an investment-related transaction. This includes sourcing opportunities, financing, and advising on equity and debt investments and co-investments, convertible shares, private placements and private investments in public entities. We advise both investors and fund investees, providing a 360-degree approach to investment transactions.

In addition to retail investors, a significant part of our experience is advising institutional investors (including regulated entities) on their investments. We have assisted some of Canada’s largest and most active pension funds on their fund investments in Canada and internationally. We have also advised investor clients on more-tailored fund arrangements and in situations where the client is a flagship investor.

Buyouts

Buyouts have long been the core strength of our Private Equity practice. We work with both buyers and sellers at each stage of a transaction from initial strategy, structuring and due diligence through to financing, negotiation, management, shareholder and investor agreements, and executive compensation. We also provide specialized advice on capital markets, tax and other issues that may arise throughout the course of a buyout transaction.

Whether the buyouts are traditional public or private, distressed, management or corporate partner buyouts, our team leverages our cross-Canada presence to provide strategic advice that reflects jurisdictional nuances and changing market conditions.

Exit Strategies

As legal advisers throughout the investment lifecycle, our Private Equity team is committed to maximizing investment realization. Ahead of exit transactions, we advise on liquidity strategies, advance planning, financing and process expectations.

Our Capital Markets practice provides the expertise needed for public exits such as initial public offerings and public market sales, including registration, prospectus preparation, listing applications, governance and post-offering requirements. When considering a public or private sale, our team has the transactional capabilities to advise on all sizes of domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions and trade sales, from start to finish.