Michael Barrett, Calgary

About Michael

Michael practises corporate and securities law, with a focus on mergers and acquisitions (M&A), corporate finance and corporate governance.

Michael has experience representing publicly-traded issuers, private issuers and underwriters on a broad range of matters and transactions, including domestic and cross-border M&A transactions and debt and equity securities offerings. He also regularly assists clients in various industries with general corporate and securities law matters, including restructuring transactions, private equity financings, corporate governance matters and compliance with stock exchange policies and continuous disclosure obligations, particularly in relation to ESG-related matters.

Prior to joining Blakes, Michael practised for three years at another leading Canadian national law firm.

Select Experience

Representative transactions on which Michael has acted in a significant capacity include acting for:

Corporate Finance

TC Energy Corporation in connection with its C$1.8-billion cross-border bought deal offering of common shares, undertaken in connection with its construction of the US$4.5-billion Southeast Gateway Pipeline in Mexico
TransCanada PipeLines Limited in connection with its MJDS public offering of US$1.25-billion principal amount of senior notes
International Petroleum Corporation in connection with its substantial issuer bid under which it purchased for cancellation certain of its outstanding common shares for an aggregate purchase price of C$128-million
TransCanada PipeLines Limited in connection with its public offerings of an aggregate of C$3.75-billion principal amount of senior unsecured medium term notes
TransCanada PipeLines Limited in connection with the cross-border public offering by TransCanada Trust, its wholly-owned financing trust subsidiary, of US$800-million aggregate principal amount of subordinated hybrid trust notes
Keyera Corp. in connection with its public offering of C$400-million aggregate principal amount of senior unsecured medium term notes
Cenovus Energy Inc. in connection with its cross-border public offering of US$1.25-billion aggregate principal amount of senior unsecured notes and concurrent cash tender offers for certain outstanding notes
The initial purchasers in connection with the offering by Raptor Acquisition Corp. and Raptor Co-Issuer LLC of US$350-million aggregate principal amount of senior secured notes. Upon the satisfaction of certain escrow conditions, the proceeds of the offering will be used to finance the acquisition of Great Canadian Gaming Corporation by Raptor Acquisition Corp.
Keyera Corp. in connection with its public offering of C$350-million aggregate principal amount of hybrid notes
Pembina Pipeline Corporation in connection with its public offering of C$600-million aggregate principal amount of hybrid notes, the first corporate hybrid debt issuance in Canada involving the use of a special purpose recourse trust structure
Suncor Energy Inc. in connection with its public offering of C$1.25-billion aggregate principal amount of senior unsecured medium term notes
Suncor Energy Inc. in connection with its cross-border public offering of US$1.0-billion aggregate principal amount of senior unsecured notes
Cenovus Energy Inc. in connection with its cross-border public offering of US$1.0-billion aggregate principal amount of senior unsecured notes
Jupiter Resources Inc. in connection with its offering of US$77.5-million aggregate principal amount of senior secured cash/PIK notes
Rock Tech Lithium Inc. in connection with its C$30.7 million public offering of units and concurrent C$9-million private placement of units
A TSX-listed alcohol retailer in connection with a non-brokered private placement of common shares, subscription receipts and common share purchase warrants to a major cannabis corporation for aggregate gross proceeds of C$450-million

Mergers and Acquisitions

Orca Gold Inc. in connection with its acquisition by Perseus Mining Limited for approximately C$215-million
Jupiter Resources Inc. in connection with its acquisition by Tourmaline Oil Corp. for approximately C$626-million
Cona Resources Ltd., a portfolio company of Waterous Energy Fund, in connection with its acquisition of Pengrowth Energy Corporation for approximately C$740-million
Vistra Energy, as Canadian counsel, in connection with its acquisition of the business of Crius Energy Trust for total consideration of approximately C$498-million, plus the assumption of net debt of approximately C$108-million
dentalcorp, the largest network of general and specialist dental clinics in Canada, in connection with various strategic matters
Canadian Natural Resources Limited in connection with its C$12.74-billion acquisition of a 70% working interest in the Athabasca Oil Sands Project and other oil sands assets
Cenovus Energy Inc. in connection with its $17.7-billion acquisition of ConocoPhillips' Deep Basin conventional assets in Alberta and British Columbia and 50% interest in the FCCL Partnership
Canadian Utilities Limited in connection with the sale of its Canadian fossil fuel-based electricity generation portfolio for approximately $835-million to Heartland Generation Ltd., an affiliate of Energy Capital Partners
A North American real estate development and investment corporation in connection with its reorganization of 132 entities and C$661-million of related real estate assets by way of a court approved plan of arrangement
A U.S.-based industrial service provider in connection with its acquisition of a Calgary-based industrial process heating corporation for approximately C$258-million
A TSX-listed mid-sized Canadian oil and natural gas production corporation in connection with the sale of royalty assets to a TSX-listed oil and gas royalty corporation for approximately C$40-million