Stikeman Elliott LLP

STIKEMAN ELLIOTT LLP is recognized around the world for the sophistication of its practice in all areas of business law, most notably M&A, corporate finance and securities, banking, insolvency, structured finance, tax, competition, real estate and intellectual property, as well as related litigation at all levels of Canadian courts. The firm's 500 lawyers also offer in-depth expertise in many industry sectors, including energy, mining, technology and outsourcing.

Long considered a benchmark in the Toronto and Montréal markets, Stikeman Elliott has also become a major presence in Calgary, Vancouver and Ottawa. Internationally, the firm has been established in London since 1969 and in New York since 1983. The Sydney office, founded in 1997, plays a key role in the firm's significant and growing Asia-Pacific practice. Stikeman Elliott's longstanding presence abroad gives it a depth of knowledge and experience in international business transactions that few other Canadian firms can match. The firm practises both common law and Québec civil law and offers its full range of services in both English and French.

Stikeman Elliott partners are repeatedly recognized in The Lexpert®/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada as among the best in their respective fields, and the firm as a whole consistently appears at or near the top of Canadian and international league tables in practice areas such as M&A and securities law. As the firm's areas of practice suggest, its focus is strongly transactional, with a heavy emphasis on cross-border work.

Mergers and Acquisitions: Stikeman Elliott's preeminence in M&A transactions is widely acknowledged. Chambers Global, Thomson Financial, Mergermarket and The American Lawyer magazine have all named Stikeman Elliott's M&A Group as among the leaders in Canada. The M&A Group represents corporations based in Canada and abroad, as well as Canadian and international financial institutions. Stikeman Elliott has been involved in national and cross-border transactions in virtually every economic sector and is particularly well known for its work in public M&A. The firm was ranked #1 among Canadian firms by volume of Canadian M&A in Mergermarket annual league tables, #1 Canadian firm by value of North American deals in Corpfin annual league tables, and acted on five of the Top 10 Corporate Deals of the Year, as selected by Lexpert®.

Corporate Finance and Securities: The Corporate Finance and Securities Group is one of Canada's most prominent, with a wealth of experience in Canadian and international capital markets matters. It has been cited as the #1 firm for Canadian combined debt and equity offerings (acting for issuers and underwriters) in Bloomberg league tables and recently acted on the largest IPO in history (General Motors), as well as innovative project finance transactions. Uniquely among Canadian firms, Stikeman Elliott is regularly recognized in international league tables ranking advisers to lead managers in global bond offerings. The firm has also been ranked among the top five advisers in the world to managers of Eurobond Medium-Term Note programmes and is the leading Canadian firm advising on international equity offerings.

Banking: Stikeman Elliott's Banking Group has a broad range of experience in conventional bank lending, syndications and similar arrangements. The Group acts for lenders and borrowers on a full range of domestic unsecured and secured corporate and commercial financings, asset-based financing and acquisition financing. The firm is particularly well known in its work on work-outs and restructurings.

Insolvency and Restructuring: The Insolvency and Restructuring Group has acted for borrowers, lenders, accounting firms, trustees, creditors and shareholders in some of Canada's most challenging corporate reorganizations and restructurings. The firm is broadly experienced in both public and private restructurings as well as in negotiations with international creditors' syndicates and has extensive experience in cross-border insolvencies. Stikeman Elliott recently acted in connection with the most high-profile restructurings in Canada, including those of AbitibiBowater and Canwest Global.

Structured Finance and Financial Products: The Structured Finance and Financial Products Group represents Canadian and international financial intermediaries, corporations and other market participants in developing, structuring and implementing a broad range of asset securitization, structured finance, project finance and derivative product transactions. Lexpert® has ranked Stikeman Elliott as Canada's only “most frequently recommended” firm for Derivative Instruments every year since 1998. The firm is Canadian counsel to the International Swaps and Derivatives Association.

Tax: In addition to transactional tax planning and litigation, Stikeman Elliott's Tax Group regularly provides highly specialized advice on international tax matters, transfer pricing, and commodity taxation. Our tax advocacy and litigation practice covers all elements of the assessment process, including opinions, compliance, interest waiver applications, negotiation at administrative levels and appeals, as well as prosecutions and voluntary disclosures. Practitioners have argued numerous cases before the Tax Court of Canada, the Federal Court and the Federal Court of Appeal, and have appeared before the Supreme Court of Canada.

Competition: Stikeman Elliott's Competition Group, noted as one of Canada's most prominent by the Global Competition Review, advises in both Canadian and international contexts, notably with respect to mergers and acquisitions. The firm also represents clients in investigations and litigation. The Group's highly skilled competition litigation counsel understand the ins and outs of Canadian antitrust law, the practice and approach of the regulatory authorities, and are well-known to the Competition Tribunal and courts at all levels and in all jurisdictions.

Real Estate: Stikeman Elliott's real estate lawyers advise on every type of major real estate development, including commercial, industrial, mixed-use, residential, investments, syndications, leasing, infrastructure, public-private partnerships and special-purpose. The firm has particular expertise in handling all aspects of large, complex construction transactions, bulk real estate portfolios, REITs, restructurings and project finance.

Litigation and ADR: Stikeman Elliott's Litigation Group has a strong corporate-commercial emphasis. The firm is particularly well known for its work in the areas of securities, insolvency, tax, product liability, professional negligence, insurance, real estate, construction, intellectual property, environmental, competition, employment and commercial negligence. It is a leader in the rapidly growing field of class action defence and has a thriving cross-border practice. Stikeman Elliott also offers Alternative Dispute Resolution and is particularly well regarded for its international commercial arbitration practice.

Industry Expertise: Our lawyers also possess in-depth expertise in many globally significant industry sectors, such as energy and renewable energy, mining, manufacturing, technology and outsourcing.