Mitel's Telecommunications Systems Business Purchased For $350M

Dr. Terence H. Matthews, through a number of corporations he controls, acquired a 90 per cent interest in the worldwide telecommunications systems business previously operated by Mitel Corporation for $350 million. These transactions, which were completed in February 2001, included the acquisition of the Mitel name. The telecommunications systems business, now operated by an entity known as Mitel Networks, is a leading-edge provider of next-generation IP communications solutions. Dr. Matthews was a co-founder of Mitel before selling it in the mid-1980s.

Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP acted for Dr. Matthews with a team led by Brian McIntomny and Wayne Warren of Gowlings’ Ottawa office, assisted by Hugh Cowan (financing), Pierre-Paul Henrie (corporate), Brad Limpert, Stuart Ash and Cynthia Elderkin (intellectual property, including licensing), Rocco D’Angelo (real estate), Laurie Sanderson (leasing), Carole Chouinard (tax) and Charles Hackland (employment). UK legal counsel for the purchaser was Bevan Ashford, represented primarily by Jon Fernandez Lewis, while US legal advice was provided by Hunton & Williams, represented primarily by Raúl Grable. Warren Goodman, Charles Morgan, Michael Polowin and Anna Tosto of McCarthy Tétrault led the seller’s legal team with assistance from Daniel Bénay, Terry Fontana and Martin-Pierre Boulianne, with UK legal counsel Morgan Cole represented primarily by Tony Everson-Davis and US advice provided by RubinBaum LLP represented primarily by Denise Tormey.