Lawrence Wilder, Leader of Miller Thomson’s Capital Markets and Securities Group, is an innovative and practical business lawyer, advising clients on early stage financings, public offerings and M&A. His private equity practice sees him acting for leading US & Canadian PE firms and their investees. Lawrie has been involved with the creation of numerous real estate investment trusts including, True North Apartment REIT, True North Commercial REIT, InterRent REIT, Whiterock REIT, Dundee International REIT, BTB REIT and Pure Industrial REIT. He advised True North Apartment REIT in its merger with Northern Property REIT creating Canada’s 3rd largest multi-family REIT, Northview Apartment REIT—the largest public apartment transaction in Canadian history and one of Lexpert®’s Top 10 Deals of 2015. Lawrie also has an active hospitality practice, recently advising Accor in its US$3-billion acquisition of the Fairmont hotel chain and acting for Leisure Acquisition Corp. in its $1.5-billion merger with Gateway Casinos & Entertainment Limited, announced in December 2019. He is very active in the community, having fundraised or held senior leadership roles in support of various charitable institutions in Toronto.