TSL Express Daily News

The Canadian law firm Fasken topped benchmark league tables for Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) and capital markets in H1 of this year, reflecting the firm’s continued success in achieving clients’ objectives. 

Bloomberg, Refinitiv, MergerMarket, and the Financial Post all ranked Fasken among the leading advisors in several key M&A categories in H1:

Bloomberg ranked Fasken No. 1 in three categories:

• Canada Announced Deals -- by Deal Count
• Canada Mid-Market up to US$500 million -- by Deal Count
• Canada Mid-Market up to US$250 million -- by Deal Count

Refinitiv ranked Fasken No. 1 in four categories:

• Any Canadian Involvement Announced – by Deal Count
• Any Canadian Involvement Completed – by Deal Count
• Any Canadian Involvement Mid-Market – by Deal Count
• Any Canadian Involvement Small-Market – by Deal Count

Mergermarket ranked Fasken No. 2 in Canadian M&A league tables based on deal count.  

“Fasken’s results for H1 are a continuation of the momentum we built in 2020 and have grown through the first half of 2021,” said Sean Stevens, Co-Leader of Fasken’s Securities, Mergers & Acquisitions group. “The H1 results show the depth of the M&A practice we have been growing across Canada and globally and the confidence our clients place in us to handle their most important transactions.”

Fasken has advised clients on many of the noteworthy M&A deals in H1, including:

• Canadian cannabis company Aphria Inc. in its C$5 billion reverse merger with Tilray, Inc., creating the world’s largest cannabis company
• Toronto-based skincare company Deciem in its C$2.2 billion acquisition by New York cosmetics giant Estee Lauder
• Bain Capital Private Equity in its acquisition of Dessert Holdings, a North American premium dessert company, reported by the media at over US$1 billion

Fasken also ranked highly in capital markets league tables. 

Bloomberg ranked Fasken No. 2 in four categories:

• Canada Equity Offerings: Issuer -- by Deal Count
• Canada Equity IPO: Issuer -- by Deal Count
• Canada Equity & Equity Linked: Issuer -- by Deal Count
• Canada Equity, Equity Linked & Preferred: Issuer -- by Deal Count

Refinitiv ranked Fasken among the league-table leaders in two categories:

• No. 2 for Canada Equity & Equity-related: Issuer -- by Deal Count
• No. 3 for Canada Equity & Equity-related: Manager -- by Deal Count 

The Financial Post ranked Fasken No. 3 in two categories: 

• Canadian Legal Counsel on Equity and Debt Offerings: Counsel to the Issuer -- by Deal Count
• Canadian Legal Counsel on Equity: Counsel to the Issuer -- by Deal Count

Fasken has advised on some of the largest IPOs so far this year, including:

• Hydrogen group Loop Energy’s C$100 million IPO on the Toronto Stock Exchange
• Digital wellness company LifeSpeak Inc.’s IPO valued at C$125 million on the TSX
• MCI Onehealth Technologies Inc.’s IPO valued at C$30 million on the TSX

Fasken partner Sarah Gingrich, Co-Leader of the firm’s Securities, Mergers & Acquisitions group, says the firm expects M&A and capital markets activity to remain robust in H2 of this year.
 
“Even as the pandemic challenged so much of Canada's economy, companies have used M&A transactions to their advantage, whether pivoting into new sectors, acquiring new revenue streams or streamlining their business by selling assets," Ms. Gingrich says. "Our group has been acutely attentive to our clients in helping them pursue a range of deals -- whether buy side or sell side, or in accessing the capital markets. It's gratifying to see our work recognized by the league tables, which truly reflect Fasken’s focus on our client’s needs and strategic goals. We're looking forward to what the second half of the year brings." 

Fasken’s M&A practice is among Canada’s largest, with more than 130 lawyers, and another 600 available to step in with advice on tax strategies, competition and foreign investment laws, acquisition financing, labour and employment, corporate finance, intellectual property, foreign corrupt practices and government relations.

Fasken’s Corporate Finance & Securities practice advises large corporations issuing securities and investment banks underwriting deals, small and mid-cap companies, and institutional investors. Clients include many companies listed on the TSX, TSX-V, NEO, NYSE, LSE, JSE and AIM. 

About Fasken
Fasken is a leading international law firm with more than 750 lawyers and 10 offices on four continents. Clients rely on us for practical, innovative and cost-effective legal services. We solve the most complex business and litigation challenges, providing exceptional value. For additional information, please visit our website at fasken.com.

Media contacts:

Allan Ripp 646-285-1779 arippnyc@aol.com
Danielle Boudreau 1-514-397-5212  dboudreau@fasken.com