Executive Summary
Barbara has an extensive corporate and commercial practice with extensive experience in foreign direct investment, securities, corporate finance, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions and private equity. She also plays an active role in dispute resolution, assisting with settlements and supporting the prosecution of litigious matters - including providing expert legal opinions to the Court on commercial matters. Barbara works with both Canadian and international clients across a wide range of industries on Canadian and cross border matters.
She has advised issuers, controlling shareholders, independent committees, registrants and governmental agencies and has significant experience with transactions involving acquisitions, divestitures, and reorganizations with securities, regulatory, competition, and Investment Canada considerations.
With a wealth of experience in mergers and acquisitions, Barbara is known for her ability to help clients plan, coordinate, and execute complex transactions in fast-moving, highly regulated environments.
Barbara has acted on private placements and prospectus offerings for both domestic and foreign registrants and issuers, including investment funds and government agencies. Her work spans a full range of equity and debt instruments, and she has represented offerors, targets, controlling shareholders, and dealers in both exempt and non-exempt takeover bids.
Expertise
- Business and Corporate Commercial
- Securities and Corporate Finance
- Corporate Governance, M&A, Private Equity
Representative Work
Barbara has advised companies from Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates and the United States on establishing and expanding their Canadian operations.
Barbara’s advice covers industries as diverse as architecture and consulting, biopharma, biotech, brokerage, clean tech, construction, construction equipment/power and parts, data management and communications, digital media, eco-waste, e-commerce, emerging technologies (AI, blockchain and smart contracts), energy and renewable energy, engineering sealants and paving maintenance, film productions, financial services, food and beverage, footwear, forestry, global construction and infrastructure, government registry development, health care, hotel logistics, marketing and advertising, mining equipment engineering, money services, motor vehicle parts and registrations, oil and gas, outsource product engineering services, pharmaceuticals, product manufacturing, supply and distribution, private and public security training and simulation, real estate development, robotics, roof coatings, small appliance and housewares, soil and water decontamination, solar power, specialty environmental contracting, specialty publishing, telecommunications, utilities and safety solutions and water resources.
Representative Work, includes:
- Corporate and specialty team lead to the first Ontario Hospital undergoing a P3 expansion.
- Represented a party to one of the first mergers of mutual fund dealers under the then newly created MFDA.
- Represented controlling shareholder group on the $2.25 Billion takeover of a large Canadian mutual fund company by a global investment manager.
- Canadian counsel to a private-sector consortium bidding on the 30-year P3 to design, build, finance, operate, and maintain the Gordie Howe International Bridge.
- Canadian counsel on the establishment and expansion of a leading foreign owned energy drink corporation and its Canadian affiliates and on ongoing Corporate and general matters both directly and through a network of agents throughout Canada.
- Canadian counsel on the establishment and expansion of a foreign owned fruit and milk company and the provision of ongoing expansion, acquisition, compliance and general matters.
- Lead counsel on the acquisition of a TSX broker dealer and ongoing advice on securities and corporate matters.
- Corporate and securities counsel establishing Canadian operations for UK and USA based international dealers and provide ongoing compliance and securities advice.
- External general counsel (3-year mandate) for a predecessor of IRSO acting on conservation and renewable energy projects and contacts.
- Advising on compliance and other ongoing operational matters.
- Counsel providing securities, regulatory and other general advice to a number of Ontario-based portfolio managers.
- Represented a leading global manufacturer of medical beds and related technologies in establishing and expanding its business in Canada.
- Counsel providing corporate and securities advice to the controlling shareholder of a large Canadian automotive supplier focusing on designing, engineering, and manufacturing systems, assemblies, and modules.
- Counsel to an international transfer agent and registrar, advising on compliance, securities and other general matters.
- Represents a highly successful firm which provides expert and independent financial guidance to wealthy individuals, families, estates and foundations.
Articles and Presentations
Articles and Publications
- Editor, Business Law of Canada, West (a Thomson Reuters business), 2010 to 2021
- Author, Business Laws of Canada, Chapter 3, Securities, West (a Thomson Reuters business publication), annually 2010 to 2021
- Co-Author, “Government Procurement opportunities for European Union Companies in Canada” published by the European Union Chamber of Commerce, Canada, 2020
- Co-Author, “Free Trade Agreement Between Canada and the Mercosur Member States”, Canada, 2018
- Co-Author, Cross-Border Mergers and Acquisitions: A Tool Kit for Northbound Acquisitions, Mergers & Acquisitions, 2008
- Co-Author, “Directors Duties in Canada Managing Risk,’ (CCH, 1995), one of 5 Nominees for the National Business Book Award offered jointly by Coopers & Lybrand and the Financial Times
Presentations
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Speaker, “Government Procurement in Canada”, panel hosted by the European Union Chamber of Commerce, Canada 2020
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Speaker, Canada: The Gateway to Global Business, a joint presentation at the Consulate General of Canada in New York, NY (May 2019)
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Speaker, "Doing Business in Canada" at Startse promoted by Apex Brazil, Canada 2019.
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Speaker, "Doing Business in Canada" at Latam Startups, Canada, 2019.
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Speaker, "Doing Business in Canada" at Vigna Law, Brazil, 2019.
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Speaker, “Doing Business in Canada” at the Brazilian Association of Electronic Game Developers (ABRAGAMES), Brazil, 2018 and 2019
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Speaker, “Doing Business in Canada” at Chamber of Commerce Brazil-Canada (CCBC), Brazil, 2018 and 2019
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Speaker, “Doing Business in Canada” at Sao Paul Chamber of Commerce (ACSP), Brazil, 2018 and 2019
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Speaker, “Doing Business in Canada” at the Brazilian Digital Agency (ABRADI), Brazil, 2018
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Speaker, “Doing Business in Canada”, Ontario Investment Trade Centre – Portugal Trade and Investment Mission to Canada, 2018
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Speaker, “Doing Business in Canada” at INOVABRA Habitat, Bradesco Bank, Brazil, 2018
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Speaker, Doing Business in Canada, The Canadian Value Proposition, Sao Paulo, Brazil (October 2018)
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Speaker, Doing Business in Canada Presentation at Fenalaw 2018 in Sao Paulo, Brazil (October 2018)
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Panellist, "Don't let the Tail Wag the Dog" at Corporate Counsel & Compliance Exchange, Lansdowne Resort, Leesburg, (June 2014) Virginia
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Panellist “Diversity and Inclusion” at Corporate Counsel & Compliance Exchange, Lansdowne Resort, Leesburg (with USA Litigation General Counsel and Nissan Canada General Counsel) (June 2014)
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Moderator, key note panel "Going Beyond Regulation in Championing an Executive Compensation Policy that Strengthens Transparency and Spurs Performance at Corporate Counsel Exchange Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida (with Jet Blue General Counsel) (April 2010)
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Chair, Implementing Reform for Advisors and Investment Managers (September 2010)
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Chair, Implementing Registration Reform for Dealer Firms, Financial Advisors (September 2010)
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Speaker, Counsel to Counsel Roundtable, Tips for In-House Counsel: Protecting the Board and the Company in the Secondary Market Civil Liability Regime (May 2007)
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Panellist, CCCA Conference, Income Trusts (August 2006)
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Chair, Secondary Market Civil Liability Webinar (November 2005)
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Chair, Infrastructure Roundtable: Featuring Minister David Caplan (June 2005)
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Leader, Accessing PVC Workshop TSX Venture Success Campaign 2004
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Panellist, Roadmap to Growth, TSX Venture Success Campaign 2004
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Corporate Governance: Focus on Investor Confidence Presentation Calgary Chamber of Commerce (November 2003)
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Moderator: Executive Roundtable featuring David Beatie, Managing Director Coalition of Good Governance (November2003)
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Speaker, Infonex Conference Continuous Disclosure: Selective Disclosure Avoiding Your Worst Nightmare (March 2002)
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Panellist, CCCA Spring 2000 Conference; Surviving Continuous Disclosure Obligations with Electronic Media (Spring 2000)
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Co-Chair, CBAO Seminar "Shareholder Disputes" (June 1997)
My Blog
##blogcontent##Board Memberships
- Director, Faresin Properties Canada Ltd.
- Director, Frulact Canada Ltd.
- Director, IDCO Canada Holdings Inc.
- Director, Interactive Data Canada Inc.
- Director, Linet Canada Inc.
- Director, Monster Energy Canada ULC, and related entities
- Director, Teckno-Alloys Canada Ltd
Recognition
- Recognized, 2024 – 2026, Best Lawyers, Corporate Law
- Recipient of 2019 M&A Today Global Awards Cross Border Lawyer of the Year — Canada
- Recipient of 2015 - 2019 Global Awards for Energy and National Resources
- 2016 -2018 Global Awards for Cross Border Lawyer of the Year
- Recipient of 2018 and 2019 Lawyer International Legal 100 Cross Border Lawyer of the Year North America Global Awards
- Recipient of Lawyer Monthly Magazine's Women in Law Award 2014 - 2019, rewarding legal experts that have influenced the wider legal profession across the globe
- Recipient of ACQ5 Global Awards 2015 - 2019 Cross Border Lawyer of the year. Energy & Natural Resources Lawyer of the year, Securities Capital Markets Lawyer of the year
- Recipient of ACQ4 Law Awards 2016 & 2017
- Listed in "Women in the Lead", a national directory of Canadian women whose professional expertise and experience recommend them as candidates for corporate board appointment
Professional Involvement
- Member, Law Society of Ontario
- Member, Ontario Bar Association
- Member, Canadian Bar Association
- Member, American Bar Association (Associate)
- Past - Member, Association for Corporate Growth
- Past - Member, Women in Capital Markets
- Member, IR Global
- Member, Advisor Society
- Past - Member, International Bar Association
- Past - Member, Securities Advisory Committee to the Ontario Securities Commission 1993-1995