Our Team

Lexpert's 2012 Rising Stars: Leading Lawyers Under 40—One of Canada's leading lawyers under 40

The M&A Advisor—40 Under 40 Award, 2012

Guide to the Leading U.S./Canada Cross-Border Corporate Lawyers in Canada, 2012—Cross-border corporate lawyer to watch

Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, 2012—Repeatedly recommended practitioner in corporate finance and securities

Chambers Global: World’s Leading Lawyers for Business, The Client’s Guide, 2008-2010—Up and coming lawyer in corporate/M&A

John has been involved in representing

• Viterra in its C$6.1 billion acquisition by Switzerland-based Glencore International and its C$1.8 billion unsolicited takover bid for Agricore United
• WiLAN in its C$532 million unsolicited takeover bid for MOSAID Technologies and its C$230 million bought deal offering of extendible convertible unsecured subordinated debentures
• Northgate Minerals in its C$1.46 billion acquisition by AuRico Gold and its proposed C$1.2 billion merger with Primero Mining
• Husky International and Onex in connection with the US$2.1 billion acquisition of Husky International by Berkshire Partners and OMERS Private Equity, and Husky Injection Molding Systems in its C$960 million share acquisition by Onex Partners
• I.M.P. Group in connection with the C$625 million acquisition of Vector Aerospace by France-based EADS
• Gerdau Ameristeel in its US$1.6 billion acquisition by Brazil-based Gerdau S.A.
• Abu Dhabi-based International Petroleum Investment Company in its US$2.3 billion acquisition of Nova Chemicals
• Hydrogenics Corporation in its joint development and PIPE transaction with Enbridge, its strategic alliance with North Carolina–based CommScope and its non-dilutive financing and related income trust conversion of Algonquin Power Income Fund
• an InterTech Group affiliate in its sale of Hudson's Bay Company to NRDC Equity Partners
• Australia-based Waratah Coal in its response to the unsolicited takeover bid by Mineralogy
• Sherritt International in its C$704 million insider bid for all the units of Royal Utilities Income Fund
• Algoma Steel in its C$1.85 billion share acquisition by India-based Essar Global and in its C$200 million substantial issuer bid for common shares
• Third Avenue Management in its C$129 million unsolicited takeover bid for 39 million shares of Catalyst Paper
• Maple Leaf Heritage Investments in its C$1.1 billion unsolicited takeover bid for Hudson’s Bay Company
• Hudson’s Bay Company in its C$120 million offer to purchase all of its outstanding 7.5% unsecured medium term notes
• Manitoba Telecom Services in its C$1.7 billion share acquisition of Allstream (formerly AT&T Canada)
• Rogers group of companies on a number of transactions, including
• Rogers Communications in its C$773 million insider bid for Rogers Wireless Communications; its C$1.7 billion share acquisition of AT&T’s stake in Rogers Wireless; its C$250 cross-border bought deal public offering of Class B non-voting shares; and its C$32 million share acquisition of Cogeco Cable
• Rogers Wireless Communications in the US$500 million issuance of senior notes and US$2.4 billion issuance of senior notes by its subsidiary Rogers Wireless; its C$422 million rights offering; and its C$1.4 billion investment by AT&T and British Telecommunications
• Rogers Telecom Holdings (formerly Call-Net Enterprises) in its US$223 million cash tender offer of senior secured notes
• Rogers Cable in its US$350 million issuance of senior secured notes and its US$426.7 million issuance of senior secured notes
• Northbridge Financial in its C$221 million initial public offering of common shares
• the underwriting syndicate
• in the C$184.6 billion and C$83.5 million bought deal offerings of units of Cineplex Galaxy Income Fund
• in the C$215 million bought deal offering by Cineplex Galaxy Income Fund of subscription receipts and convertible debentures in connection with its acquisition of Famous Players from Viacom
• in the C$188 million initial public offering by Keystone North America of income participating securities
• in the C$43 million bought deal offering by Call-Net Enterprises of Class B non-voting shares
• in the C$45 million bought deal offering by MDC Partners of convertible debentures
• Leitch Technology on a number of transactions, including its C$570 million share acquisition by Florida-based Harris; its share acquisition of Pennsylvania-based Videotek; its proxy contest regarding election of directors; its asset acquisition of New Jersey–based Agile Vision; its takeover bid for Digital Processing Systems; its investments in Fastvibe and California-based Path 1 Network Technologies; its Nasdaq listing; and its cross-border bought deal public offerings of common shares
• Custom Direct Income Fund in its C$126.5 million initial public offering of units
• Exco Technologies in its share acquisitions of NeoCon International and Bancroft Lasing Technologies; its takeover bid for Techmire; and the asset sale of its Exco Lasing business
• Hong Kong–based CDC Corporation in its US$56 million share acquisition of Pivotal
• New Jersey–based Paradigm Direct in its US$102 million share acquisition by Mosaic Group
• Fairfax Financial Holdings in its private placement of US$200 million of convertible debentures and C$200 million of perpetual preferred shares, and its US$275 million public debt offering in the United States
• Hub International in its US$65 million private placement of senior notes; its US$97 million initial public offering in the United States; and its US$128 million share acquisition of New York–based Kaye Group
• TLCVision in its equity investment in and joint venture with Florida-based Vascular Sciences, and in its US$143 million cross-border public offering of common shares

John was an Adjunct Professor at the University of Toronto Law School, and has also taught as a guest lecturer at Queen's University Law School.

John is a co-editor of the fifteenth edition of the Consolidated Bank Act and Regulations (Carswell, 2003) and of the seventh edition of the Consolidated Trust and Loans Companies Act and Regulations (Carswell, 2002).