TORONTO (February 2, 2012) – Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP (Blakes), one of Canada’s leading business law firms, welcomes 13 new partners.
“I am pleased to announce our latest group of partners,” saidRob Granatstein, Firm Managing Partner. “Each of these individuals has worked very hard for this next achievement in their legal careers. It is this dedication to our clients on the part of all of our professionals that makesBlakes the success that it is.”
Our new partner in the Montréal office isHélène Deschamps Marquis. She is a member of the Business and Information Technology Groups and advises clients involved in complex technology transactions. Her experience in M&A coupled with her knowledge of complex IT/IP issues helps clients effectively manage their growth and their outsourcing while diminishing business risks.
We have six new partners inToronto. TimAndison’s practice focuses on a wide variety of M&A, capital markets and other financing transactions.Tim joined Blakes in November 2010 after practising in theToronto, New York andLondon offices of a leading New York law firm.Andrew Pollock practises in our Business Group and is a member of the Firm’sChina Practice. Andrew’s practice involves mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, and corporate governance, with specialties in mining operations and railway transportation law.He also has expertise in matters related to foreign direct investment intoChina.CynthiaSargeantpractises corporate and securities law. She advises clients on a range of business law issues, including mergers and acquisitions, securities law, financings, corporate governance compliance obligations, and commercial transactions.KurtSarno’s practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, private equity, and corporate governance. In 2008 and 2009,Kurt practised at a pre-eminent law firm inNew York, concentrating on mergers and acquisitions as well as private equity.AntonioTurco’s practice focuses on litigation related to intellectual property rights, including disputes regarding patents, copyright, trade-marks, industrial designs and trade secrets. Tony also assists clients in commercial transactions involving intellectual property and technology.LauraWeinrib’spractice focuses on pharmaceutical, medical device, natural health product, food, health and consumer product industries. She advises clients on a diverse range of matters, including the marketing and advertising of products and services, regulatory matters relating to safety and licensing, product claims, compliance programs and clinical trials.
In Calgary, the following four lawyers are now partners.CarrieAikenis a member of the tax group. Her practice focuses on a broad range of domestic and international tax matters, including mergers and acquisitions, corporate reorganizations and financings, and cross-border income trusts. She has also assisted clients in several stages of the tax dispute resolution process. JeffBakker practises corporate and securities law. His primary focus is on securities matters, particularly in the areas of corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, and continuous disclosure compliance.MelanieGastonpractises in litigation and dispute resolution. She has broad experience in commercial litigation, with an emphasis on securities, energy matters, contractual disputes, insurance law, class actions, product liability and commercial landlord disputes. William Van Hornepractises business law, with a focus on corporate finance and securities regulation as well as mergers and acquisitions.Will routinely acts for issuers, underwriters and investors in a variety of public and private financings, both domestically and internationally.
Our Vancouver office welcomes two new lawyers to the partnership.EleniKassarispractises in the Labour & Employment, Litigation & Dispute Resolution and Privacy Groups. She handles a wide range of commercial litigation matters and advises clients on all aspects of labour and employment law and privacy law, including matters relating to post-employment competition by former employees, human rights violations in the workplace, executive compensation matters, and private- and public-sector privacy compliance.
SusanTomaine practises corporate and securities law. She advises public and private companies on mergers and acquisitions, strategic investments, and corporate finance transactions, as well as general corporate matters and compliance with securities legislation. Before joiningBlakes, Susan was a lawyer in theLondon and New York offices of a leadingNew York law firm.
AboutBlake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
AtBlake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, we serve a diverse national and international client base and our integrated office network provides clients with access to the Firm’s full spectrum of capabilities in virtually every area of business law. Blakes has offices across Canada and in New York, Chicago, London, Bahrain, Beijing, and associated offices in Al-Khobar andShanghai. For the third consecutive year,Blakes was named “Canada’s Law Firm of the Year” byWho’s Who Legal (2011) and “Law Firm of the Year:Canada” in the PLC Which Lawyer? Awards (2010). For the last five years,Blakes was the busiest Canadian M&A law firm, according to Bloomberg andThomson Reuters league tables.
More information onBlakes is available by visiting the Firm’s website at www.blakes.com or by following us on Twitter @BlakesLaw.
