TORONTO (September 10, 2007) – LAWFUEL – The Legal Newswire – Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP (Blakes), one of Canada’s leading business law firms, today announced that John Kolada has moved from Toronto to Chicago to become the Managing Partner of the Firm’s Chicago office. Blakes is the only Canadian law firm with an office in Chicago and practises exclusively Canadian law.
“John has extensive expertise advising companies engaged in cross-border transactions and other business, and his expertise will be invaluable in advising U.S. clients on the Canadian legal aspects of operating and investing in Canada” said Jim Christie, Chairman of Blakes. “The Firm opened its office in Chicago in 2004, and since that time, the office has been key in expanding the significant amount of cross-border work we do originating from the United States, particularly the Midwest.”
Mr. Kolada’s practice focuses primarily on domestic and international M & A and corporate finance transactions involving companies in a wide range of industries, including mining, biotechnology, high-tech and financial services. He spent four years in the U.K. with the Firm’s London office advising Canadian and foreign companies on a wide variety of international finance, M & A and other commercial transactions, returning to the Toronto office in 2000.
Mr. Kolada is a member of a number of legal associations including the International Association of Young Lawyers (AIJA). He has authored papers and spoken on numerous occasions on a wide range of topics related to his areas of practice, and taught a course on international business transactions as part of an Osgoode Hall Law School business law workshop hosted by Blakes for several years.
Founded in 1856, Blakes has more than 500 lawyers and offices in Canada, the United States, Europe and China. In October 2006, and for the fourth consecutive year, Blakes was the only law firm named one of “Canada’s Top 100 Employers” in Maclean’s newsmagazine. More information on Blakes is available by visiting the Firm’s Web site at www.blakes.com.
