Cassels

Canadian Corporate Law Firm

University of Toronto

Lauren Grossman

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Lauren Grossman is a partner in the Banking & Specialty Finance Group at Cassels. Lauren’s practice focuses on corporate and commercial law, representing both lenders and borrowers involved in domestic and cross-border financing transactions and corporate finance matters. Lauren’s experience includes both secured and unsecured lending transactions, asset-based financings, acquisition financings, securitizations, and project financings. She is ranked as a Rising Star in Banking by IFLR1000.

Examples of Lauren’s recent work include acting for:

  • HSBC Bank Canada as administrative agent on a US$510 million syndicated financing to Spin Master Ltd. and its subsidiaries in France, Hong Kong, Mexico, United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, Netherlands
  • The Ottawa Senators Hockey Club in respect of the financing of the NHL Team and Canadian Tire Center
  • A Canadian Chartered Bank in connection with a $296 million syndicated financing in favour of a leading seniors housing company
  • Mizuho Corporate Bank, Ltd. in respect of the securitization of a $530 million portfolio of automobile receivables
  • Clarksons Platou Securities and Pareto Securities as joint lead managers in respect of Nemaska Lithium Inc.’s US$350 million offering of senior secured callable bonds completed on a private placement basis

Lauren received her J.D. from the University of Toronto, Faculty of Law. Prior to studying law, Lauren graduated with Distinction from Western University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and Medical Science.

Jonathan Fleisher

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Jonathan Fleisher* is a partner in the Banking & Specialty Finance Group at Cassels. Jonathan’s practice focuses on the commercial finance industry with an emphasis on innovative cross-border transactions and equipment and asset finance. He offers niche experience assisting public and private US commercial finance companies with both establishing operations in Canada and purchasing and selling finance and lease companies. Jonathan’s work includes structured finance, public and private securitization, and commercial and consumer leasing issues and extends to all forms of debt finance including sub-debt, venture financings, convertible debt, and asset-based lending. He also has extensive experience in renewable energy financing projects including solar, co-gen, and retrofit. Jonathan is recognized as a leader in his field by such authorities as Best Lawyers in Canada and the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory. He was recently named as one of the 40 Most Influential Equipment Finance Lawyers in North America by Leasing News and was named Toronto’s Lawyer of the Year for Equipment Finance Law by Best Lawyers in 2022.

Jonathan’s representative work includes having acted for:

  • Stonebriar Commercial Finance Canada in its securitization of US$650 million of equipment finance contracts
  • A multi-state US bank in the establishment of a non-bank subsidiary
  • A top-tier multi-national US bank with a US$200 million lease facility for a Fortune 200 Canadian entity
  • An auto leaser portfolio in its securitization for a private issuer
  • Lenders, arrangers and borrowers on the lease and debt financings of railcars

Jonathan is an avid lecturer and writer on both a domestic and international level. He is also a prolific writer on topics related to equipment finance and cross-border transactions. Jonathan has recently co-authored the authoritative book Equipment Finance in Canada and completed both the Equipment Finance and Subordinated Debt chapters for Canadian Forms & Precedents, all published by LexisNexis. He has also drafted specific guides for US lenders expanding operations to Canada.

*Services provided through a Professional Corporation

Gordon R. Chambers

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Gordon Chambers* serves as senior counsel in the Mining Group at Cassels. Gordon advises on all aspects of securities law, including public and private offerings of securities, mergers and acquisitions (including takeover bids and going private transactions) and continuous disclosure and other ongoing regulatory requirements applicable to public companies. He also advises special committees of boards of directors. Gordon acts for a wide range of clients in diverse industries. He focuses on corporate finance for mining companies and has extensive experience advising dual-listed issuers. Gordon has acted for mining issuers, forestry companies, financial institutions and industrial issuers. He has served as the independent chair for contested shareholder meetings and has been a director of three public companies.

Gordon has been quoted in the media as an expert on a myriad of topics, including natural resource transactions, proxy contests, shareholders, and reporting standards in many authoritative publications including the National Post, Business in Vancouver and Lexpert.

He is also a prolific speaker, having presented on many topics over the years including building effective boards, the Extractive Sector Transparency Measures Act, non-disclosure and confidentiality agreements, hostile takeovers, shareholder activism, and anti-corruption and foreign practices.

*Services provided through a Law Corporation

Mark T. Bennett

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Mark Bennett* is a partner in the Mining Group at Cassels. Mark practises corporate and securities law with an emphasis on corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions transactions. He provides strategic and transactional advice to Canadian and international mining companies involved in business combinations, take-over bids, domestic and cross-border public offerings, private placements, metal streaming and royalty transactions, and stock exchange listings. Mark’s corporate finance experience includes equity, convertible instruments and debt. He has advised exploration, development and producing resource companies in the Americas, Eastern Europe, Africa and Australia on property acquisitions and dispositions, joint ventures and option agreements. His practice also includes acting for investment dealers in public and private corporate finance transactions as well as mergers and acquisitions. Mark also advises boards of directors and special committees on corporate governance and securities law compliance, including mineral project disclosure.

Mark is also adjunct professor of law at Western University where he teaches Mining Law and Sustainability.

Mark is recognized as a leader in his field by such authorities as Chambers Global, Chambers Canada and the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory.

*Services provided through a Professional Corporation