Lawyer Profile
Michael I. Gans
Toronto, Ontario
Overview
Michael is frequently recognized as one of Canada's leading M&A lawyers, having advised on many of Canada's highest-profile M&A transactions as well as numerous middle-market transactions over 25 years. He has led transactions across many industries, including consumer, industrials, technology and healthcare, among others. He acts for offerors, targets and significant shareholders on negotiated and unsolicited domestic and cross-border acquisition transactions. He also frequently acts for financial sponsors in both platform and roll-up transactions and has experience representing special committees in connection with M&A transactions, related party transactions and internal investigations.
Michael served as Practice Group Leader of Blakes Toronto Capital Markets practice from 2013 to 2019 and, prior to that, was resident in our New York office. Michael is a member of Blakes Executive Committee.
Leading the Blakes team advising GSK plc in connection with its acquisition of 35Pharma Inc.
Leading the Blakes team advising the Special Committee of the Board of Trustees of Minto Apartment Real Estate Investment Trust on its C$2.3-billion going private transaction with Crestpoint Real Estate and Minto Group
Leading the Blakes team advising HanesBrands in connection with its US$2.2-billion acquisition by Gildan Activewear
Leading the Blakes team advising Sea Electric Inc. in connection with its merger with Exro Technologies Inc.
Leading the Blakes team advising AstraZeneca plc in connection with its acquisition of Fusion Pharmaceuticals
Advising the Special Committee of the Board of Directors of Teck Resources Inc. in connection with the collapse of its dual class voting structure and subsequent sale of its coal business to Glencore plc
Practice Areas
Bar Information
Called to the bar: 1996 (ON); 2004 (NY)