Lawyer Profile
Sam C. Billard
Toronto, Ontario
Overview
Sam is a problem solver. Drawing on his years of experience and pragmatic nature, he addresses clients’ financing and lending issues both in Canada and abroad. He has a reputation for finding practical solutions to difficult problems and is always striving to make deals work for all parties involved. He is an expert in Caribbean banking and, with great local connections, is a go-to advisor for many of North America’s largest financial institutions active in the region.
Sam is a member of the firm's Financial Services Group and has extensive experience in project finance, syndicated lending, asset-based lending, cannabis lending, precious metals lending, restructuring, leasing, derivatives, asset-backed commercial paper, structured finance, and public and private bond financing. Focusing on unusual, often multi-jurisdictional, secured lending transactions, he provides corporate, regulatory and transactional advice to some of the largest financial institutions in North America. Sam has extensive experience in drafting and commenting on over-the-counter swap documentation and other bespoke derivative transactions.
He began his career with the law department of one of Canada's leading commercial banks and later transitioned into the banking, restructuring and structured finance areas of private practice. He has a strong understanding of business as well as the accounting, tax and regulatory environments in which his clients work.
Sam’s broad experience and practical approach allow him to provide proactive and effective advice to clients in all areas of financial services. He has developed an expertise in assisting financial institutions restructure exposures to struggling resorts, hotels and other hospitality-related businesses in the Caribbean.
Represented Powerfleet, Inc. (Nasdaq: AIOT), a global AIoT SaaS provider, in its acquisition and related financing of Fleet Complete, a leader in connected vehicle technology and fleet management.
Acted for Linamar Corporation in the completion of a $550-million private placement of senior unsecured notes.
Assisted KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc., with its US$285-million cross-border financing for HR Ottawa, L.P., in connection with the redevelopment of the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.
Acts for Bank of Montreal as Agent on a secured syndicated financing for Altus Group Limited, a Canadian public company with a global real estate advisory business. That loan is currently in the upper nine figures.
Practice Areas
Bar Information
Called to the bar: 1985 (ON)