Lexpert Magazine

Lexpert-ranked leading finance and M&A lawyers www.lexpert.ca 97 Pukier, Brian M. Stikeman Elliott LLP > (416) 869-5567 bpukier@stikeman.com Brian Pukier is a partner in the corporate group, whose practice is focused primarily on cross-border Mergers & Acquisitions, private equity investments, corporate finance transactions, complex corporate reorganizations, and public policy. He is also called upon by his clients to advise them on corporate governance and crisis management issues. Brian is widely recognized as one of the country's leading corporate and M&A lawyers. He has extensive experience in counselling senior management and the boards of directors of prominent public and private corporations, including acting for many large and medium-sized private equity funds in Canada and internationally. Brian currently serves on the management committee in the Toronto office and is the former head of the securities and mergers & acquisitions groups. Pundit, Manoj G. Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG) > (416) 367-6577 mpundit@blg.com Manoj Pundit is a securities and corporate partner at BLG's Toronto office. Pundit serves as lead counsel to issuers and underwriters on domestic and international corporate and securities transactions and regulatory matters. His practice encompasses a wide range of sectors including tech/media/telecom, biotech/pharma and medical devices, fintech, financial services, real estate, natural resources, and manufacturing. He advises on public and private securities offerings including IPOs and follow-on offerings, public and private mergers & acquisitions, corporate governance, plans of arrangement, and private equity and venture capital transactions. His clients include public and private issuers, underwriters, investment funds and private equity and venture capital investors, as well as domestic and foreign acquirers of public companies. He also advises boards of directors with regard to governance matters. Pundit regularly speaks and writes on issues in securities regulation, including submissions to securities regulators, and has been interviewed by leading newspapers. He serves as a member of the Ontario Securities Commission's Securities Advisory Committee. Racicot, Martin Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP > (514) 397-5128 mracicot@fasken.com Martin is a lawyer practising in the area of banking and finance with a focus on Acquisition Financings. He regularly represents major Canadian private equity firms and is well versed in identifying trends in acquisition financing documentation. Martin is also deeply involved in representing major Canadian Arrangers and Underwriters in syndicated transactions. He is also heavily involved in continuing education. As such, from 2017 to 2023 he led the American Bar Association's Commercial Finance Syndications and Lender Relations Subcommittee, first as Vice Chair and then as Chair. He is a member of the Commercial Finance Programs Committee of the American Bar Association, and is a Fellow and Regent of the American College of Commercial Finance Lawyers. Raffin, Leo McMillan LLP > (604) 691-7450 leo.raffin@mcmillan.ca Leo Raffin is a partner in McMillan's Vancouver office. His primary practice areas include securities and corporate law, acting for technolog y, gaming, industrial, and natural resource issuers. His experience includes public and private offerings, mergers and acquisitions, takeover bids, proxy contests, corporate reorganizations, business alliances, licensing transactions, and corporate governance matters. Rafi, Leila McMillan LLP > (416) 865-7000 leila.rafi@mcmillan.ca Leila is a partner in the Capital Markets and M&A Group. Practising in Toronto, Leila advises on a broad range of securities law matters and has a highly transactional practice. She also has an expertise in the Investment Fund & Asset Management area assisting registrants with structuring and compliance with regulatory obligations. She is a prolific speaker at industry events and regularly writes on securities law topics. Leila was awarded Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers of Canada in 2022, and won the Lexpert Rising Stars Award for top Canadian lawyers under 40 in 2018. She served on the Securities Advisory Committee at the Ontario Securities Commission for three years. Currently, Leila is Adjunct Faculty at the Toronto Metropolitan University teaching Introduction to Securities Regulation. Leila has co-authored a couple of lengthy white papers, including on the topic of short selling in 2019. In the past, she has been Adjunct Faculty at the University of Queens, Faculty of Law; University of Western, Faculty of Law; and University of Windsor, Faculty of Law in connection with securities regulation courses. Leila is a mentor with the University of Toronto Womens' Association Program.

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