Canada's 2014 Leading Corporate Lawyers RETAIL | 19
Hewat,
Christopher A.
Blake, Cassels &
Graydon LLP
(416) 863-2761
chris.hewat@blakes.com
Mr. Hewat's practice
consists of advising on
securities and business law
matters, with a focus on
mergers & acquisitions,
corporate fi nance and
private-equity transactions.
Horn, Sidney M.
Stikeman Elliott LLP
(514) 397-3342
smhorn@stikeman.com
Mr. Horn is a partner
specializing in commercial,
corporate and securities
law. Advises large
domestic and international
corporations on complex
questions concerning
fi nance, M&A, debt
restructurings and
corporate governance.
Hoyt, QC, Leonard T.
McInnes Cooper
(506) 458-1622
len.hoyt@
mcinnescooper.com
Mr. Hoyt's practice
includes PPPs and
mandates in the gas,
electricity and renewable
resource sectors. He
represents public- and
private-sector developers.
He appears regularly
before the New Brunswick
Energy and Utilities Board.
Holgate, David A.
Stikeman Elliott LLP
(403) 266-9010
dholgate@stikeman.com
Mr. Holgate focuses
on energy regulation as
counsel for applicants and
intervenors before federal
and provincial regulator y
agencies on matters in the
energy sector, including
oil, gas and electricity.
Horner, Clay
Osler, Hoskin &
Harcourt LLP
(416) 862-6590
chorner@osler.com
Co-chair of the fi rm, Mr.
Horner counsels senior
management and boards
of directors on M&A
matters. He has acted
as principal counsel on
many of Canada's most
noteworthy transactions.
Huff , Pamela L.J.
Blake, Cassels &
Graydon LLP
(416) 863-2958
pamela.huff @blakes.com
Ms. Huff 's insolvency
practice engages the
domestic and cross-
border litigation and
commercial aspects of
work-outs, reorganizations,
receiverships and other
security enforcement.
Her clients include
debtors, lenders,
receivers and trustees.
ASK ANYONE about mergers and ac-
quisitions in Canada last year, and they're
sure to point to "retail" transactions that
made the headlines. In fact, the high-
profi le and high-ticket M&A activity
involving Hudson's Bay/Saks, Loblaw/
Shoppers Drug Mart and Sobeys/Safe-
way were among the top business stories
of the year. So what's in store for 2014 and
what are some of the likely factors that
will shape and drive retail M&A activity?
Many in the retail sector are closely
watching the deep pockets and infl uence
of private equity in the North American
retail sector. Vince Mercier, an M&A
partner with Davies Ward Phillips &
Vineberg LLP, sees the potential for pri-
vate equity as a driver of M&A activity in
the retail space.
In the US, he says, "right now there's
a lot of interest in the retail sector from
private equity because retail is in eff ect
a play on the US economy and the US
consumer. As the housing market and the
economy in the US improves, consumers
should spend more, which should show
up in retailers' bottom lines. In other
