LEXPERT MAGAZINE
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JULY/AUGUST 2016 23
INDUSTRY ANALYSIS
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CORPORATE TRANSACTIONS OF IMPORTANCE
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4
Metals & Mining
3
Oil & Gas
3
Financials
Consumer Services Energy & Power Pipelines
Aerospace & Defence Automotive Materials Media &
2
Pipelines
Insurance Insurance Insurance
REAL MATTERS ACQUIRES
LINEAR TITLE & CLOSING
TRANSACTION VITALS
ANNOUNCED: 4/1/2016
CLOSED: 4/1/2016
ATTITUDE: FRIENDLY
SOUGHT: 100%
GEORGE TAKACH
MCCARTHY TÉTRAULT LLP
(FOR REAL MATTERS)
DAVID COULTICE
DENTONS CANADA LLP
(FOR REAL MATTERS ON
THE PRIVATE PLACEMENT)
On April 1, 2016, Real Matters Inc., through its US subsidiary
Solidifi, completed the acquisition of Linear Title & Closing Lim-
ited for up to US$96 million. In connection with this transaction,
Real Matters also completed a $100 million private placement of
common shares to fund the acquisition, as well as increased its bor-
rowing facilities.
is transaction will bring Solidifi's established real estate tech-
nology platform to the $10 billion title and closing market, and also
marks Solidifi's third acquisition since 2013.
With the acquisition of Linear, Solidifi manages a marketplace of
more than 100,000 independent, qualified appraisers, abstractors,
notaries, attorneys, brokers and real estate professionals that collect
and assess key attributes of individual properties.
Solidifi is a leading independent provider of next generation mort-
gage services and is based in Buffalo, New York.
Linear Title & Closing Limited, based in Rhode Island, is a top-
five independent title search and closing provider in all 50 states.
e Real Matters team was led internally by Nick Catros with as-
sistance from George Takach, Pavan Jawanda and Julia Johnson from
McCarthy Tétrault LLP.
Linear Title was advised by its in-house counsel, Jessica Kennedy,
and by Tom Humphreys and Joseph Anesta at Cameron & Mittle-
man LLP.
David Coultice (securities), Don Luck (corporate) and Charles
Rich (financial services) of Dentons Canada LLP led the team ad-
vising Real Matters on its private placement. e Dentons team in-
cluded Ben Iscoe (corporate), Corey Mackinnon (securities), Kori
Williams, Danijel Augustinovic (financial services).
Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP advised the underwriters on
the private placement with a team led by Chad Bayne, that included
Adam Gutkin, Justin Dharamdial (corporate/securities) and Dov
Begun (tax).
counsel to Stantec on the Credit Facilities.
On the Credit Facilities, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce
was advised by Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP (as lead Canadian
legal counsel) with a team led by Simon Finch, including Jennifer
Hancock, Leïla Yacoubi and Mahnaz Jan Ali (financial services), Jake
Gilbert and Justin Drake (corporate), Jeff Sommers (pensions), Reid
Holly (employment) and Bryan Bailey (tax).
Linklaters LLP acted as US and UK counsel to Canadian Impe-
rial Bank of Commerce on the Credit Facilities with a team led by
Danelle Le Cren (US banking) and Annette Kurdian (UK banking),
including Gordon Mak, Phil Lee and Simon Cassell (US banking),
Matthew Brigham (US tax) and Graeme Tricker (UK pensions).
On the Credit Facilities, MWH was advised by Hogan Lovells
US LLP with a team led by Paul Hilton, including Chalyse Robin-
son, Kevin Gralley, Andrew Trubin, Lindsey Owings, Philip Brown
and Nathan Moore (Banking), Richard Parrino and Laura Biddle
(corporate), and David Toy and Karina Pulec (intellectual property).
In connection with the Equity Financing, Dentons Canada LLP
acted as lead Canadian counsel to Stantec with a team led by Keith
Inman (corporate), including Toby Allan and Jessica Myers (corpo-
rate). Stikeman Elliott LLP acted as lead Canadian counsel to the
syndicate of underwriters co-led by CIBC Capital Markets and RBC
Capital Markets, with a team of David Weinberger, Jeff Hershenfield,
Matt Hunt, J.B. Elliott (securities) and John Lorito and Jill Winton
(tax). Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, with a team
led by Christopher Morgan (corporate/securities) and including An-
nabelle Gardere (corporate/securities) and Justin Flavelle (corporate/
securities), was US counsel to the syndicate of underwriters.
Oil & Gas Oil & Gas Oil & Gas
