16 LEXPERT MAGAZINE
|
MARCH 2017
Vice-President, Deputy General Counsel
and Chief Compliance Officer at BMO Fi-
nancial Group.
Nicola Geary is now a partner at Cassels
Brock where she practises in the firm's busi-
ness law group. Geary — who is called to
the bars of New York, England and Wales,
and Ontario — focuses on corporate fi-
nance, M&A, private equity and venture
capital. She made the move from McCar-
thy Tétrault LLP.
Margaret Waddell joined Phillips Gill
LLP as counsel where she continues her
practice of class actions, commercial litiga-
tion and mediation/ADR services. She was
previously a partner and a leader of the class
action team at Paliare Roland Rosenberg
Rothstein LLP.
Robert Saunders and Mary Wahbi
joined Fogler, Rubinoff LLP as partners.
Both relocated from Basman Smith LLP,
which ceased operations last year. Saunders
practises real estate and corporate-com-
mercial law. He has expertise as an estate
trustee for family-run businesses. Wahbi
focuses on estate planning, estate adminis-
tration and corporate-commercial law.
Vickie Wong joined WeirFoulds LLP as
a partner and leader of the firm's financial
services practice. Wong acts for both bor-
rowers and lenders in a wide range of debt
financing arrangements. She was previous-
ly with Gowling WLG.
Heather Douglas joined WeirFoulds
as a partner providing advice on public fi-
nance matters. Douglas adds her expertise
to the firm's public projects and municipal
and infrastructure practices. She was previ-
ously a partner at BLG.
Rob Blackstein joined BLG as counsel
in the firm's electricity markets practice
group. He advises on electricity generation,
transmission and distribution, among other
areas of corporate-commercial law.
Retired Federal Court Justice the Hon-
ourable Roger Hughes joined JAMS,
where he is an arbitrator and mediator.
NEW BRUNSWICK SAINT JOHN,
FREDERICTON
>
Cox & Palmer celebrated
John Barry, QC, who was awarded the
2016 Order of New Brunswick; and John
Townsend, QC, who was awarded the
2016 Franklin O. Leger Q.C. Award — the
highest honour granted by the Law Society
of New Brunswick.
Barry, who is counsel in the firm's Saint
John office, was honoured for his "dedicat-
ed, visionary leadership and competence"
within the field.
Townsend, a partner in the firm's Fred-
ericton office, was honoured for his "out-
standing meritorious service, dedication
and contribution" to the profession.
FIRM NEWS
Bull Housser merged with Norton Rose
Fulbright, taking its name. e combina-
tion adds the key market of Vancouver for
Norton Rose Fulbright, while bringing the
strong regional expertise of Bull Housser's
more than 90 lawyers to the mix. Janet
Grove is now the Managing Partner of
Norton Rose Fulbright's Vancouver office,
while Charles Hurdon continues as the
firm's Canadian Managing Partner.
MacPherson Leslie & Tyerman LLP
and Aikins, MacAulay & orvaldson
LLP have merged, forming a Western Ca-
nadian law firm, MLT Aikins LLP. e
new firm boasts more than 240 lawyers and
offices in Winnipeg, Regina, Saskatoon,
Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver. Don
Wilson is now Managing Partner of MLT
Aikins, while David Filmon is its Chair.
* Keep us informed of your latest career news,
from moves and appointments to role changes
and new endeavours. We look forward to hearing
from you at lexpert.ca/peoplemoves.
MOVES
Leila Rafi relocated her corporate
and securities law practice to
McMillan LLP, where she is now
a partner. Rafi frequently acts for
investment dealers conducting
transactions in the capital markets
(both domestic and cross-border).
She also advises on a wide range
of matters including D&O indemni-
fication and corporate governance.
In addition, she has experience
advising the gaming industry. In her
previous role at McCarthy Tétrault
LLP, she co-led the modernization
project at the Ontario Lottery
and Gaming Corporation.
LEILA RAFI
McMillan LLP
Toronto
Corporate and Securities
NIKO VEILLEUX
Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP
Montréal
Corporate
Seasoned corporate lawyer Niko
Veilleux joined Osler, Hoskin &
Harcourt LLP as a partner, after
departing from Fasken Martineau
DuMoulin LLP. Veilleux focuses his
practice on public and private M&A,
corporate finance, securities and
private-equity transactions. For ex-
ample, he recently advised Caisse
de dépôt et placement du Québec
in its equity financing of mobile app
Hopper, as well as its investment in
and change of control of the McIn-
nis Cement Project. Other recent
matters include acting for Nasdaq
in its acquisition of Marketwired.
