Adrienne F. Oliver

Biography

Adrienne Oliver's practice involves all aspects of tax planning and implementation, primarily in the corporate tax field. Ms. Oliver is Co-Chair of our Tax Team.

She has participated in structuring major public and private transactions, reorganizations and financings, and has also acquired significant experience in international tax planning and public capital market transactions. Ms. Oliver has acted for clients in a diverse range of industries, including some of Canada's most respected corporations. She has recently acted in take-over, spinoff, joint venture and restructuring transactions.

In addition, Ms. Oliver has acted for major North American financial institutions and other issuers in connection with both domestic and cross-border debt or equity securities offerings.

Ms. Oliver has taught taxation at the Ontario Bar Admission Course. 

Year of Call

• Ontario Bar 1993

Law School

• LL.B., University of Ottawa, 1992

EDUCATION

• B.A., University of Toronto, 1987

Selected Client Work

Ms. Oliver's recent transactions include acting for:

• CHC Helicopter Corporation in connection with its $3.7 billion acquisition by an affiliate of a fund managed by First Reserve Corporation
• Alcan Inc. in its acquisition by Rio Tinto plc
• Bowater Inc. in its merger with Abitibi Consolidated
• Cerberus Capital Management in its proposed acquisition of BCE Inc.
• the Special Committee of Shell Canada Limited in its acquisition by Royal Dutch plc
• Activant in the successful takeover bid for Speedware Corporation
• Alcan Inc. in connection with the spinoff of Novelis Inc. to its shareholders
• Petrochemical Industries Co. in connection with the formation of MEGlobal, a joint venture with Dow Chemical Co.
• Cerberus Capital Partners in its acquisition of convertible preferred shares of Air Canada Enterprises in connection with Air Canada's restructuring
• financial institutions (including Royal Bank of Canada, and Bank of America, N.A.) and other issuers in connection with both domestic and cross-border debt or equity securities offerings

Publications

• "Recent Developments in Canadian Income Tax - GAAR & Treaty Shopping/Dividend Taxation & Income Trusts," Lexpert, 2006.
• "Withholding Taxes on Interest - the 5/25 Rule," CMA, May 2006.
• "Inbound to Canada Acquisitions -- Cross Border Tax Strategies," Lexpert, 2006
• "Selected Aspects of Debt Financing of Canadian Enterprises and Cross-Border Securitizations," Journal of Taxation of Financial Institutions, Vol. 16 / No. 1, Sept./Oct. 2002.
• "On Partnerships," Vol. 10, No. 1, Canadian Tax Highlights, 2002.
• "Foreign Spinoff Proposals," Canadian Tax Highlights, Vol. 9, No. 3, March 2001.

Speaking Engagements

• Spoken at conferences on a variety of tax-related issues

Media Highlights

• Quoted in "Flaherty Says Canada's Energy Resources Will Buffer it From Global Slowdown," Canadian Press, July 16, 2008.

Rankings and Recognitions

• Chambers Global Guide to the World's Leading Lawyers for Business - Recommended in Tax (2008).

Memberships and Activities

• Law Society of Upper Canada
• Ontario Bar Association
• Canadian Tax Foundation
• International Fiscal Association