Ava G. Yaskiel

Biography

Ava Yaskiel practises corporate and securities law. She focuses on mergers and acquisitions, related party transactions, corporate governance issues, corporate finance and advisory mandates for both issuers and investment bankers.

Within mergers and acquisitions, Ms. Yaskiel advises issuers on both the buy-side and sell-side. Her experience incorporates both domestic and cross-border issues in take-over bids and structured transactions such as mergers and plans of arrangement. Within corporate finance, she participates in a variety of transactions for both underwriters and issuers, including private placements, IPOs and ongoing capital funding. Ms. Yaskiel's corporate governance experience encompasses advising issuers and boards on governance matters and acting for special and independent committees in acquisition, change of control and related party transactions.

Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Yaskiel spent over five years with the Ontario Securities Commission, holding a variety of positions including Senior Legal Counsel in the Office of the General Counsel, where she focused on mergers and acquisitions, related party transactions and related policy matters.

Ms. Yaskiel is a frequent speaker at securities law related conferences. She is a past member of the Securities Advisory Committee to the Ontario Securities Commission.

Ms. Yaskiel previously held the position of Co-Managing Partner of our Toronto office.

Year of Call

• Ontario Bar 1988

Law School

• LL.M., Cambridge University, 1989
• LL.B., Osgoode Hall - York University, 1986

Selected Client Work

Ms. Yaskiel has acted recently for the following clients:

• The Special Committee of CanWest Global Communications Corp. in relation to its restructuring
• Warner Chilcott plc (as Canadian counsel) in its acquisition and financing of Procter & Gamble's worldwide pharmaceuticals business for US$3.1 billion
• Alcan Inc. (as the leader of one of two negotiating teams) in its sale to Rio Tinto plc, the largest takeover bid in Canadian history
• Isadore Sharp, the controlling shareholder, leading negotiations for the sale/privatization of Four Seasons Inc.
• Cerberus LLP in the auction for BCE Inc.
• Bowater Incorporated in its merger with Abitibi-Consolidated Inc.
• A potential purchaser in an auction for Van Houtte Inc.
• Wajax Inc. in its conversion to Wajax Income Fund and in the related IPO
• The underwriters in the Sir Royalty Income Fund IPO
• Bergson Holdings NV (as Canadian counsel) in its takeover bid for Hunter Douglas NV
• The Special Committee of Rogers Wireless in the going-private transaction by Rogers Communications Inc.
• The Special Committee of Sodisco-Howden Group in the takeover bid for Sodisco-Howden by Canwel Building Materials Ltd.
• The Special Committee of EMJ Data Systems in the takeover bid by Synnex Canada Ltd. 

Publications

• "To Whom are Directors' Fiduciary Duties Owed?", Passport to Business, Ogilvy Renault, Spring 2009.
• "Canadian Take-over Bid Regulation" in the CCH Securities Law Reporter.
  

Media Highlights

• "More Carrot Than Stick," Globe and Mail, March 11, 2010.
• "Art Of No Deal: Defeating Hostile Take-overs," Lexpert, September 14, 2009.

Memberships and Activities

• Institute of Corporate Directors - ICD.D