Maureen Gillis is a partner in McCarthy Tétrault’s Business Law Group. Her practice covers a range of corporate and commercial areas, including corporate finance, cross-border and domestic mergers and acquisitions, securities, private equity, technology, fintech and energy projects. Based in McCarthy Tétrault’s Vancouver office and New York office, where she advises clients in both Canada and the United States regarding Canadian and cross-border legal matters. Maureen is a member of the Private Equity, Energy, Technology, Fintech and Cybersecurity, Privacy and Data Management Groups at McCarthy Tétrault.
Prior to attending law school, Maureen worked in the technology industry for more than ten years, working with companies ranging from small start-ups to large international enterprise software firms.
Representative transactions and experience include:
- Advising two Canadian private equity funds with respect to fund formation and acquisition matters
- Acting as Canadian counsel to a U.S.–based private equity fund with respect to two Canadian acquisitions in the produce industry
- Advising the owners of a British Columbia tech company on its sale to a Canadian private equity fund
- Acting for a Canadian private company with respect to its sale of a manufacturing business to a U.S. private equity fund
- Acting for a Canadian video game company with respect to its acquisition of an artificial intelligence technology company
- Representing a Vancouver-based fintech company in its seed and Series A financing rounds and commercial agreements with U.S. banks
- Advising a member of the successful bidder team in connection with the US$4 billion LaGuardia Airport Central Terminal Building Replacement Project
- Advising a company in connection with the negotiation and implementation of a transportation-related innovation joint venture
- Advising a Canadian supply-chain transportation and logistics company in its acquisition of a cross-border transportation business and the sale of its interest in a Canadian partnership
- Acting for a foreign bank in association with its financing of a 15 MW wind power project in British Columbia
- Advising the seller of a British Columbia district energy system
- Acting for a Canadian infrastructure investment fund in its acquisition of a 50% interest in a group of district energy systems
- Advising a Canadian asset management firm with respect to its acquisition of British Columbia wind energy projects
- Acting for the acquirer of a hydroelectric power facility on Vancouver Island, British Columbia
- Representing a Canadian infrastructure investment fund in its acquisition of a majority interest in two hydroelectric power projects in Southwestern British Columbia
- Acting for a Canadian infrastructure investment fund in its restructuring of a British Columbia hydroelectric project
- Representing a Canadian infrastructure investment fund in its bids for various energy infrastructure assets
- Advising a public British Columbia–based company with respect to a going-private transaction
- Advising a Canadian asset management firm regarding investments in solar energy projects
- Acting for private and public issuers and underwriters in connection with debt and equity offerings in the transportation, automobile dealership and forestry industries
- Acting for the agents in association with an offering by a credit union of subordinated notes by way of private placement
- Advising a Canadian public company on its sale of a medical cannabis business
- Acting for a U.K. food and agriculture investment group with respect to its financing of British Columbia sustainable feed and eco-friendly fertilizer companies
- Advising a Canadian media company regarding the acquisition of a U.S. media and technology business division
- Advising a social media technology company on its terms of use, privacy policy and other matters
- Acting for the seller in respect of the sale of 50% of Boston Pizza International Inc. and the purchase of interests in Mr. Lube Canada and other businesses
- Acting for Carmanah Technologies Corporation with respect to its acquisition of the Sabik Group of Companies (Finland, Germany, U.K. and Singapore), Information Display Company (U.S.) and Vega Industries Limited (New Zealand and U.S.)
Maureen holds Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctor degrees from the University of British Columbia and a Master of Publishing degree from Simon Fraser University. While attending UBC, Maureen was Editor-in-Chief of the UBC Law Review and was the recipient of a research fellowship and awards for achievement in corporate transactions and securities regulation courses, among others.
Maureen is a member of the Canadian Bar Association, Vancouver Bar Association and the Law Society of British Columbia.