David Woollcombe is a partner in our Business Law Group. He is a former national practice group leader of our Business Law Group and a former co-head of our mergers and acquisitions team.

David’s practice is focused on corporate law matters, particularly mergers and acquisitions and capital markets transactions. He advises Canadian and international businesses and private equity firms on domestic and cross border M&A, reorganization transactions and complex commercial matters. He counsels strategic and financial buyers, sellers, boards and special committees on their most important transactions. In addition, David advises issuers, investors and investment dealers on securities offerings, including equity and debt transactions by prospectus or private placement. He also regularly advises clients on continuous disclosure and corporate governance matters and has assisted clients in structuring joint ventures and related shareholders agreements.

David is recognized as a leading practitioner by clients and peers, including in Chambers Canada, the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, Lexpert Guide to US/Canada Cross-Border Lawyers in Canada, The Legal 500 – Canada, International Who’s Who Legal Guide, The Lexpert/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada, Best Lawyers in Canada, and International Financial Law Review. 

David received his BA from Carleton University in 1986 and his LLB from Queen’s University in 1989 and was called to the Ontario bar in 1991. He spent part of 1995 on secondment to the Corporate Finance Branch of the Ontario Securities Commission. He has taught courses on directors’ duties at the Directors College (DeGroote School of Business) and regularly teaches a seminar for the advanced securities law programs at the University of Western Ontario and University of Windsor. He is a member of the board of directors of the Canadian Cancer Society and, until its amalgamation with CCS, was a Director and Vice Chair of Prostate Cancer Canada.

In addition to his practice, David is the Firm’s General Counsel, with responsibility for the firm’s legal affairs and risk management, including conflicts and compliance matters.

SELECT EXPERIENCE:

• Wells Fargo on the sale of its direct leasing business to TD Bank
• Deloitte Canada on the sale of a subset of its small enterprise business to MNP
• Centrica on the sale of Direct Energy to NRG
• Cineworld Group plc on its proposed acquisition of Cineplex Inc. (transaction terminated by Cineworld)
• Metso Corporation on its acquisition of McCloskey International
• CIBC on its credit card loyalty program with Air Canada and participation in the consortium for the purchase of Aimia Canada
• The Special Committee of Loblaw Companies in connection with the spin-out of its interest in Choice Properties REIT
• NextEra on the sale of a portfolio of renewable energy assets to CPPIB
• Oaktree Capital Management on its acquisition of NAPEC
• The underwriters on a $1 billion senior note offering by Shaw Communications
• Wood Group plc on the sale of its nuclear Americas business to Kinectrics
• The Special Committee of Equity Financial Holdings in connection with a take private by Smoothwater
• Vaco and its financial sponsor Quad C Management on the purchase of Lannick
• NVIDIA in connection with its investment in Element AI
• CBC in connection with a take private of Sirius XM Canada by Sirius XM
• The founder of Aritzia in connection with its $460m initial public offering.
• FRHI Holdings (Fairmont, Raffles and Swissôtel) on its sale to AccorHotels
• Cara Holdings on a $104m secondary offering of Cara Operations
• Bambora Group on its acquisition of Beanstream from Digital River
• NVIDIA on its acquisition of TransGaming’s graphics and portability business
• Cara Holdings on the $200m initial public offering of Cara Operations
• Direct Energy on the sale of its Ontario home services business to EnerCare
• Bouygues Energies and Services in connection with its acquisition of Plan Group
• The underwriters on a $2.26 billion subscription receipts offering by Manulife
• Mattel on its acquisition of Mega Brands
• CIBC on the renewal of its affinity relationship with Aimia and the sale of approximately 50% of its Aeroplan credit card portfolio to TD Bank
• Cara Holdings on its strategic financial partnership with Fairfax and the acquisition by Cara Operations of Prime Restaurants
• JH Investments on its acquisition (with TPG and Oaktree) of Taylor Morrison and Monarch Homes
• Score Media on its sale to Rogers Media and related spin-off
• CIBC on its acquisition of an approximately $2 billion credit card portfolio from Citigroup's Canadian MasterCard business
• Integrated Device Technology on its acquisition of Tundra Semiconductor
• Advanced Micro Devices on its acquisition of ATI Technologies