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Specializing in financial services, James effectively advises clients and institutions to solve their most complex issues.

James-Scott Lee is a partner in our Business Law Group in Calgary. His practice focuses on banking and secured lending across several industries including private equity, diversified, real estate, cannabis, oil and gas and alternative energy industries.

James-Scott acts for Canadian and international banks, financial institutions, non-bank lenders and borrowers in connection with lending transactions, including bilateral and syndicated financings, senior/mezzanine and first lien/second lien financings, subscription/capital call facilities, reserve-based and asset-based loans, project finance, acquisition financings, and multi-jurisdictional and cross-border transactions. Clients appreciate James’ commercial approach and his ability to bring difficult transactions to an efficient conclusion.

His recent transactions include:

• Acted on behalf of ATB Financial in its syndicated loan to a special purpose entity owned by OPTrust and the Indigenous Communities Syndicate LP (ICS), a consortium owned by the Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation, Enoch Cree Nation, Kehewin Cree Nation, O'Chiese First Nation, Paul First Nation and Whitefish Lake First Nation. The loan enabled the six First Nations to purchase an ownership interest in the $1.5 Billion Cascade Power Project, which when constructed will be a 900MW combined cycle natural gas fired power plant located near Edson, AB. This loan was guaranteed by the Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corp. This deal has been recognized as Project Finance International's Canadian Power Deal of the Year award for 2020 and IJGlobal Awards’ 2020 North America Power Deal of the Year.
• Acted on behalf of The Toronto Dominion Bank, as arranger, and ATB Financial, as lender, in its loan to a special purpose entity, Astisiy Limited Partnership, owned by a consortium of three First Nations and five Métis Communities: Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation, Chipewyan Prairie First Nation, Fort McMurray First Nation, Fort Chipewyan Metis Local 125, Fort McKay Metis Nation, Fort McMurray Local Council 1935, Willow Lake Metis Nation and Conklin Metis Local 193. This loan enabled the First Nations and Métis Communities to purchase a 15% stake in the Northern Courier Pipeline System, a critical piece of energy infrastructure which transports bitumen and diluent products 90 kms between the Fort Hills Mine and Bitumen Extraction Facility (Fort Hills) to Suncor"s East Tank Farm, north of Fort McMurray. The loan was guaranteed by Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation in the amount of $40 million.
• Acted on behalf of ATB Financial in its syndicated loan to Maxim Power Corp. for the purpose of constructing its core asset, the 204 MW H.R. Milner Plant (“M2”) in Grande Cache, AB is a state-of-the-art natural gas-fired power plant that commissioned in Q2, 2020. M2 is the largest simple cycle natural gas-fired power plant in Alberta.
• Acted on behalf of ATB Financial in its syndicated loan to a special purpose entity owned by OPTrust and the Indigenous Communities Syndicate LP (ICS), a consortium owned by the Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation, Enoch Cree Nation, Kehewin Cree Nation, O'Chiese First Nation, Paul First Nationand Whitefish Lake First Nation. The loan was guaranteed by the first guarantee made by Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation in the amount of $93 million. 
• Acted on behalf of JPMorgan Chase in its syndicated loan to WeCommerce Holdings Ltd. used for the purposes of acquiring Stamped.io, a Singapore tech company. The credit facilities comprised of: (i) a senior revolving credit facility in an aggregate principal amount of US$20 million, (ii) a senior term loan facility in an aggregate principal amount of US$40 million; and (iii) a senior delayed draw term loan facility in an aggregate principal amount of US$20 million.
• Acted on behalf of Sundial Growers Inc. in a significant debt restructuring transaction which included:
  • amending its first lien $79.3 million syndicated credit agreement;
  • converting its second lien $73.2 million of term debt and interest into convertible notes;
  • issuing US$18.0 million in subordinated convertible notes;
  • closing the $90 sale of the Bridge Farm Group; and
  • cancelling all previously issued shares and potential obligations under the original Bridge Farm acquisition agreement
• Alberta counsel to a private oil and gas company in respect of its syndicated credit facilities in the amount of C$900 million led by Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce.
• Counsel to Legacy Oil + Gas Inc. in respect of its syndicated credit facilities in the amount of C$725 million led by Bank of Montreal.
• Counsel to Surge Energy Inc. in respect of its syndicated credit facilities in the amount of C$250 million led by National Bank of Canada.
• Counsel to Storm Resources Ltd. in respect of its syndicated credit facilities in the amount of C$140 million led by Alberta Treasury Branches.
• Counsel to Arsenal Energy Inc. in respect of its syndicated credit facilities in the amount of C$75 million led by Alberta Treasury Branches.
• Counsel to Precision Drilling Corporation in respect of its bilateral L/C facility with HSBC Bank Canada in the amount of US$40 million.
• Counsel to LGX Oil + Gas Inc. in respect of its credit facilities in the amount of C$30 million by Alberta Treasury Branches.
• Counsel to a sponsor on their C$75 million project construction credit facility for the construction of a 46 MW wind energy facility in Alberta.
• Alberta counsel to Bank of Nova Scotia, as agent, in respect of syndicated credit facilities made available to Gran Tierra Energy Inc. in the amount of US$500 million.
• Counsel to a Schedule I Bank in respect of its C$300 million bilateral L/C facility loan to an energy company.
• Counsel to a Schedule I Bank in respect of its credit facilities in the aggregate amount of C$215 million for the development, construction and commissioning of 4 solar projects under the FIT Program in Ontario totaling 38.5 MW.

James-Scott is a member of the Calgary Bar Association, Canadian Bar Association, the Law Society of Alberta and the Law Society of British Columbia. He received his Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of British Columbia and his JD from the University of Victoria.