McCarthy Tétrault is pleased to announce that on March 4, Peter Birkness will join the firm’s Financial Services Group as a partner in Calgary. Mr. Birkness will join the Calgary office’s financial services partners Daniel Sears and Ira Cooper.
With highly respected corporate lending, corporate bond and restructuring expertise, Mr. Birkness’s addition to the Calgary office puts a focus on the needs of the firm’s financial institution and corporate clients and the growing marketplace in that city. His move is also an important part of the firm’s strategic growth of its core practices in western Canada.
“Our clients are increasingly seeking our advice on sophisticated corporate lending and debt transactions,” said Sean Smyth, Regional Managing Partner in Calgary. “I know they will benefit from Peter’s tremendous expertise and experience.”
“Peter has an impressive portfolio, and he is a very strong complement to our team,” said Marc-André Blanchard, Chair and CEO of McCarthy Tétrault. “His strengths offer our clients distinct advantages in their most complex transactions.”
“I am delighted to be adding Peter’s top-level talent to our Calgary bench strength in financial services,” said Daniel Sears, head of the Calgary Financial Services Group. “This will allow us to better serve our clients.”
Mr. Birkness is a leading corporate lending and restructuring lawyer in Canada. He has extensive experience representing lenders and borrowers in complex domestic and international debt financing transactions, including bank credit facilities, debt transactions, reorganizations and M&A financings. He also has significant experience advising debtors, lenders and other stakeholders in major Canadian restructuring matters. Mr. Birkness was named by Chambers Global: The World’s Leading Lawyers for Business and by Best Lawyers in Canada in 2011 as a leading lawyer. He was called to the Ontario bar in 1991, obtained his LLB from the University of Toronto in 1989 and obtained his BA in economics from the University of Western Ontario in 1986.
