Structuring Financing Deals That Work: Choose, Shape, and Close with Confidence

The CBA is a professional organization that provides educational and networking opportunities for lawyers. Representing more than 36,000 lawyers, judges, notaries, law teachers, and law students from across Canada, the CBA is committed to enhancing the professional and commercial interests of a diverse membership and to protecting the independence of the judiciary and the Bar.

Michelle Boodhoo maintains a broad corporate finance practice with extensive experience advising on bilateral and syndicated lending transactions, acquisition financing, real estate finance and asset-based lending. As part of her practice, Michelle represents a diverse range of clients, including Canadian and international financial institutions, private equity firms, and domestic and multinational corporations. She routinely advises on complex domestic, cross-border, and multi-jurisdictional financings, bringing a strategic and solutions-oriented approach to every matter. She has advised on transactions ranging in value from $5 million to over $1 billion across various sectors, including real estate, automotive, financial services, infrastructure, manufacturing, and retail. Michelle is recognized in the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory and Best Lawyers in Canada as a leading lawyer in banking and finance law and asset-based lending.

Leading Gowling WLG’s Structured Finance and Securitization Group, Toronto-based partner Jason Kroft brings over 25 years of experience in corporate law to provide practical, timely and effective counsel to both domestic and international clients. Focusing his practice on structured and specialized finance, Jason helps a diverse client base – including banks, investment and pension funds, governments, and high-net-worth individuals – navigate an array of unique and complex transactions, including in the context of the following areas: · Public and private asset securitizations · Investment funds such as social finance and social enterprise funds and private debt funds · Derivatives products and instruments · Alternative and specialized finance transactions for originators and borrowers, banks and other lenders, financial intermediaries, trustees and agents, liquidity providers, debt rating agencies, governments and crown agencies · Energy, commodity and mining products and transactions · Banking and secured finance, including project finance and private debt funds Jason has consistently been recognized among the country’s leading derivatives and financial products lawyers by the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory and The Best Lawyers in Canada™, where he was named the 2024 “Lawyer of the Year” in Toronto for Derivatives Law

Rhonda Parhar is a senior associate in the Corporate Group. Her practice focuses on advising a broad range of corporate clients in relation to private equity, mergers and acquisitions, securities and corporate governance matters. Rhonda has acted for publicly listed and private companies, and global, Canadian and US private equity and investment funds. She has particular expertise in public and private mergers and acquisitions, public offerings, and debt and equity financings. Rhonda also regularly advises public entities with respect to corporate governance and compliance matters. Rhonda is a member of the Law Society of Alberta and the Canadian and Calgary Bar Associations.

Richard Sarabando advises clients across a broad range of commercial law matters, with a focus on complex financing transactions. His work spans banking, corporate lending, acquisition finance, infrastructure and project finance, mezzanine and structured finance, asset-based lending, and real estate finance. He is experienced in structuring and negotiating senior and subordinated, secured and unsecured, bilateral and syndicated credit facilities, including those involving cross-border jurisdictions. Richard’s practice involves supporting clients and advising on the acquisition and development of commercial real estate, business purchases through share and asset transactions, and the restructuring of major loan arrangements. He works closely with financial institutions, institutional lenders, and borrowers to navigate the legal and strategic aspects of financing deals. His recent engagements involve industry-specific financing, including transactions in forestry, marine ports, real estate development, care home operations, manufacturing, and knowledge-based sectors. He also has experience with tax-driven film financing structures. Richard’s focus is managing complex deal dynamics, coordinating multi-party negotiations, and delivering practical, commercially focused legal solutions.

Kristen is partner in the firm and has practiced law at Taylor McCaffrey LLP since her call to the Bar in 1996 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Her primary area of practice is corporate & commercial law, where she has had the opportunity to represent corporations, cooperatives and partnerships in their business endeavors, from structuring start-ups to crafting by-laws, assistance with general commercial contract matters, obtaining financing from traditional financial institutions, drafting shareholder and member agreements, and assisting with fundraising. She has represented clients in pursuit of matters with both the Manitoba Securities Commission and the Cooperatives Regulator and has provided general assistance to the Manitoba Cooperatives Association in lobbying for changes to applicable legislation. She has assisted new generation cooperatives in assembling business plans and prepared them for equity drives. She also represents more traditional cooperatives and multi-stakeholder co-ops, and has assisted in drafting by-laws and articles of incorporation for every type of co-op, both provincially and federally. Kristen provides general legal advice to cooperatives in a variety of industries, including agriculture, housing, insurance, retail, and oil and gas, to name a few. Kristen has assisted cooperatives and credit unions in addressing multi-jurisdictional issues. Kristen currently sits on the Board of Directors of Red River Co-op, a retail fuel and food co-op serving over 300,000 members located in Winnipeg and the surrounding region. Kristen also serves as Chair on the Canadian Cooperative Investment Fund (CCIF), a fund established by Cooperatives across Canada to provide loan and equity funding to cooperatives.