REITs REITs

A market leader in corporate finance and securities, M&A and real estate, and the acknowledged Canadian legal powerhouse in tax, Osler has advised on some of the largest and most complex REIT transactions in Canadian history.

We have acted for issuers and underwriters in over 100 public offerings by REITs, including IPOs and follow-on offerings involving units, subscription receipts, convertible debt, unsecured fixed and floating rate debt issues.

Lawyers in our multi-disciplinary group advise REIT clients in the following areas:

• all aspects of real estate, including acquisitions, dispositions, financing and leasing of their various assets
• equity, convertible debt and straight debt offerings (acting for issuers and underwriters), including IPOs
• tax structuring strategies specific to REITs and other real estate investors, such as pension plans and private equity funds
• borrowing arrangements on behalf of REITs and lenders (mortgage, mortgage bond, bank and capital markets)
• legal and risk requirements for boards and special committees on a wide range of issues, including securities class action litigation, mergers, governance, activism and compensation
• issues affecting different asset types: retail, office, industrial, hotel/resort, healthcare and multi-residential
• regulatory compliance and crisis management capacity on considerations affecting REITs and other public issuers, such as addressing securities commission inquiries