François is a partner in the firm’s Business Law Department. He has been nationally recognized as a leading capital markets and U.S/Canada cross-border lawyer in Canada and has been named a “Rising Star” (top 40 under 40) and a “Leading Lawyer to Watch” in the area of Corporate Finance and Securities in Lexpert.
François’ practice covers many areas of corporate and securities law with an emphasis on corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions. He has experience acting for public issuers, financial institutions, investment funds, investment banks as well as industry leaders in a range of sectors including natural resources, real estate and technology. François has been involved in a variety of matters including public offerings and private placements, mergers and acquisitions (both negotiated and unsolicited) and dealer/adviser registration matters.
Francois has acted for the issuer or the underwriters on a large number of recent going-public transactions, including Lightspeed, Alithya, Milestone Pharma and DavidsTea. He also regularly acts for public issuers and other leading institutions on significant M&A or financing transactions, including CAE, Neptune Wellness and Acasti Pharma.
Representative Work
- Neptune Wellness Solutions
Neptune Wellness Solutions in the $5.15M sale of its cannabis business to PurCann Pharma
- Knowlton Development Corporation The Underwriters in connection with the proposed IPO of Knowlton Development Corporation
- Lightspeed Commerce Inc. The Underwriters in Lightspeed Commerce Inc.’s US$823.5 million public offering (including full exercise of the over-allotment option)
- The Legault Group Mondou in its acquisition of Ren’s Pets
- Acasti Pharma Inc. Acasti in its definitive agreement to acquire Grace Therapeutics
- Dialogue Health Technologies Inc. Dialogue in its $100 million IPO
- Xebec Adsorption Inc. Xebec Adsorption Inc. in its bought deal public offering and concurrent private placement of subscription receipts and its acquisition of Green Vision Holding B.V., the parent company of HyGear Technology and Services B.V.
- MindBeacon IPO of MindBeacon Holdings Inc.
- Milestone Pharmaceuticals Inc. Milestone Pharmaceuticals Inc. in its $45 million public offering
- Alithya Group Inc. Alithya in its acquisition of Matricis
- Milestone Pharmaceuticals Inc. Milestone Pharmaceuticals Inc. in its US$82.5 million initial public offering
- Fairstone Financial Inc. Fairstone Financial Inc. in connection with its US$300 million note offering
- Neptune Wellness Solutions Inc. Neptune Wellness Solutions in its proposed acquisition of SugarLeaf for up to US$150 million
- Lightspeed POS The Underwriters in connection with Lightspeed POS’ $276 million IPO
- CAE Inc. CAE Inc. in its acquisition of Bombardier’s Business Aircraft Training (BAT) business for US$645 million
- Acasti Pharma Inc. Acasti Pharma Inc. in connection with its underwritten public offering of units for aggregate gross proceeds of $11.5 million
- Alithya Group Inc. Alithya Group Inc., in its going public transaction by way of a business combination with Edgewater Technology, Inc. and completion of a $52.8 million concurrent private placement
- Acasti Pharma Inc. Acasti Pharma Inc. in its Over-Allotment Option for its Public Offering of Common Shares
- Neptune Technologies & Bioressources Inc. Neptune Technologies & Bioressources Inc. in connection with closing US$34 million transaction with Aker Biomarine Antarctic AS to accelerate business and industry development
- Nobel Real Estate Investment Trust Nobel Real Estate Investment Trust in relation to its combination with Edgefront REIT
- DAVIDsTEA DAVIDsTEA in its initial public offering for aggregate gross proceeds to the company of $64.9 million
- Syndicate of underwriters consisting of UBS Securities LLC, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., BMO Capital Markets Corp., Mitsubishi UFJ Securities (USA), Inc., RBC Capital Markets, LLC, Wells Fargo Securities, LLC and The Williams Capital Group, L.P. in connection with an offering of US$2.5 billion Class B common stock of Molson Coors Brewing Company
- Valeant Pharmaceuticals in its friendly bids to acquire Salix Pharmaceuticals for US$15.8 billion, as well as related equity and debt financings
- CAE Inc. in its $19.8 million acquisition of the shares and assets of the military aviation training business of Bombardier Inc.
- Teralys Capital Innovation Fund in the structuring and formation of a private equity fund of funds focused on investing in the technology and life sciences sectors
- Acasti Pharma Inc. in its US $23 million cross-border public offering of units comprised of common shares and warrants
- SherWeb, a world-leading provider of email and collaboration hosted solutions and a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, in connection with its acquisition of the DNAmail division of DSL Extreme, a privately held retail brand of IKANO Communications, Inc.
- Gaz Métro Limited Partnership in connection with the reorganization of its public ownership structure into a new publicly listed corporation named Valener Inc. which owns an economic interest of approximately 29% in Gaz Métro
- Valener Inc. in connection with its $40.5 million public equity offering.
- Gaz Métro Limited Partnership in connection with numerous public offerings of debt and equity securities, as well as asset divestitures
- CANMARC Real Estate Investment Trust (formerly Homburg Canada Real Estate
- Investment Trust) in connection with its $160 million initial public offering and listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange
- CANMARC Real Estate Investment Trust and Homburg Invest Inc. in connection with numerous public unit offerings
- Homburg Invest Inc. in connection with proposals by its majority shareholder and its restructuring under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act
- Goldman, Sachs & Co., Morgan Stanley, BofA Merrill Lynch, RBC Capital Markets and other initial purchasers in connection with an offering of US$5 billion principal amount of senior notes by CDP Financial Inc., the financing arm of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec
- National Bank Financial, BMO Nesbitt Burns, RBC Capital Markets and the other dealers in connection with an offering of $2 billion principal amount of senior notes by CDP Financial Inc., the financing arm of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec
- CGE Resources Québec 2011 L.P., a flow-through fund investing in mining and resources issuers, in connection with its initial public offering
- An underwriting syndicate in connection with a $75 million public offering of convertible subordinated debentures by Atrium Innovations Inc.
- Sherweb Inc. in connection with its American acquisition of DNAmail, a division of DSL Extreme, a retail brand privately held by IKANO Communications, Inc., and business agreements entered into by Sherweb
-
Neptune Wellness Solutions in the $5.15M sale of its cannabis business to PurCann Pharma
- Dialogue Health Technologies Inc. Dialogue in its $100 million IPO
- Xebec Adsorption Inc. Xebec Adsorption Inc. in its bought deal public offering and concurrent private placement of subscription receipts and its acquisition of Green Vision Holding B.V., the parent company of HyGear Technology and Services B.V.
- MindBeacon IPO of MindBeacon Holdings Inc.
- Milestone Pharmaceuticals Inc. Milestone Pharmaceuticals Inc. in its $45 million public offering
- Alithya Group Inc. Alithya in its acquisition of Matricis
- Milestone Pharmaceuticals Inc. Milestone Pharmaceuticals Inc. in its US$82.5 million initial public offering
- Fairstone Financial Inc. Fairstone Financial Inc. in connection with its US$300 million note offering
- Neptune Wellness Solutions Inc. Neptune Wellness Solutions in its proposed acquisition of SugarLeaf for up to US$150 million
- Lightspeed POS The Underwriters in connection with Lightspeed POS’ $276 million IPO
- CAE Inc. CAE Inc. in its acquisition of Bombardier’s Business Aircraft Training (BAT) business for US$645 million
- Acasti Pharma Inc. Acasti Pharma Inc. in connection with its underwritten public offering of units for aggregate gross proceeds of $11.5 million
- Alithya Group Inc. Alithya Group Inc., in its going public transaction by way of a business combination with Edgewater Technology, Inc. and completion of a $52.8 million concurrent private placement
- Acasti Pharma Inc. Acasti Pharma Inc. in its Over-Allotment Option for its Public Offering of Common Shares
- Neptune Technologies & Bioressources Inc. Neptune Technologies & Bioressources Inc. in connection with closing US$34 million transaction with Aker Biomarine Antarctic AS to accelerate business and industry development
- Nobel Real Estate Investment Trust Nobel Real Estate Investment Trust in relation to its combination with Edgefront REIT
- DAVIDsTEA DAVIDsTEA in its initial public offering for aggregate gross proceeds to the company of $64.9 million
- Syndicate of underwriters consisting of UBS Securities LLC, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., BMO Capital Markets Corp., Mitsubishi UFJ Securities (USA), Inc., RBC Capital Markets, LLC, Wells Fargo Securities, LLC and The Williams Capital Group, L.P. in connection with an offering of US$2.5 billion Class B common stock of Molson Coors Brewing Company
- Valeant Pharmaceuticals in its friendly bids to acquire Salix Pharmaceuticals for US$15.8 billion, as well as related equity and debt financings
- CAE Inc. in its $19.8 million acquisition of the shares and assets of the military aviation training business of Bombardier Inc.
- Teralys Capital Innovation Fund in the structuring and formation of a private equity fund of funds focused on investing in the technology and life sciences sectors
- Acasti Pharma Inc. in its US $23 million cross-border public offering of units comprised of common shares and warrants
- SherWeb, a world-leading provider of email and collaboration hosted solutions and a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, in connection with its acquisition of the DNAmail division of DSL Extreme, a privately held retail brand of IKANO Communications, Inc.
- Gaz Métro Limited Partnership in connection with the reorganization of its public ownership structure into a new publicly listed corporation named Valener Inc. which owns an economic interest of approximately 29% in Gaz Métro
- Valener Inc. in connection with its $40.5 million public equity offering.
- Gaz Métro Limited Partnership in connection with numerous public offerings of debt and equity securities, as well as asset divestitures
- CANMARC Real Estate Investment Trust (formerly Homburg Canada Real Estate
- Investment Trust) in connection with its $160 million initial public offering and listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange
- CANMARC Real Estate Investment Trust and Homburg Invest Inc. in connection with numerous public unit offerings
- Homburg Invest Inc. in connection with proposals by its majority shareholder and its restructuring under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act
- Goldman, Sachs & Co., Morgan Stanley, BofA Merrill Lynch, RBC Capital Markets and other initial purchasers in connection with an offering of US$5 billion principal amount of senior notes by CDP Financial Inc., the financing arm of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec
- National Bank Financial, BMO Nesbitt Burns, RBC Capital Markets and the other dealers in connection with an offering of $2 billion principal amount of senior notes by CDP Financial Inc., the financing arm of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec
- CGE Resources Québec 2011 L.P., a flow-through fund investing in mining and resources issuers, in connection with its initial public offering
- An underwriting syndicate in connection with a $75 million public offering of convertible subordinated debentures by Atrium Innovations Inc.
- Sherweb Inc. in connection with its American acquisition of DNAmail, a division of DSL Extreme, a retail brand privately held by IKANO Communications, Inc., and business agreements entered into by Sherweb
Latest Insights
-
Osler Update Jan 11, 2023
Capital markets activity slows as regulatory changes appear on the horizon
After a frenzied 18-month period for the capital markets in Canada, 2022 saw a rapid about-face in activity levels, with initial public offering...
Read more
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Osler Update Dec 13, 2021
Progressive changes in a historic year for capital markets activity
A number of changes were implemented or proposed to reduce uncertainty, create greater efficiency or harmonize rules or the interpretation of those...
Read more -
Webinar Jan 9, 2021
IPO: What you need to know!
Join our experts to learn more about the elements that must be weighed if your company is considering going public.
Read more -
Osler Update Dec 8, 2020
Reducing the regulatory burden: Positive changes in corporate and securities law
There were a number of significant developments in the corporate and securities landscape in Canada in 2020 arising from regulatory amendments,...
Read more
Awards and Recognition
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Chambers Canada: Canada’s Leading Lawyers for Business: Recognized in Corporate: Commercial (Québec)
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Lexpert Rising Stars: Recognized in Canada’s Leading Lawyers Under 40
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Best Lawyers in Canada: Recognized in Corporate and Commercial Litigation; Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Securities Law
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IFLR 1000: The Guide to the World’s Leading Financial Law Firms: Recognized in Capital Markets: Equity; Capital markets: Debt (Highly Regarded); Canada Lawyer of the Year (Equity Capital Markets) 2021
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Euromoney LMG: Recognized in Americas Rising Star Awards: Best in Capital Markets (Shortlisted)
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The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory: Recognized in Corporate Commercial Law; Corporate Finance & Securities
Media Mentions
-
Osler News Jun 29, 2023
29 Osler lawyers recognized in Lexpert Special Edition: Technology and Health 2023
Congratulations to 29 of our lawyers for their inclusion in the Lexpert Special Edition: Technology and Health 2023.
Read more -
Osler News May 20, 2022
Osler advises on ‘Deal of the Year: Strategic Acquisition’ winner at M&A Awards Gala Québec 2022
Congratulations to Isabelle Lemay of the Legault Group for receiving the “Deal of the Year: Strategic Acquisition” award at the M&A Awards...
Read more -
Osler News May 4, 2022
Osler shortlisted for three ‘Deal of the Year’ M&A Awards 2022
Osler is proud to announce that we have been shortlisted for three “Deal of the Year” awards at the M&A Awards Gala 2022, reflecting our work...
Read more -
Osler News Apr 20, 2022
23 Osler lawyers recognized by Lexpert as leaders in Finance and M&A
Lexpert Special Edition: Finance and M&A 2022 recognizes 23 Osler lawyers.
Read more
Speaking and Writing
Speaking Engagements
Recent Developments in Corporate Governance and Preparation of Your Next Shareholders’ Meeting
Read moreIPO: What you need to know!
Speaker, Thursday, December 9, 2021
Transparency Measures in the Extractive Sector – Trends and Developments
Speaker, April 6, 2016
Recent Developments in Corporate Governance and Preparation of Your Next Shareholders’ Meeting
Speaker, Corporate Governance, Montreal, January 27, 2016
Published Work
Previous speaking engagements
Réaliser une acquisition – Conseils d’experts pour mettre en place une démarche d’acquisition adaptée à vos besoins (in French only)
Speaker, Montreal, October 4, 2018
Publications
- Quoted in Pushing for Plan Nord, Canadian Lawyer, September 2012.
Credentials
Education
- Université de Montréal, LL.B.
Languages
- French
- English
Professional Affiliations
- Barreau du Québec
- Young Bar Association of Montréal
- Canadian Bar Association
