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Colleen Keyes

Partner

Queen’s Marque
600-1741 Lower Water Street
Halifax, N.S.
B3J 0J2

+1.902.444.1716

+1.902.420.1417

ckeyes@stewartmckelvey.com

Language(s) spoken: English

Bar Admission(s): Nova Scotia, 1994

Legal Assistant(s): Kaeleigh Leeson

Providing legal services through a professional corporation.

Colleen represents private companies, reporting issuers, publicly-traded companies listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and the TSX Venture Exchange, and underwriters on a wide variety of corporate finance, corporate commercial and securities law matters, including public offerings, private placements, debt financings, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and restructuring transactions. She also advises clients on regulatory compliance and corporate governance best practices. She has acted for government agencies in connection with large P3/infrastructure and financing projects and has extensive experience in policy and regulatory matters in the Canadian gaming industry. Colleen representative work includes:

  • Acting for the special committee of the board of directors of Clearwater Seafoods Incorporated in the acquisition of Clearwater Seafoods Incorporated by Premium Brands Holdings Corporation and a coalition of Mi’kmaq First Nations in a transaction valued at approximately $1.0 billion, including debt.
  • Bought deal prospectus offerings of common shares, convertible subordinated debentures and other securities by publicly-traded companies in the seafood, manufacturing and mining sectors;
  • Brokered and non-brokered private placements of securities;
  • Reorganizations of publicly-traded income funds in the seafood, hospitality and real estate sectors, as well as an agricultural cooperative, through court-approved statutory plans of arrangement;
  • Asset spin-out transactions through triangular amalgamations and reverse take-overs in the mining sector;
  • Going private transactions involving significant divestitures of assets, court-approved statutory plans of arrangement and squeeze-out amalgamations in the seafood and renewable energy sectors;
  • Initial listing applications on the TSX and TSX-V and inter-tier graduations;
  • Take-over bids, substantial issuer bids and normal course issuer bids;
  • Initial public offerings and qualifying transactions under the Capital Pool Company program of the TSX-V; and
  • The negotiation and drafting of a series of agreements related to the design, construction, equipment and commissioning as well as the operation and maintenance of large infrastructure projects, including in connection with Nova Scotia’s casinos and a number of municipal wastewater collection systems and treatment plants.

Education & Career

Education

Osgoode Hall Law School, Osgoode Certificate in Mining Law, 2013
Dalhousie University, LLB, 1993
Dalhousie University, BA (with distinction), 1990

Activities

Member, Canadian Bar Association
Member, Board of Directors, Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation
Co-Chair, Phoenix Holiday Luncheon Organizing Committee
Past Chair, Nova Scotia Securities Law subsection, Canadian Bar Association
Past Chair, Board of Governors, Mount Saint Vincent University
Past Chair, Executive Committee, Nominating, Joint Board/Senate Liaison and Senior Administrators’ Compensation Committees, Mount Saint Vincent University
Past Member, Advancement and External Relations, By-laws Committee, Campus Planning Committee, Finance Committee, Human Resources and Governance Committee and Investment Committee, Mount Saint Vincent University

Accolades

Best Lawyers 2022, 2023 Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law “Lawyer of the Year” in Halifax
Best Lawyers 2017, 2018, 2020 & 2023 Mergers and Acquisitions “Lawyer of the Year” in Halifax
Best Lawyers: Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, 2015 – 2024
Best Lawyers: Mergers and Acquisitions Law, 2012 – 2024
Best Lawyers: Project Finance Law, 2015 – 2024
Best Lawyers: Structured Finance Law, 2016 – 2024
Lexpert® Rising Star: Leading Lawyer Under 40, 2007
Lexpert rating: Corporate Commercial Law, 2021 – 2024
Lexpert rating: Mergers and Acquisitions,  2013 – 2024
Lexpert rating: Mining, 2014 – 2021, 2024
Lexpert rating: Corporate Finance & Securities, 2010 – 2024
Lexpert rating: Project Finance, 2024
Lexpert rating: Private Equity. 2010 – 2017, 2022-2023
Lexpert rating: Infrastructure, 2016

Presentations

Co-presenter, “What if they Revolt? Managing Difficult Shareholder and Member Meetings”, Maritime and Newfoundland and Labrador Chapters of the Institute of Corporate Directors

September 21, 2021

 
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