On July 10, 2015, Newmarket Gold Inc. (Newmarket) and Crocodile Gold Corp. (Crocodile Gold) combined by way of a court approved plan of arrangement under the Business Corporations Act (Ontario), creating a new gold industry consolidator solidly positioned to acquire high quality gold assets in the world’s most desirable mining jurisdictions. The combined entity has been named Newmarket Gold Inc. and its common shares are trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the new symbol “NMI”. The transaction is valued at approximately $185 million.
Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP acted as counsel for Newmarket with a team that included Cameron Mingay, Jay King, Alex Pizale, Carolyn Stroz and Kyle Simpson (securities), Chris Hersh (competition), Lara Jackson (litigation) and Matthew Peters (tax). Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg LLP acted as US counsel for Newmarket with a team that included John Koenigsknecht, Beth Rosner and Jeffrey Shamberg. Herbert Smith Freehills LLP acted as Australian counsel for Newmarket with a team that included Phillippa Stone, Robert de Boer, Patrick Lowden, Rob Finlay, Ben Robinson and Jennifer Wu.
Bennett Jones LLP acted as counsel for Crocodile Gold with a team led by Conrad Druzeta and including Sander Grieve, Russel Drew, Tiffany Canzano and Daniel Masliyah (corporate/M&A), Alan Gardner and Joseph Blinick (litigation), Alan Rautenberg, Claire Kennedy and Wesley Novotny (tax) and Carl Cunningham (employment). Dorsey & Whitney LLP acted as US counsel for Crocodile Gold with a team that included Richard Raymer and Daniel Nauth (securities), and John Hollinrake and Kendall Fisher (tax). Allens acted as Australian counsel for Crocodile Gold with a team that included Gadi Bloch, Jodi Reinmuth and Miranda Hicks.
Wildeboer Dellelce LLP acted as counsel to GMP Securities L.P. in connection with its role as financial advisor to Newmarket Gold Inc. with a team that included Robert Fonn and Jeff Hergott, as well as underwriters’ counsel in connection with a related $25 million subscription receipt financing with a team that included Robert Fonn, Jeff Hergott, Mack Hosseinian, Jamie Bregman and Carlye Bellavia.