SMED Hostile Takeover Financing

James A. Riley and Michael D. Matheson of Ogilvy Renault are currently representing the Royal Bank of Canada and The Toronto Dominion Bank in connection with the tender-offer financing being provided to Office Specialty Inc. in connection with its hostile take-over bid for SMED International Inc. Bruce C. Bell of Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP is representing OSI in connection with the financing aspect of the take-over bid and William Ainley of Davies, Ward & Beck is representing OSI in connection with all securities law aspects of the take-over bid. SMED has recently implemented a shareholders’ rights plan in response to the bid and OSI is seeking the waiver of such plan before the Ontario Securities Commission. The cash portion of the bid is estimated to be Cdn.$168 million. SMED is represented by Bennett Jones. The Bennett Jones team is led by William Rice and is comprised of Martin Lambert, John MacNeil, John Kousinioris and Chip Johnston (securities), Rolly Laing, Robyn Bell (litigation), Jim D’Andrea (employment), and Tim Kerrigan (commercial matters).