181 Bay St, Suite 4400, Brookfield Pl, Bay Wellington Twr, Toronto, ON
Year called to bar: 1989 (ON)
John Clifford’s practice is focused on M&A transactions, complex commercial matters and reorganizations, and competition law matters. He has extensive experience advising a diverse range of PE and other clients on domestic and cross-border deals across many industries. Recognized internationally for his M&A and competition law experience, Who's Who Legal identifies him as one of the top M&A lawyers in Canada and states that he is "top notch by all accounts," "very client focused," and "always delivers." He is a long-time member of the ABA M&A committee. He was inaugural chairman of a working group of Canadian M&A deal lawyers that studies and develops reports for the ABA's M&A committee on trends in deal terms used in Canadian private company acquisitions, and was chairman of that working group for seven years. Currently, he is co-chairman of a task force that is updating the ABA's model asset purchase agreement. Over a five-year period, he was named to the prestigious global list of OUTstanding Leading 100 LGBT+ Executives, in recognition of his business achievements and impact on LGBT inclusion within McMillan and externally. Previously he received a Lexpert Zenith Award and an Out On Bay Street “Leaders To Be Proud Of” Award.
On July 23, 2019, Compass Datacenters, LLC (“Compass”) announced that it completed its acquisition of ROOT Data Center (“ROOT”), a Canadian wholesale data centre provider, by way of share purchase.
On September 24, 2018, DCC Technology Ltd. acquired the JAM Group of Companies comprised of JAM Industries Ltd., JAM International Ltd. and their subsidiaries (“JAM”), North America’s largest value-added distributor of musical instruments, professional audio and consumer electronics products, for an initial enterprise value of US$170 million.
On June 28, 2018, SNC-Lavalin’s infrastructure investment fund, SNC-Lavalin Infrastructure Partners LP (the Fund), completed the previously announced transfer of a fifth Canadian infrastructure asset, the McGill University Health Centre in Montréal.
On March 20, 2018, investment funds managed by Morgan Stanley Energy Partners (collectively, MSEP) completed an investment in Specialized Desanders Inc. (SDI), an oilfield equipment and services company.
On September 28, 2017, a new infrastructure investment fund formed by SNC-Lavalin Inc., SNC-Lavalin Infrastructure Partners LP (the Fund), completed its initial closing involving the sale and issuance to a subsidiary of BBGI SICAV S.A. of 80 per cent of the Fund’s limited partnership units, while SNC-Lavalin retained the remaining 20 per cent of the limited partnership units and will also act as the general partner and manager of the Fund. The aggregate proceeds for all transactions, including the initial closing, amount to approximately $189 million.
On June 22, 2015, Israel Chemicals Ltd. (ICL), through an indirect wholly owned subsidiary, acquired all of the common shares of Allana Potash Corp. (Allana) (a company that focuses on the acquisition and development of potash assets with its principal asset being the Danakhil potash project in Ethiopia) it did not own. The transaction was valued approximately $164 million and was completed, pursuant to a court approved plan of arrangement under the <i>Business Corporations Act</i> (Ontario), for cash and securities of ICL.
On April 1, 2015, Adecco Group acquired Knightsbridge Human Capital Solutions for an enterprise value of $80 million. Adecco Group, which is the world’s leading provider of human resources solutions, will combine Knightsbridge with its subsidiary Lee Hecht Harrison.
