Vancouver, B.C., MARCH 7, 2022 — Cozen O’Connor continues to grow the firm’s international presence with the strategic addition of a nationally recognized Capital Markets/Securities group comprising five highly regarded attorneys to its Vancouver office. Rory Godinho, Kathy Tang, Lucy Schilling, Brian Fast, and Iain Mingo have joined Cozen O’Connor from a major national Canadian law firm. These new additions follow Cozen O’Connor’s hiring in 2021 of five attorneys from Canadian law firm Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP. The addition of this group coincides with Cozen O’Connor’s launch of its new Vancouver office located at Bentall 5, 550 Burrard Street in the heart of downtown Vancouver.
“We have seen a dramatic increase in cross-border transactional activities, and the opportunity to bring this team on board reinforces our commitment to establishing a strong international presence,” said Michael J. Heller, Cozen O’Connor’s Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “The additions to the Cozen O’Connor team in Canada in 2021 have helped our clients significantly. With the addition of this extremely strong Capital Markets/Securities group with extensive experience in venture capital, cross-border public listings, corporate finance, regulatory compliance, and mergers and acquisitions, we are very confident in our ability to provide enhanced support for our clients.”
“Cross-border merger and acquisition transactions have become more prevalent in our global economy. In addition, in the past few years, Cozen O’Connor has grown its securities and capital markets practice significantly, and we intend to continue doing so with a focus on North America,” said Larry P. Laubach, co-chair of Cozen O’Connor’s Corporate Practice Group. “Many growing Canadian companies list on U.S. stock exchanges to access U.S. capital markets and provide liquidity. Conversely, Canadian stock exchanges provide an enticing avenue for U.S. companies that seek an alternative to traditional U.S. venture capital and are at too early a stage to list on major U.S. exchanges. The opportunity for Cozen O’Connor to bolster our practice in these areas on an international level and streamline those processes with a team that is well regarded and recognized throughout Canada is a rare opportunity. I am pleased to welcome them to the Cozen O’Connor Corporate Practice and anticipate a very close working relationship as the level of cross-border transactional and capital markets activity increases.”
Rory Godinho joins as a shareholder and is the former managing partner of a major national Canadian law firm’s Vancouver office as well as the former co-chair of its national Capital Markets/Securities group. He brings an extensive background in advising corporate clients on a broad range of matters such as initial public offerings, public and private equity and debt financings, mergers and acquisitions, reverse takeovers, qualifying transactions, corporate restructurings and reorganizations, capital alterations, and continuous disclosure requirements. He has a strong background in Canadian securities regulation gained from his practice and prior roles as a long-standing member and ultimately immediate past chair of the TSX Venture Exchange’s National Advisory Committee. He has also served as a director on the inaugural board of the Capital Markets Authority Implementation Organization (CMAIO), to which he was appointed by the Council of Ministers responsible for capital markets regulation from British Columbia, Ontario, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Yukon, and the Minister of Finance of Canada. CMAIO was tasked to create and evolve into a single regulator administering the proposed uniform provincial-territorial Canadian Capital Markets Act and complementary Capital Markets Stability Act. He has a keen interest in modernizing securities regulation and has represented the interests of many British Columbia based independent investment dealers and listed issuers in seeking regulatory reform. Godinho has lectured on securities law topics for the Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia.
“In my career, I have had the privilege of being involved in almost all facets of the Capital Markets sector. The opportunity to work with the resources that Cozen O’Connor brings its corporate clients is truly a unique opportunity, especially for the increasing number of our clients that require a ‘one stop shop’ for their cross-border businesses,” said Godinho.
Kathy Tang joins as a shareholder and brings extensive transactional experience in securities, corporate finance, and corporate/commercial law. She has assisted corporate clients with initial public offerings, private placements, stock exchange listing applications, reverse takeovers, corporate restructurings, and ongoing public company compliance. She is also a member of the TSX Venture Exchange’s Local Advisory Committee for Vancouver. Tang is a frequent speaker for the Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia and serves as an instructor for Simon Fraser University’s Continuing Studies Course “Public Companies: Financing, Governance, and Compliance.”
“Many Canadian companies seek U.S. counsel to access capital and U.S. investors, and list with the U.S. stock exchanges,” said Tang. “By joining Cozen O’Connor, our clients now have access to lawyers in major U.S. cities including New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia.”
Brian Fast joins as a shareholder and has an extensive practice advising public and private companies in the development and growth of their businesses, negotiating and completing debt and equity financing, and general commercial transactions. His core focus has been on corporate/commercial law, emphasizing securities and corporate finance. Brian is a trusted adviser to his clients in all corporate matters, including initial public offering and other listing transactions, mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructurings and reorganizations, and corporate governance and disclosure.
“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to join Cozen O’Connor. Being part of an established group that’s now able to leverage the depth of resources that Cozen O’Connor offers is an exciting opportunity,” Fast said. “Our existing team has successfully worked together on hundreds of listing, M&A, and financing transactions in every major industry and market in Canada; adding Cozen O’Connor’s substantial U.S. presence, network, experience, and insight will allow us to provide uniquely comprehensive support, solutions, and opportunities to our clients as their businesses expand across borders.”
Lucy Schilling has almost two decades of experience in capital markets and securities and corporate law. She advises on general corporate and commercial matters, securities, and stock exchange requirements, as well as continuous disclosure, corporate governance, and various securities and stock exchange-related issues. She has represented numerous reporting issuers in negotiating, structuring, and completing transactions, including initial and secondary public offerings, private placements, and stock exchange listings. Schilling is a contributing author of the Continuing Legal Education Society British Columbia’s Due Diligence Deskbook and has lectured on corporate governance, securities, and corporate law matters. She is the current chair of the CLE’s Securities Law Fundamentals Course and a past speaker for the FCI-CWI Women in Leadership Conference. She also serves on the board of directors for Dress for Success Vancouver.
Iain Mingo focuses on corporate law, specifically on capital markets, corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate governance. His experience includes advising clients on private placement, public offerings, the acquisition or disposition of securities, and corporate reorganizations. He works with public companies to ensure compliance with securities laws and stock exchange rules, including continuous disclosure obligations. He also works with private and startup companies to develop appropriate corporate, capital, and governance structures. Mingo earned his bachelor’s degree in engineering from McGill University and his law degree from the University of Calgary. He joins the firm as an associate.
Brigeeta Richdale, office managing partner of Cozen O’Connor’s Vancouver office, added, “We are honored to have Rory, Kathy, Brian, Lucy, and Iain join us in Vancouver as we move to our new location in the heart of Vancouver’s business district. Their breadth and depth of experience across the corporate finance and transactional space will be highly beneficial for our clients.”
Shane Hardy, office managing partner of Cozen O’Connor’s Toronto office, added, “Their addition to our Canadian team underscores Cozen O’Connor’s commitment to the further expansion of our services and to providing class-leading talent to work with our clients to help navigate the complexities in their industries.”
About Cozen O’Connor
Established in 1970, Cozen O’Connor has over 825 attorneys who help clients manage risk and make better business decisions. The firm counsels clients on their most sophisticated legal matters in all areas of the law, including litigation, corporate, and regulatory law. Representing a broad array of leading global corporations and middle-market companies, Cozen O’Connor serves its clients’ needs through 32 offices across two continents.