Cassels Expands in Calgary, Solidifies Top-Tier Lending & Finance Team

CALGARY, AB, July 5, 2022 /CNW/ - Cassels is pleased to announce the addition of five new partners to its Lending & Finance Group in Calgary. The partners, Bria Fallen, Mike Hrabok, Sunil Joneja, David Kolesar, and Scott McLeman, bring decades of notable experience advising top-tier financial institutions across North America.

"We are delighted to welcome this enormously talented and dedicated team to Cassels," said Jeff Oliver, lead partner in the firm's Calgary office. "I am confident that a combination of their strong knowledge of the market and breadth of experience will further position Cassels as a leading Canadian legal firm, offering a broad range of services that include specialized banking, transaction, and financial services, in an exceptional manner."

Jeff noted, "This expansion is the largest in a series of new hires and growth across the firm, and establishes our banking group as one of the largest in Western Canada."

Four associate lawyers have also joined the firm to support the growing team in Calgary: Kaitlyn Kolodychuk, Eli Dzik, and Nick Proctor (Lending & Finance) and Gillian Harrington (Corporate).

Commenting on the team's decision to join the firm, Scott McLeman said: "We are delighted to be joining one of the largest and most innovative financial services practices in Canada and work with an exceptional team of talented people across the country. As Cassels continues to grow in Calgary, we are excited to solidify the firm's reputation as a leader in banking & lending for the region."

The Lending & Finance Group at Cassels offers specialized legal services for financial institutions, non-traditional lenders, and business owners, including asset-based lending, real estate finance, acquisition finance, syndicated finance, and project financing. In Calgary, the Group will offer a diverse range of financial services geared towards the Western Canadian market, including in the real estate, construction, oil and gas, and agricultural sectors.

New partners [listed in ascending order according to last name]

Bria Fallen

Bria brings extensive experience working with lenders and borrowers on secured financing transactions, M&A, commercial leasing matters, and corporate reorganizations. Her practice is focused on working with clients to find solutions to meet their business goals while optimizing financial requirements. Bria has experience practicing with a mid-sized business law firm in Calgary after articling and practising with a leading Atlantic Canadian law firm.

Mike Hrabok

Bringing extensive experience in the areas of financial services and real estate, Mike's portfolio includes a myriad of accomplishments in secured financing transactions and commercial real estate transactions. Mike has been in-house counsel at a national commercial real estate developer after articling, and practiced with a national law firm in the financial services and commercial real estate groups.

Sunil A. Joneja

Sunil represents and advises borrowers, banks, and other financial institutions on a wide variety of transactions with an emphasis on domestic and cross-border syndicated and bilateral debt financings (both secured and unsecured), including asset-based lending, project finance, real estate including construction finance, acquisition finance, note offerings, distressed lending, and debt restructuring transactions. Sunil also practises in the area of derivatives including commodity, cross-currency, and interest rate hedging transactions.

David Kolesar

With a practical approach informed by a long history of experience representing clients in banking and finance matters, David is skilled in both domestic and cross-border, internationally focused transactions. His diverse practice covers a wide range of debt financing work on behalf of both financial institutions and borrowers including acquisition finance, project financing, asset-backed loans, reserve-based lending, and public and private debt securities. David also has extensive experience in non-traditional or alternative lending structures.

Scott McLeman

Focusing primarily on financial services, real estate and diversified lending, Scott will lead the Group's new chapter at Cassels.

Recognized as a leader in his field, Scott specializes in a broad range of banking and real estate areas. He acts for both creditors (including banks and other major financial institutions) and debtors in secured and unsecured lending transactions, including public and private acquisitions, asset-based loans and term and revolving facilities, in both domestic and cross-border contexts.

About Cassels:

Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP is a Canadian law firm focused on serving the transaction, advocacy, and advisory needs of the country's most dynamic business sectors.

Cassels offers one of the largest business law practices in Canada, advising clients from start-ups to multi-national organizations – across the street and around the world.

We are dedicated to staying on the leading edge of trends in law and business to offer practical and flexible solutions to your legal challenges, and our lawyers are proud to serve leadership roles in business, civic, charitable, and cultural organizations in community, national, and international organizations.

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Zeena Kanaan, [email protected]