VANCOUVER, March 13, 2025 — Cozen O’Connor is proud to announce that eight lawyers from the firm’s Vancouver and Toronto offices have been named to the 2025 Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory. Brian Fast, Rory Godinho, Shane Hardy, Virgil Hlus, Cam McTavish, Michael Osborne, Lucy Schilling, and Steven Weisz have been recognized as leaders in their respective fields and for their prominence in their practice areas and professional organizations.
Brian Fast, vice chair of Canadian Capital Markets and Securities, advises clients on initial public offerings, secondary private and public offerings, mergers and acquisitions, reverse takeovers, corporate restructurings and reorganizations, and qualifying transactions. He also frequently advises clients on corporate governance matters, compliance, and reporting obligations. Fast advises private companies in the development and growth of their business, the acquisition and negotiation of growth capital, and general commercial transactions. Fast’s private company practice regularly involves clients developing novel and disruptive technologies.
Cozen O’Connor’s Co-Chair of Canadian Capital Markets and Securities Rory Godinho has extensive experience advising his clients on a wide array 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 advises clients on corporate governance related matters, including regulatory compliance, corporate governance policies, fiduciary duties, and directors’ and officers’ liability.
Shane Hardy is a strategic business adviser who has assisted in the acquisition, licensing, and marketing of some of the world’s most famous trademarks and IP assets and chairs Cozen O’Connor’s Canadian Intellectual Property Practice Group. Hardy is one of a select few Canadian practitioners recognized for his experience in commercial transactions regarding intellectual property assets and is frequently called upon by brand owners around the world to assist with their international acquisition and licensing plans. Hardy has assisted clients with cross-border acquisitions where target entities have an intellectual property focus and is a leader of the firm's luxury law protection team.
As the chair of Canadian/U.S. Cross Border practice group, Virgil Hlus is a trusted business adviser and advocate for his corporate clients. Whether a company wants to go public, engage in a reverse takeover, a restructuring, conduct a cross-border financing or listing, or complete a tax-driven spin-off, Hlus makes it happen with efficiency and precision, all while providing exceptional client service. His clients appreciate his commitment to giving sensible, commercial solutions to the challenges that arise at all stages of complex business transactions.
Cam McTavish, Cozen O’Connor’s chair of Canadian Mergers & Acquisitions is an experienced adviser and deal maker. Providing exceptional client service on a wide variety of matters and industries, McTavish effectively utilizes his knowledge and experience to navigate complex mergers and acquisition transactions while maximizing value and reducing risk in the advancement of our client's business. His clients benefit from his significant experience in business strategy, private and public mergers and acquisitions, creative corporate restructurings, initial and secondary public offerings, private and venture financings, going private transactions, proxy contests, shareholder requisitions, director disputes, and corporate governance matters.
Michael Osborne serves as chair of Cozen O’Connor’s Canadian Competition Practice and helps businesses navigate competition (antitrust), foreign investment, and other regulatory regimes, and resolve commercial disputes. Osborne advises and defends clients from around the world in inquiries and proceedings commenced by the Competition Bureau, including criminal matters, abuse of dominance, and marketing and advertising matters. He defends clients in private proceedings under the Competition Act, including price fixing class actions.
Lucy Schilling focuses her practice on securities, corporate finance, and corporate/commercial law. Schilling advises on general corporate and commercial matters, securities and stock exchange requirements, continuous disclosure, corporate governance, and various securities and stock exchange-related issues. She has represented numerous reporting issuers in the negotiation, structuring, and completion of a wide variety of transactions. Schilling also serves as co-vice chair, office managing counsel of the firm’s Vancouver office.
Cozen O’Connor’s Toronto Office Managing Counsel Steven Weisz concentrates his practice on commercial litigation and insolvency law. Weisz skillfully guides his clients through all aspects of complex domestic and multinational insolvencies. He regularly represents purchasers of distressed debt and assets, debtors, directors, court-appointed officers, and major stakeholders of insolvent businesses — often, on an urgent basis.
About Cozen O’Connor Canada
Cozen O’Connor LLP, an affiliate of Cozen O’Connor, provides exceptional services for business law clients in areas including capital markets & securities, corporate and health sciences, intellectual property, white collar defense & investigations, labor & employment, tax, restructuring & insolvency, competition, regulatory, commercial and securities litigation, as well as investigation and pursuit of recovery for large property losses arising from construction projects, wildfires, product liability, and energy industry related losses. Established in 1970, Cozen O’Connor has over 925 attorneys across North America who help clients manage risk and make better business decisions. Cozen O’Connor LLP has offices in Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal.
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