PEOPLE

Brett Roane

Partner – Business Law Group

Corporate & Commercial
Corporate Finance & Securities
Technology & Venture Capital
Governance & Regulatory Compliance

Brett is a Founding Partner at R&D LLP. His practice focuses on corporate and commercial law with an emphasis on corporate finance and private mergers and acquisitions. Brett has extensive experience acting for buyers and sellers in an array of industries including technology, manufacturing, SaaS, food and beverage, health and wellness, medical devices, cannabis, automotive, and real estate holdings. His practice also involves advising senior management and boards of directors on corporate governance and shareholder matters, as well as facilitating a wide range of transactions including offerings of equity and debt. Brett regularly works in partnership with accountants and tax specialists to structure and complete complex, tax-driven corporate reorganizations.

Raised in a very small, rural town north of Kingston, Brett has always believed in the power of building personal connections and bringing a small-town feel to everything he does. He is known for his timely, clear, and pragmatic legal advice, effective problem-solving skills, and calm and approachable demeanor. As a trusted advisor, he provides practical and strategic business law advice to a diverse group of clients including founders and entrepreneurs (including several Y Combinator alumni), start-ups, and small to mid-sized corporations as well as foreign and domestic family offices and high net worth individuals. Brett’s clients appreciate his responsiveness and attentive, diligent, and affable manner, and often comment on his ability to strike the right balance of being resolute but cordial with opposing counsel when trying to resolve the many issues that can arise in the context of business transactions.

Prior to founding R&D LLP, Brett was an Associate and then Partner at Abrahams LLP. He articled at a mid-sized full-service firm in downtown Toronto.

Sample Representative Work:
• Acted for vendor group in connection with $18.25M sale of property holding company.
• Represented purchaser in connection with $24M acquisition of Ontario-based cannabis company.
• Structured and facilitated a $25M private placement for Sharia-compliant Mortgage Investment Corporation.
• Represented cannabinoid company in connection with $17.5M joint venture further to construction and development of cannabinoid extraction and isolation processing facility.
• Completed a rollover under s.85(1) of the Income Tax Act (Canada) for genomics supplements company with over 60 shareholders then valued at $50M.
• Represented a Saudi investment group with respect to equity injection into Toronto-based exempt market dealer.
• Structured and facilitated a $10M deferred plan eligible private placement for commercial and residential property developer.
• Acted in setting up a limited partnership investment vehicle with domestic and international investors.
• Represented investor with respect to $5M investment in technology company.
• Acted for purchaser in connection with $3.5M acquisition of a socially responsible ridesharing and carpooling app in all-stock transaction.
• Advised on and completed a tax-driven corporate reorganization including multiple estate freezes, rollovers and amalgamations, in preparation for $5M sale of family-owned and operated technology company.

Academic Background:
Brett received his Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.) from Queen’s University where he served as co-president of the Corporate Law Club. During law school, he spent a summer abroad at Herstmonceux Castle, East Sussex, U.K. and earned a certificate in International Business Law at the Bader International Study Centre. Prior to law school, he received his Bachelor of Arts (Philosophy) from Dalhousie University in Halifax and was the recipient of various academic awards and scholarships.

Interests:
When Brett is not working, you can find him jogging, cycling, at the gym, or on the basketball or tennis court. He relaxes in his spare time by listening to podcasts, keeping up with world news, and planning his next travel adventures.

Professional Affiliations:
Canadian Bar Association
Ontario Bar Association

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