Overview
Bill has extensive experience in all aspects of the Canadian capital markets and has played a leading role in many of Canada’s most innovative capital markets transactions.
Over his career, Bill has led or played a significant role on numerous domestic and cross-border IPOs and going-public transactions. He regularly represents issuers and underwriters on follow-on offerings of equity (common and preferred) and debt (investment grade and convertible) and other public markets transactions including mergers and acquisitions, rights offerings, ATM programs and issuer bids. Bill has been extensively involved in the development of the Canadian REIT and SPAC sectors and regularly advises boards of directors and special committees on governance and compliance matters.
Early in his career, Bill worked as legal counsel in the Corporate Finance Branch of the Ontario Securities Commission where he gained valuable insight into Canada’s securities regulatory system. Since joining Goodmans, Bill has continued to serve on a number of committees at the OSC including its Continuous Disclosure Advisory Committee.
Bill is recognized as a leading lawyer in numerous publications including Chambers Global (capital markets: debt & equity – Canada) and Chambers Canada (capital markets: debt & equity – nationwide), Best Lawyers in Canada (corporate, M&A, securities), IFLR1000 (capital markets: debt and equity, M&A), The Legal 500 Canada (capital markets), The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory (corporate finance & securities, M&A, and corporate mid-market), The Lexpert/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada (corporate finance & securities), the Lexpert Special Edition: Finance and M&A and the Lexpert Special Edition: Energy and Mining.
Featured Work
Bill’s representative work includes acting for:
- Onex Corporation in its US$150 million sale of subordinate voting shares of Celestica Inc.
- The underwriting syndicates on offerings by Brookfield Corporation (U.S.$550 million of senior notes) and Brookfield Renewable Partners L.P. (U.S.$650 million of limited partnership units and exchangeable shares)
- The underwriting syndicates for the $144 million IPO of VerticalScope Inc. and the $200 million IPO of Anaergia Inc.
- MCAN Mortgage Corporation in its $20 million rights offering.
- Atlantic Power Corporation and its special committee in its agreement to be acquired by I Squared Capital for US$961 million.
- Canaccord Genuity Growth II Corp. in connection with its $537 million qualifying transaction with Taiga Motors Inc.
- Dye & Durham Limited in its initial public offering and listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange
- Mercer Park Brand Acquisition Corp. and Canaccord Genuity Growth II Corp. in their initial public offerings and listings on the NEO Exchange
- Canaccord Genuity Acquisition Corp. in its $30,000,000 initial public offering and subsequent merger with Spark Power Group Inc. as its qualifying acquisition
- Paulson & Co. Inc. in connection with numerous private placement investments in Canada and its proxy solicitation to replace the board of Detour Gold Corporation
- NexPoint Hospitality Trust in its cross-border initial public offering and listing on the TSX Venture Exchange
- Plaza Retail REIT in connection with its conversion to a REIT structure and numerous debt and equity offerings
- Sienna Senior Living Inc. in connection with its initial public offering and numerous acquisitions, debt and equity financings
- the underwriters for numerous debt, equity and preferred share offerings of Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P., Brookfield Renewable Partners L.P., Brookfield Property Partners L.P. and Brookfield Asset Management Inc.
- the special committee of trustees of Crombie Real Estate Investment Trust in connection with its acquisition of a portfolio of properties from Empire Company Ltd.
Awards & Recognition
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Chambers Canada Band 3, Capital Markets: Debt and Equity 2025
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The Legal 500 Canada Leading Individual, Capital Markets 2025
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Best Lawyers in Canada Recognized, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Securities Law 2025
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Chambers Global Band 3, Capital Markets: Debt & Equity 2024
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Chambers Canada Band 3, Capital Markets: Debt and Equity 2024
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The Legal 500 Canada Leading Individual, Capital Markets 2024
Credentials
Professional Involvement
Bill is the editor and a significant contributor to the Canadian REIT Handbook published by the Real Property Association of Canada.
Credentials
- University of British Columbia, LL.B., 1996
- University of Alberta, B.Comm., 1992
Professional Affiliations
- Law Society of Ontario
Call to Bar
- Ontario
Insights
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REITS and Income Securities
The Legal Industry Reviews Edition 6 - REITs Chapter
Stephen Pincus, Brenda Gosselin, and Bill Gorman have co-authored The Canadian REIT Structure in the fifth edition of The Legal Industry Reviews Canada.To view the… -
REITS and Income Securities
The Legal Industry Reviews Edition 5 - REITs Chapter
Stephen Pincus, Brenda Gosselin, and Bill Gorman have co-authored The Canadian REIT Structure in the fifth edition of The Legal Industry Reviews Canada.To view the… -
Capital Markets
Access Model for prospectuses: Final amendments announced, Law360 Canada
Bill Gorman and Randy McAuley co-authored Access Model for prospectuses: Final amendments announced in Law360 Canada. Excerpt from Access Model for prospectuses: Final amendments… -
REITS and Income Securities
The Legal Industry Reviews Canada - REITs Chapter
Stephen Pincus, Brenda Gosselin, and Bill Gorman have co-authored The Benefits of Canada - Cross Border and Foreign REITs in the forth edition of The Legal Reviews Canada.To… -
Capital Markets
Canadian Securities Administrators Announce Implementation of the Access Model for Prospectuses
On January 11, 2024, the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) published the final form of amendments to securities legislation to implement an access model (the “Access Model”) for delivery of… -
REITS and Income Securities
The Legal Industry Reviews Canada - REITs Chapter
Stephen Pincus, Brenda Gosselin, and Bill Gorman have co-authored The Benefits of Canada - Cross Border and Foreign REITs in the third edition of The Legal Reviews Canada.To view the…
News & Events
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Banking and Financial Services
Goodmans Once Again Receives Top-Tier Recognition from The Legal 500 Canada
We are pleased to announce Goodmans LLP has once again received top-tier recognition from The Legal 500 Canada in their 2025 Guide released today.Recognition from The Legal 500 is based on independent… -
Mergers and Acquisitions
Chambers and Partners Once Again Honours Goodmans with Top-Tier Recognition
We are delighted to announce Goodmans LLP continues to receive top-tier recognition from Chambers and Partners in the Chambers Canada 2025 Guide.Recognition from Chambers and Partners is based on… -
Energy
Goodmans Recognized in the Lexpert Special Edition: Energy and Mining 2024
We are delighted to announce the Lexpert Special Edition: Energy and Mining 2024 has recognized 10 Goodmans LLP partners among Canada's experts in the areas of energy and mining.Congratulations to our…