Aird & Berlis Partners Recognized in Chambers Global 2021

Aird & Berlis is pleased to announce that partners Jack Bernstein, Fred Cass, Ron Clark, Barbara Worndl, Douglas Younger and Stephen Zolf have been recognized in the 2021 edition of Chambers Global: The World’s Leading Lawyers for Business in their respective areas of practice.

Energy: Power (Regulatory) – Canada

Fred Cass is Co-Chair of the Aird & Berlis Energy Group and a member of the firm's Litigation Group. He has practised in the energy and energy regulatory field for over 35 years and has developed deep expertise and knowledge in this area. He is actively sought by participants in regulatory proceedings to provide advice with regard to policy and strategy. Fred has appeared at all levels of the Ontario courts, at the Supreme Court of Canada and before the Ontario Energy Board.

Energy: Power (Transactional) – Canada

Ron Clark is a member of the firm's Energy Group. He operates his practice at the intersection of corporate/commercial, energy and municipal law. Ron counsels stakeholder groups, retailers, distributors and generators on legislative and policy matters relating to national and international electricity markets. He has advised on power procurement arrangements, development of generation and cogeneration facilities and the Ontario government's clean and renewable energy supply RFPs and contracts.

Projects: PPP & Infrastructure – Canada

Douglas Younger is Chair of the Aird & Berlis Infrastructure Group. He has extensive experience in the structuring, negotiation and documentation of international and domestic project and structured financings and has acted as lead counsel on many major Canadian and international P3 and project finance transactions. He advises governments, equity sponsors, funders and subcontractors on a wide variety of civil, transportation and accommodation P3 projects, including roads, hospitals, waste and wastewater facilities, schools and universities, mass transit and social housing.

Tax – Canada

Jack Bernstein is one of Canada’s preeminent tax lawyers and an authority on multijurisdictional matters. He is Chair of the Aird & Berlis International Tax Group and a senior member of the firm’s Tax Group, Estates & Trusts Group and Mergers & Acquisitions/Private Equity Group. Jack is well known in international tax planning, mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructuring, reorganizations, and financing. He also has extensive expertise in cross-border estate planning and frequently advises international clients on doing business in Canada.

Barbara Worndl is Chair of the Canadian Tax Foundation and Past Chair of the Executive Committee. Her practice is focused on income tax with an emphasis on corporate and partnership taxation, particularly in an international and cross-border context. She has extensive experience in structuring cross-border mergers, acquisitions and reorganizations. Barbara's practice includes advising on structures for real estate investments and divestitures, derivative transactions, REITs and syndications.

Telecoms, Media & Broadcasting – Canada

Stephen Zolf is a member of the firm’s Corporate/Commercial, Telecommunications, Sports & Media and Technology Groups. Stephen advises clients on merger clearance under the Competition Act as well as foreign investment in Canada under the Investment Canada Act. He regularly advises telecommunications clients on the CRTC’s regulatory framework for wholesale access to telecommunications facilities, including wireline facilities and mobile wireless services.