Aarondeep (Aaron) S. Bains

Professional Involvement

Professional Activities

• President of the Committee of Management, The St. George’s Society of Toronto
• Former President and Board Member, South Asian Bar Association of Toronto
• North America Chair, Interlaw NexGen Special Business Team
• Regional Advisor, World Sikh Organization
• Member, JusticeNet's Advisory Board
• Member, Interim Law Advisory Council for the Ryerson University law school 
• Vice President and Board Member, Canadian International Council - Toronto Branch
• Executive Committee Member, Breakfast of Champions Charity for SickKids Hospital

Memberships

• Canadian/Ontario Bar Association
• International Bar Association
• South Asian Bar Association of Toronto
• Canadian International Council

Representative Matters

Advised Putman Investments Inc., a Canadian-based, family-owned enterprise, on its acquisition of Toys “R” Us and Babies “R” Us Canada from Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited.

Advised Venture Capital Firm on its initial and follow on investments in clean tech businesses in Ontario, Quebec and Alberta.

Regularly advise a U.S. Bank on its loan and warrant arrangements with emerging and high growth companies across Canada.

Advised a European Venture Finance Lender on its loan transaction with a global technology driven tourism firm with operations in Canada, the U.S. and Europe.

Represented Launchlife International Inc., a North American private career college operator and franchisor, on a management buyout. Simultaneously with the management buyout, advised Launchlife on the closing of a financing and assisted with the acquisition of Pitman Training Group Limited, a United Kingdom-based operator and franchisor of career colleges. 

Represented Morgan Stanley in Canada in connection with an initial US$200 million private placement and subsequent private placements of Senior Secured Notes of Ironshore Pharmaceuticals & Development, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Highland Therapeutics Inc.

Represented the controlling shareholder of Bullfrog Power in its divestment to Spark Power Corp.

Advised the investment team of a family office on the acquisition of a North American furniture and cabinet design and manufacturing company, with operations in Ontario, Illinois, Indiana and North Carolina. The purchase involved the simultaneous closing of a credit facility with a major Canadian bank, which included a term loan and multiple asset based revolving credit facilities. 

Advised a high growth lumber company on the acquisition of a privately-held regional lumber company. The transaction involved the simultaneous closing of a large credit facility with a major Canadian bank, which included a term loan and an asset based revolving credit facility. 

Represented a large Canadian FinTech company in connection with the replacement and increase of its existing credit facility with a New York-based private equity fund.

Represented Trevali Mining Corporation (TSX:TV) in connection with the acquisition of a portfolio of zinc assets, including an 80% interest in the Rosh Pinah mine in Namibia and a 90% interest in the Perkoa mine in Burkina Faso, for an aggregate purchase price of US$417.86 million. 

Acted for shareholders of Fleetwood Metal Industries Inc., a successful Tier 1 automotive metal stamping, welding and assembly business with facilities in Ontario and Alabama, recently announced the completion of its sale to Milestone Partners, a U.S.-based private equity.

Selected Speaking Engagements

Panellist, "Justice System," University of British Columbia National Forum on Anti-Asian Racism, June 10, 2021.

Panellist, “Building Better Outcomes: A New Era For Diversity and Inclusion in the Legal Profession,” Canadian Law Awards 2021, May 20, 2021.

Presenter, "M&A in a Pandemic - What We Saw, What We Learned and What Will Stick," Interlaw 2021 Next Generation Lawyers Retreat: Forward to Better: Resetting the Agenda for your Future in Law, March 16, 2021.

Presenter, "2021 Business Planning for Young Leaders: Tips and Tricks for a Successful Year," Aird & Berlis LLP Webinar, March 4, 2021.

Panellist, "Practical Tactics for Ensuring Visibility, Inclusion and Recognition in a Hybrid Work Setting," Canadian Lawyer Women in Law Canada, February 18, 2021.

Presenter, "Setting a Family Business Up for Success," OBA’s Institute Series, Serving the Family: Critical Insights on the Issues Impacting Individuals, Small Businesses and Families in Corporate, Estates and Family Law, February 3, 2021.

Presenter, "Doing Business in Canada," HealthTech Trade Mission from the Netherlands, Toronto Global Forum 2020, October 26, 2020.

Panellist, "Strategies for Young Lawyers to Manage and Take Charge of Challenging Workplace Relationships," Canadian Lawyer Young Lawyers Summit, November 24, 2020.

Presenter, “How & Why We Fight. Citizens in the Space of Protest,” Democracy Xchange, January 2019.

Speaker at multiple Law Society of Ontario panels relating to Asian Heritage Month and diversity issues facing lawyers and law firms.

Education

• LLM International and European Business Law, Université Jean Moulin, 2014
• JD, Queen’s University Faculty of Law, 2014
• International Business Law Certificate, Bader International Study Centre, U.K., 2012
• BA (Political Science), University of British Columbia, 2011
• International Relations Certificate (Hons.), Institut d’Études Politiques de Paris, 2010