A&B Represents Hecla Mining Company in Takeover
In Q2 2013, Aird & Berlis LLP represented Hecla Mining Company (NYSE: HL) in connection with its proposed takeover bid for the equity and near equity of U.S. Silver Combination following the announcement of U.S. Silver Corporation’s proposed share-exchange merger with RX Gold & Silver Inc. The process undertaken by Hecla included approaches to U.S. Silver to consider a business combination by way of plan of arrangement. Hecla then launched a combined hostile takeover bid and proxy solicitation of U.S. Silver Corporation. Applications and subsequent court hearings were held to consider certain matters and applications were successfully made to securities regulatory authorities for certain relief. The matter included court proceedings to attempt to delay the vote on the competing offer (which was not successful) as well as a successful application to the Ontario Securities Commission for an order of a nature not previously issued.
The A&B team was led by Martin Kovnats (Capital Markets/Corporate Finance) and included Rebecca Kacaba, Matthew Liberatore, Andrew Magnus, Anne Markle, Jeffrey Merk, Angela Swan and Jennifer Wainwright (Capital Markets/Corporate Finance), John Longo, Bernie McGarva and Mark van Zandvoort (Litigation) and Ian Aversa (Financial Services).