As a senior business and commercial lending lawyer, Peter advises business owners, entrepreneurs, start-ups, and financial institutions on complex transactions with clarity and strategic insight. With several billion dollars in completed deals, he brings extensive experience and a results-driven approach to every client relationship.
With deep expertise in secured lending, Peter has structured and secured more than 800 commercial loans valued at over two billion dollars. He advises on all aspects of banking and lending law, including security structuring, risk management, loan documentation, cross-border transactions, and securitization.
Peter also provides guidance on mergers and acquisitions, from management buyouts and strategic acquisitions to exit planning, pre-sale structuring, and share or asset transfers. His work includes negotiating non-competition and non-disclosure agreements that protect business interests and facilitate smooth transitions.
For start-ups and growing enterprises, Peter delivers practical advice on corporate structuring, shareholder and partnership agreements, and incorporation in British Columbia and across Canada. He has significant experience in corporate reorganizations and restructurings, including capital restructurings, windups, amalgamations, estate freezes, rollovers, and the use of family trusts in estate and business planning.
Known for his pragmatic, business-minded approach, Peter helps clients simplify complex legal matters and achieve outcomes that align with their strategic goals.
Representative Cases
- $8M Financing of Commercial Real Estate Acquisition – Counsel to Senior Lender in creation of debt facilities and securitization of collateral over multiple corporate entities and guarantors.
- Management Buyout of Multinational Retail Clothing and Industrial Supply Business – Counsel to seller of shares in large retail business with operations in Canada and the USA. Comprising 5 corporate entities in different jurisdictions, including Canada, the US,A and Barbados.
- $1.73M Share Purchase (Insurance Brokerage) – General counsel to Purchaser with respect to the acquisition of shares of an insurance brokerage.
- $2M Financing of Acquisition of Shares in Management Buyout – Counsel to Senior Lender providing acquisition financing in management buyout of large manufacturing company.
- $1.5M Acquisition of Services Business/Land – Counsel to purchaser of local services company, including creation of family trust and land acquisition.
- $275M Syndicated Loan – Part of a team counsel to the securitization of $275,000,000 syndicated loan.
- $3.4M Asset Acquisition – General counsel to a private equity firm in the acquisition of assets of a regional trucking and delivery business.
- $15M Cross-border Lending Securitization – Counsel to Canadian Lender. Placed security over both Canadian and US companies in 3 Provinces and 7 states to secure a complex $15,000,000 cross-border commercial lending facility.
- $1.3M Sale of Manufacturing Business – Counsel to owners of a British Columbia drive manufacturing business.
- $105M Asset Sale and Reorganization – Part of team counsel to reorganization and sale of assets of a large multinational manufacturing corporation consisting of over 20 entities.
- $2.5M Management Buyout – Part of team counsel to management buyout by a minority shareholder of a consumer product manufacturing and distribution business.
- $40M Real Estate Commercial Lending Facility – Counsel to a national financial institution securing a $40,000,000 loan pertaining to a real estate development project.
- $17M Residential Construction Mortgage – Counsel to a national financial institution securing financing for the construction of one of British Columbia’s largest homes.
- $3.25M Insurance Business Acquisition – Counsel to purchaser of a surety bonding and property and casualty insurance business.
- Insurance Brokerage and ICBC Autoplan Licence Acquisitions – Counsel to multiple purchasers of insurance brokerages and associated ICBC Autoplan licences.
- Purchase of Shares in E-Commerce Website – Counsel to purchaser of shares in a travel-based e-commerce website, including over 30 domain names.
- Franchise Acquisitions – Represented numerous buyers and sellers of national chain franchise businesses.
- $15.5M Federal Mortgage Brokerage – Counsel to investors to the capitalization of a planned federal mortgage brokerage and lending company.
- $20M Insurance Brokerage Corporate Reorganization – Counsel to a group of regional insurance brokerages in respect of a complex corporate reorganization.
- Private Placement | PIPE Transaction – Facilitated private placement and bridge financing for TSX-listed companies. This transaction involved cross-border securitization and negotiation of transaction documents. Was co-lead counsel in transaction coordinating attorneys in Idaho, New York, and Toronto.
Education
- Juris Doctor, University of Saskatchewan, 2004
- B.Comm., University of Saskatchewan, 2001
- Certified Business Intermediary (CBI), International Business Brokers’ Association (IBBA), 2016
Memberships u0026 Affiliations
- Member, Law Society of British Columbia (2005)
- Member, Canadian Bar Association
- Member, Business Law Section, Canadian Bar Association, B.C. Branch
- Member, Banking Law Section, Canadian Bar Association, B.C. Branch
- Member, American Bar Association
- Member, Business Law Section, American Bar Association
- Member, Mergers and Acquisitions Committee, American Bar Association
- Member, International Business Brokers Association
Beyond the Office
Outside of work, Peter and his family enjoy all that beautiful British Columbia has to offer, including weekend trips to Whistler for mountain biking or skiing, or extended weekend camping trips.
Areas of Law
Business Law
Financial Services
Languages
English
Bar admissions
British Columbia, 2005
