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Overview

Will Osler practices in the areas of public and private mergers and acquisitions, securities law, and corporate governance matters, with a particular focus on the oil and gas sector. Will has significant experience in domestic and cross-border joint bidding and co-ownership structures, including partnerships and joint ventures. His corporate governance advisory work includes advising corporations and boards of directors with respect to general compliance matters as well as specific issues arising out of transactions. Will works frequently on offerings of equity and debt securities, acting for both issuers and underwriters, as well as Canadian and international takeover bids, plans of arrangement, corporate reorganizations, divestitures and asset and share purchase transactions. He has represented clients in several of Canada's largest recent initial public offerings.

Will also advises clients on lobbyist registration and compliance matters federally and in Alberta.

Will is recognized by Chambers Global: The World's Leading Lawyers for Business for Corporate/M&A; the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory for Corporate Finance & Securities; the Lexpert/Report on Business Special Edition – Canada's Leading Energy Lawyers; the Lexpert/Report on Business Special Edition – Canada's Leading Infrastructure Lawyers; Who's Who Legal: Canada as a leading lawyer in Capital Markets; and Best Lawyers in Canada as one of Canada's leading Mergers and Acquisitions lawyers.

Will is a former co-head of the firm’s capital markets and mergers & acquisitions practice and was a member of the firm’s partnership board from 2009 to 2011. He is a Past President of the Calgary Exhibition and Stampede, and is currently a director of the Kidney Foundation of Canada Southern Alberta Branch and a director of the Saddledome Foundation. Will was appointed King’s Counsel in 2022, and in 2025 he was awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal for his significant contributions to the community.

Client Work

The underwriters, led by ATB Securities, National Bank Financial and RBC Capital Markets, on their own behalf and on behalf of a syndicate of underwriters, comprised of Canaccord Genuity, Stifel Nicolaus Canada and Acumen Capital Finance Partners, in a bought deal public offering in Canada and private placement in the USA by InPlay Oil of subscription receipts for total gross proceeds of approximately C$32.8 million
Pine Cliff Energy Ltd. in its $100-million acquisition of a privately held oil and natural gas producer, through the acquisition, directly and indirectly, of all issued and outstanding common shares by way of takeover bid.
ATCO Power (2010) Ltd. in its restructuring and co-ownership, financing, and funding transactions related to Chiniki and Goodstoney First Nations' participation in the Deerfoot and Barlow solar projects.
CU Inc. in its $210-million offering of 4.773% debentures due 2052.
Canadian Utilities Limited (TSX: CU) in its US$250-million private placement of debentures due 2052.
Canadian Utilities Limited, in its public offering of $175 million of Series HH Preferred Shares by way of short form prospectus.

Recognitions & Awards

Chambers Canada

Ranked, Corporate/Commercial – Alberta

Chambers Global: The World's Leading Lawyers for Business

Ranked, Corporate/M&A

The Legal 500: Canada

Recommended, Energy and Natural Resources: Oil & Gas

Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory

Consistently Recommended, Corporate Commercial Law
Repeatedly Recommended, Corporate Finance & Securities

Lexpert Guide to the Leading U.S./Canada Cross-border Corporate Lawyers in Canada

Recognized as one of the leading lawyers in the area of corporate commercial
Recognized as one of the leading lawyers in the area of corporate finance and securities
Recognized as one of the leading lawyers in the area of mergers and acquisitions

Lexpert Special Edition—Canada's Leading Finance and M&A Lawyers

Recognized as a leading Finance and M&A lawyer

Education & Bar Admissions

Education

  • Queen's University, BA (Hons), 1988
  • University of Calgary, LLB, 1994

Bar Admissions

  • Alberta, 1995

News, Events & Speaking Engagements

PlaceholderIn The News

Will Osler Joins Launch of Official Boot of Calgary Stampede

May 24, 2023
William S. Osler KC
William S. Osler KC
PlaceholderIn The News

Will Osler on Majority Voting for Director Elections

May 6, 2021
William S. Osler KC
William S. Osler KC
PlaceholderIn The News

Will Osler on ESG in the Energy Industry in Daily Oil Bulletin

February 2, 2021
William S. Osler KC
William S. Osler KC