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Overview

Co-Head of the firm's Banking and Secured Transactions group, Karen Dawson is a highly knowledgeable, practical and client-service oriented financial services lawyer with extensive experience acting as lead counsel in a wide range of complex domestic and international finance transactions, including corporate lending transactions, asset based lending transactions, reserves based lending arrangements, equipment financings, acquisition financings, project financings and private placements. She also has broad experience working on restructurings (including the establishment of debtor-in-possession financing arrangements and foreclosures), and routinely advises as Canadian counsel in connection with cross-border financing arrangements.

Before joining Bennett Jones, Karen practiced at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP in New York City. While at Pillsbury, she was seconded to Citigroup in New York City for a period of time, where she acted in conjunction with an in-house legal group counselling business personnel on issues related to syndicated loans and guaranties.

Karen is a member of the American Bar Association (Business Law Section), New York State Bar Association and the Association of the Bar of the City of New York.

Client Work

Represented a Canadian-based manufacturer as borrower in a series of secured, demand bilateral credit facilities in connection with an asset acquisition.
Represented a defense contractor as borrower in a widely-syndicated senior secured revolving credit facility.
Represented a major US based energy corporation as lender in a bridge loan to a foreign energy company for purposes of gas exploration.
Represented a natural gas trader as borrower in a senior secured working capital revolver for three natural gas trading affiliates of a private, mid-western energy company, secured by accounts receivables of the borrower.
Represented a US manufacturer as borrower in a bilateral, secured exit credit facility.
Represented an administrative agent/lender in a syndicated secured term loan/contingent notes facility for a Bermudian company, supported by, among other things, an obligation by certain affiliated firms to purchase outstanding subordinated notes on a put.

Recognitions & Awards

Chambers Canada

Ranked, Banking and Finance

Chambers Global

Band 5, Banking & Finance

The Legal 500 Canada

Recognized Next Generation Partners, Banking and Finance

Education & Bar Admissions

Education

  • Mount Allison University, BA (Political Science/History), with first class honours
  • Dalhousie University, MA (International Relations)
  • McGill University, LLB/BCL, with great distinction

Bar Admissions

  • New York, 2003
  • Alberta, 2011