Private Equity & Investment Funds

We advise private equity sponsors, investors, and funds on complex cross-border transactions, structuring, and value creation, delivering tailored strategies that maximize returns and manage risk.
Key Contacts
Hunt Matthew JMcClary JamesDylke Elizabeth
Board room chairs

Overview

The Bennett Jones private equity group is a leader in Canada. Our clients include sophisticated financial sponsors who are looking to balance risk with expected return and who require tailored advice from the initiation of the investment phase through to exit. Bennett Jones represents all sides in private equity transactions, with particular depth on behalf of US and domestic financial sponsors. We understand our clients live with the consequences of their acquisitions the moment the deal closes and we align ourselves with that mindset.

Our practice is a collaborative and multidisciplinary effort that draws upon the firm's strengths in Mergers & Acquisitions, Capital Markets, and acquisition finance (Financial Institutions Group), along with subject matter expertise in domestic and cross-border issues relating to Tax, Anti-Trust/Competition, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG), Employment & Benefits, Information Technology, Intellectual Property and International Trade.

How We Help Private Equity Clients

Private Equity Bennett Jones

Transactional Experience

Fund Formation

Private Equity Financing and Private Credit

Preparation for Exit

Our Strengths

  • Navigating the Canada-US border effectively and efficiently is one of our major strengths. We act for a wide range of clients, including financial sponsors, Canadian pension funds, family offices and other institutional investors—meeting their diverse needs. Our longstanding relationship with a number of leading US-based sponsors and their US legal counsel has given us particular insight into the cross-border tax challenges that come with structuring investments in Canada and from the United States and the nuances that stem when representing tax-exempt investors.

  • Our private equity team works closely with our industry experts in those industries where our firm excels—particularly in energy/renewables, infrastructure, real estate, agribusiness, mining, technology, consumer and hospitality—to ensure that we are delivering the most informed advice. With a growing focus for private equity investments on ESG issues our expertise is vital from the initial diligence stage through to post-investment monitoring. We also have a leading Public Policy Group that adds significant value, particular with respect to cross-border situations that can stand to benefit from that type of perspective.

  • Transaction structuring is an important strength as Bennett Jones understands that excellence in the field requires specific knowledge of investors' needs at each point in the capital structure. Knowing how to bridge views on valuation and de-risk certain situations, with the use of earn-outs, convertible securities, contingent value rights (CVRs), derivatives and other forms of structured products, is a key value we bring to transactions.

  • Bennett Jones is focused on the process of value creation, and the importance of actual cash-on-cash returns to our clients. Understanding the time value of money, and the underlying pressures and constraints facing our clients, allows us to effectively interface with counterparties and their counsel. We have dedicated training programs for our lawyers on topics such as valuation, financial statement analysis and portfolio management, and believe that this important investment in our people is reflected in the service we provide.

Client Work

Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners (MSIP)

as Canadian counsel, in MSIP's acquisition of a 47.5% interest in the Greenlight Electricity Centre, a C$4.6-billion,932 MW combined-cycle power generation project in Alberta set to ...
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Apollo Global Management

as Canadian legal counsel, in its acquisition of Eagle Creek Renewable Energy

Apollo Global Management

in its acquisition of a 40% stake in Pembina Gas Infrastructure

BCI

in its £1.062-billion acquisition of 100% of issued shares of BBGI Global Infrastructure SA

ESAB Corporation

in its US$1.45-billion acquisition of Quebec based Eddyfi Technologies

Goldman Sachs Alternatives

in its investment in Trackunit, a global leader in software for the construction sector

Hillcore Group

in its acquisition of CEDA, a leading service provider specialized in providing industrial maintenance, turnaround and environmental services in Western Canada, from OMERS Private Equity

Kensington Capital Partners

in the sale of a 51% interest to AGF Management; and its portfolio companies in their acquisitions of Resolute Health, Surgical Centres, Chirurgie Dix30 and Medego Immobilier

Kinterra Capital,

through its portfolio company Kinterra Copper USA, in its acquisition of Highland Copper's remaining 34% joint venture interest in the White Pine North Copper Project

Klick Group

the world's largest independent commercialization partner for life sciences, on the growth investment from Linden Capital Partners and GIC

KKR

in its C$1.19-billion acquisition of an indirect minority equity interest in the Labrador-Island Link from Emera 

KKR and CoolIT Systems

as Canadian counsel, in the proposed US$4.75-billion sale of CoolIT, a global leader in liquid data center cooling, to Ecolab

KKR

in its agreement to acquire a 50% interest in a 1.4 GW solar portfolio in North America from TotalEnergies, with an aggregate enterprise value of US $1.25 billion

Lynx Software

a portfolio company of OceanSound Partners, as Canadian Counsel in connection with the acquisition of Core Avionics & Industrial

MidOcean Energy

in its acquisition from PETRONAS of an interest in LNG Canada and the North Montney Joint Venture

NGP Energy Capital Management

in connection with its additional equity investment in Cygnet Energy, the proceeds of which will be used to finance a portion of the purchase price for Cygnet's C$1.4-billion acquisition of Kiwetinohk Energy Corp

Recognize Partners

as Canadian counsel, in its acquisition from ABRY Partners of Blue Mantis and its subsidiaries in the United States, Canada and India

Refresco, a KKR portfolio company

as Canadian counsel, in its US$829-million take-private acquisition of SunOpta

TriWest

in its indirect investment through its affiliates of a majority equity interest in Alta West Mortgage Capital

3i North American Infrastructure Partners

in its initial investment in, and its acquisition of a remaining interest in, Shared Tower

Recognitions

Chambers Canada

Investment Funds
Private Equity: Buyouts 

Chambers Global

Corporate/M&A
Banking & Finance
Private Equity: Buyouts

The Legal 500 Canada

Ranked, Corporate and M&A
Ranked, Banking & Finance

Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory

Most Frequently Recommended, Corporate Commercial Law (Calgary)
Consistently Recommended, Banking & Financial Institutions (Calgary); Corporate Commercial Law (Edmonton, Toronto)
Repeatedly Recommended, Banking & Financial Institutions (Toronto); Corporate Commercial Law (Vancouver)

Matthew J. Hunt

Partner  •   Co-Head of Private Equity

James T. McClary

Partner  •   Co-Head of Private Equity

Elizabeth K. Dylke

Partner  •   Head of Investment Funds

Blog

The H1 2026 PE Briefing

June 18, 2026
Matthew J. HuntElizabeth K. DylkeJohn Lawless
& 3 more
Blog

Private Equity Investment in Mining

February 26, 2026
Leanne C. Krawchuk KCJames T. McClary
Leanne C. Krawchuk KC & James T. McClary
Blog

The Q4 2025 PE Briefing

January 19, 2026
James T. McClaryElizabeth K. DylkeHaifeng Hu
James T. McClary, Elizabeth K. Dylke & Haifeng Hu

Private Equity Briefings 

An essential read for private equity professionals navigating Canada’s evolving investment landscape. This series explores deal activity, emerging market trends and the strategic considerations shaping investment decisions.

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At the centre of market-shaping deals and high-stakes disputes, Bennett Jones delivers clarity, strategy and results. Our cross-border teams turn complexity into progress, always focused on what drives your success.

The Bennett Jones Story

At Bennett Jones, legal solutions are our starting point. What drives us forward is knowing our clients inside and out—their ambitions, obstacles and success metrics.

For more than a century, we have shaped outcomes that matter in business, in law and in the broader Canadian landscape. And our commitment extends beyond legal matters: we invest deeply in the communities in which we live and work.