Our latest success story comes from Fisher Jeffries, a law firm affiliated with the ILN’s Australian member, Gadens Lawyers, who enjoyed a fruitful referral relationship with the ILN’s Clark Wilson LLP

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In August 2012, Fisher Jeffries, a South Australian law firm affiliated with the major Australian national firm Gadens Lawyers, received urgent instructions from two major Australian banks in relation to the provision of additional financial accommodation under an existing club facility agreement to a listed Australian corporate borrower group (Borrower Group).

The purpose of the additional financial accommodation was to enable the acquisition of all of the share capital in an existing Canadian company (Canadian Target) by the Borrower Group and, following completion of that acquisition, the amalgamation of the Canadian Target with the Borrower Group’s Canadian subsidiary (Canadian Subsidiary). Both the Canadian Target and the Canadian Subsidiary were incorporated in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. The additional financial accommodation was also proposed to be provided by the lenders in Canadian dollars.

 

Given the international nature of the proposed transaction, Fisher Jeffries required the assistance of a Canadian based law firm to, amongst other things, review various documents from the perspective of the laws of British Columbia, to conduct aspects of a legal due diligence in British Columbia and to provide various supporting legal opinions on the laws of British Columbia. Consequently, Fisher Jeffries obtained the contact details of Clark Wilson LLP, located in British Columbia, via the International Lawyers Network. 

The two firms had to deal with a range of complex legal issues that primarily flowed from the acquisition and amalgamation of the Canadian Target and the Canadian Subsidiary. Considerable effort was involved, for example, in preparing and negotiating supporting legal opinions between Fisher Jeffries, Clark Wilson LLP and the Borrower Group’s legal counsel.

Despite the significant time differences between Australia and Canada and the urgency of the instructions, the two firms worked collaboratively and were able to achieve financial close in the timeframes required by its clients.

The International Lawyers Network was critical to Fisher Jeffries being able to quickly locate an experienced and reputable law firm in British Columbia.

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Photo of Lindsay Griffiths Lindsay Griffiths

Lindsay Griffiths is the International Lawyers Network’s Executive Director. She is a dynamic, influential international executive and marketing thought leader with a passion for relationship development and authoring impactful content. Griffiths is a driven, strategic leader who implements creative initiatives to achieve the…

Lindsay Griffiths is the International Lawyers Network’s Executive Director. She is a dynamic, influential international executive and marketing thought leader with a passion for relationship development and authoring impactful content. Griffiths is a driven, strategic leader who implements creative initiatives to achieve the goals of a global professional services network. She manages all major aspects of the Network, including recruitment, member retention, and providing exceptional client service to an international membership base.

In her role as Executive Director, Griffiths manages a mix of international programs, engages a diverse global community, and develops an international membership base. She leads the development and successful implementation of major organizational initiatives, manages interpersonal relationships, and possesses executive presence with audiences of internal and external stakeholders. Griffiths excels at project management, organization, and planning, writes and speaks with influence and authority, and works independently while demonstrating flexibility in thinking, especially in challenging situations. She also adapts to diverse and dynamic environments with constant assessment and recalibration.

JD Supra Readers Choice Top Author 2019

In 2021, the ILN was honored as Global Law Firm Network of the Year by The Lawyer European Awards, and in 2016, 2017, and 2022, they were shortlisted as Global Law Firm Network of the Year. Since 2011, the Network has been listed as a Chambers & Partners Leading Law Firm Network, recently increasing this ranking to be included in the top two percent of law firm networks globally, as well as adding two regional rankings. She was awarded “Thought Leader of the Year” by the Legal Marketing Association’s New York chapter in 2014 for her substantive contributions to the industry and was included in Clio’s list of “34 People in Legal You Should Follow on Twitter.” She was also chosen for the American Bar Association Journal’s inaugural Web 100‘s Best Law Blogs, where judge Ivy Grey said “This blog is outstanding, thoughtful, and useful.” Ms. Griffiths was chosen as a Top Author by JD Supra in their 2019 Readers’ Choice Awards, for the level of engagement and visibility she attained with readers on the topic of marketing & business development. She has been the author of Zen & the Art of Legal Networking since February 2009.