BLG acquires AUM Law

Deal Provides Investment Industry with Flexible, Innovative Approach to Manage Risk

Toronto, ON – May 6, 2021 – AUM Law today announced the acquisition of our firm by Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG). The transaction combines BLG’s deep expertise and long-standing counsel in the investment management industry with AUM Law’s fixed-fee regulatory compliance offerings, providing clients with an efficient, innovative approach to help them manage a wide array of legal and regulatory compliance obligations. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

“Our clients rely on us to stay ahead of change and help them navigate the complex business landscape,” said John Murphy, National Managing Partner and CEO, BLG. “This acquisition, which is the first of note in our sector in several years, is evidence of our commitment to embrace innovation to transform the practice of law and bring new services to our clients as quickly as possible.”

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Legal and Regulatory Counsel to Asset Managers

AUM Law is a Canadian law firm focused on serving the asset management sector in the areas of regulatory compliance and investment funds. We also support clients in this sector by providing legal advice and services to clients for structuring entities (including corporations, partnerships, and trusts), raising capital, business combinations, and compliance with reporting issuers’ and investors’ disclosure obligations.

We have the expertise and substantial experience advising clients on Canadian securities laws and regulations, especially the registrant regulation framework including National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations (NI 31-103). Our clients include Canadian and foreign investment fund managers, portfolio managers, dealers, and the managers of public and private investment vehicles including real estate funds, mortgage investment vehicles, mutual funds, closed-end funds, alternative funds, and private equity funds who operate in or have investors in Canadian capital markets. We offer fixed-fee quotes for services whenever practicable.

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How Can We Help You?

Our legal and regulatory compliance Solutions

Are you planning to start, acquire or grow an asset management business? Do you have questions about whether your business needs to be registered with Canadian securities regulators or about you and your firm’s ongoing obligations under Canadian securities laws? Are you planning to launch a private or public investment vehicle or do you need legal or regulatory compliance advice about its operations? Are you looking to leverage your existing team by outsourcing some general counsel or compliance functions to a law firm that understands your business? AUM Law has the expertise, experience and connections to help you efficiently navigate Canada’s securities regulatory landscape.

See How We Can Help
  • Registration / licensing of firms and individuals
  • Compliance documentation including compliance manuals
  • Ongoing registrant obligations, including know-your-client (KYC), know-your-product (KYP), suitability and conflicts of interest rules
  • Compliance training
  • Compliance risk assessments (aka “mock audits”)
  • Assistance with implementing the Client-Focused Reforms (CFRs) to National Instrument 31-103 (including regulatory gap analyses, developing implementation plans, updating compliance documentation and customer-facing documents, and training)
  • NRD and other regulatory filings
  • Assistance in completing the Ontario Securities Commission's 2020 Risk Assessment Questionnaire (RAQ)
  • Assistance with regulatory audits and other regulatory examinations
  • Exemptive relief applications and interpretations of securities law
  • Registrant misconduct matters

Learn More About our Regulatory Compliance Practice

  • Formation of public and private, pooled investment vehicles
  • Establishment and acquisition of asset management businesses
  • Drafting prospectus, offering memoranda, terms sheets and other investor disclosure documents
  • Ongoing support for investment fund managers, portfolio managers and dealers
  • Exemptive relief applications and interpretations of securities law
  • SEDAR, SEDI and exempt trade report filings

Learn More about Our Investment Funds Practice

  • Private placements
  • Formation and organization of business entities including corporations, medical professional corporations (MPCs), veterinary professional corporations (VPCs), limited and general partnerships, and trusts
  • Mergers, acquisitions and restructurings
  • Material business agreements
  • Due diligence
  • Custody and maintenance of minute books and corporate record books
  • Corporate governance and compliance
  • Organization of board of directors and shareholder meetings

Learn More About our Corporate Law Practice

Our Approach

AUM Law offers practical, cost-effective legal and regulatory compliance advice from a team that prioritizes your business and understands your industry. We focus on the Canadian asset management sector, and we have deep expertise in the legal and regulatory issues relevant to firms operating in Canada’s exempt and public capital markets.

Our team-based approach, fixed-fee compliance support plans, extensive experience engaging with securities regulators, and connections with other service providers in this industry will help you navigate the evolving securities regulatory environment with confidence so that you can focus on what you do best.

Latest Insights and News

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BLG acquires AUM Law, shifting the legal landscape in Canada

Deal Provides Investment Industry with Flexible, Innovative Approach to Manage Risk Toronto, ON – May 6, 2021 – AUM Law today announced the acquisition of our firm by Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG). The transaction combines BLG’s deep expertise and long-standing...

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AUM Law Speaks at PMAC Conference

On May 12, AUM Law’s Chris Tooley will participate as a speaker at the Portfolio Management Association of Canada (PMAC) Spring Regulatory & Compliance Webcast on FINTRAC audits and Richard Roskies will also be speaking on the topic of OSC audits. April 30,...

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