photo of Sven Walker*

Sven Walker*

Partner

Sven Walker is a Partner and corporate and commercial lawyer who specializes in Canadian-European cross-border business. He is also the Chair of the firm's renewable energy law practice group.

Language(s)
English, French, German
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Sven is a corporate and commercial lawyer by training and specializes in Canadian-European cross-border business. He is legal counsel to many well-known companies from Europe, including companies from Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland, the UK, Italy, Germany, Austria and Switzerland and advises these companies with respect to the establishment and expansion of their businesses in the Canadian and the USMCA marketplace. He sits on the board of directors of many Canadian subsidiaries of European multinationals. 

He is frequently involved in complex corporate transactions, such as mergers and acquisitions, financings, and divestitures of business and real estate holdings. He also advises on corporate governance issues, business and family succession planning, as well as the establishment of subsidiaries in the Canadian and USMCA markets.

Sven practices renewable energy law and leads the law firm's Renewable Energy Practice Group. He advises the firm's many solar, wind, hydro, and biogas clients in relation to the structuring, development, acquisition, disposition, financing, construction and operation of their renewable energy projects across Canada. He has acted as legal counsel on projects ranging in size from small microFIT 10 kW solar photovoltaic projects to large commercial scale wind and solar projects more than 90 MW. Sven is corporate counsel to a number of the world's largest renewable energy companies primarily due to the firm's focus on advising European businesses in Canada.

Sven was recognized as a winner of Lexpert®'s Rising Stars: Leading Lawyers Under 40 award, which is a prestigious award that recognizes Canada's leading lawyers under the age of 40.

Prior to joining Dale & Lessmann LLP, Sven interned with the prominent German law firm of Hengeler Mueller in Berlin. Sven is a frequent speaker at international and domestic conferences on general Canadian-European cross-border legal issues as well as legal issues pertaining to the Canadian renewable energy industry. Sven serves as a director on the boards of several well-known multinational corporations headquartered in Europe, including companies from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Denmark.

*Practicing as a professional corporation

Recognition

Winner of Lexpert®'s Rising Stars
Leading Lawyers Under 40 award

Lexpert®'s Guide to the Leading US/Canada Cross-border Corporate Lawyers in Canada

Representative Work

MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS AND CORPORATE & COMMERCIAL

  • Acting for shareholders of Canadian-based dental services conglomerate in relation to the sale of their shareholding interests to a major U.S. private equity fund for a purchase price in excess of $600 million. 
  • Acting as Canadian legal counsel to lenders in relation to the Euro 100 M+ financing of acquisition by Paragon Partners of Castolin Eutectic, the globally leading provider of wear-protection and repair solutions for industrial equipment.
  • Acting in relation to the sale of Food Highway to TSE-listed Facedrive Inc.
  • Acting for a division of Austria's voestalpine AG in relation to its multi-million-dollar acquisition of the Canadian and Mexican manufacturing operations of Summo Corp., a state-of-the-art manufacturer of high-quality tubular steel components for the automotive industry.
  • Acting for SMT Scharf AG, a Frankfurt stock exchange listed company, in relation to its multi-million-dollar acquisition of RDH Mining Equipment Ltd., a Sudbury-based manufacturer of underground mining equipment.
  • Acting for WEBER-Hydraulik GmbH of Germany in relation to the multi-million-dollar sale of its Quebec and Alabama-based HYCO manufacturing facilities to Montanhydaulik GmbH.
  • Acting for Hoermann KG Verkaufsgesellschaft of Germany, one the world's leading garage door manufacturers, in relation to the multi-million-dollar acquisition of TNR Industrial Doors Inc., a Canadian commercial and industrial garage door manufacturer. 
  • Acting for Hong Kong-based publicly traded company in relation to the USD $85 million acquisition of a Canadian LNG company.
  • Acting for EMBROSS of Australia in relation to the multi-million-dollar acquisition of the Canadian aviation services division of IBM Canada Limited.
  • Acting for a Swiss publicly traded company on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange in relation to $60 million reverse takeover of mining company listed on the TSE.
  • Acting as a corporate counsel and strategic business advisor to numerous well known German, Swiss, Austrian, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish and other European companies in relation to the establishment and expansion of their operations in the Canadian and NAFTA marketplace in a wide range of industries, including the mining, retail, certification and testing, financial services, food services, automotive, manufacturing, furniture, fashion, IT, energy and energy efficiency, construction and engineering, management consulting, automation logistics and transportation sectors.
  • Acting for a Finnish information technology company in relation to the acquisition of a Canadian information technology company.
  • Acting for an Austrian video gaming developer in relation to its acquisition of a Canadian video game developer.
  • Acting for a multi-billion-dollar US machine tool manufacturer.
  • Acting for a Swiss railroad company in relation to multi-million-dollar acquisition of Canadian railway construction and maintenance company.

ENERGY

  • Acting for VERBIO Vereinigte BioEnergie AG in relation to multi-million asset purchase of Canada’s second largest biodiesel refinery from Atlantic Biodiesel Corporation.
  • Acting for Potentia, Canada's largest rooftop solar company, in relation to the successful multi-million dollar acquisition of 44 MW rooftop solar portfolio.
  • Acting for Canadian developer in relation to development of 157 MW ground-mount solar facility in Ghana.
  • Acting for a major Austrian wind park developer in relation to the greenfield development, acquisition, structuring, financing, construction and operation and maintenance of 180 MW of projects across Canada, including Nova Scotia (under ComFIT), and Ontario under the IESO’s FIT Program.
  • Acting for wind developer in relation to construction and take-out financing of wind power generation facility under FIT Program.
  • Acting for cooperative corporation in relation to successful private placement and take-out financing of rooftop solar portfolio comprised of 34 projects under FIT 2.1.
  • Acting for a developer in relation to the negotiation of Wind Turbine Supply & Installation Agreement and Operation & Maintenance Agreement for 100 MW of installed generating capacity.
  • Acting for a German wind park developer in relation to the sale of its 30 MW and 25 MW wind farms in Ontario in accordance with the regulatory requirements of the IESO's FIT Program and development of more than 130 MW of large-scale wind projects.
  • Acting for German vendor in relation to the sale of 65 MW pipeline of ground-mounted solar photovoltaic projects contracted under version 1.0 of the IESO’s FIT Contract.
  • Acting for German O&M provider in respect of the Grand Renewable Solar LP 130 MW DC ground-mounted solar photovoltaic project.
  • Acting for one of Germany's largest equity financiers in relation to the due diligence and acquisition of solar photovoltaic and wind project portfolios in Canada.
  • Acting as a legal counsel to numerous Canadian, US and equity financiers and developers of both small and large-scale renewable energy projects.
  • Acting for a major German developer in relation to the development, financing and commissioning of 66 MW of ground-mounted solar under the IESO's Renewable Energy Standard Offer Program.
  • Acting for a German financial institution in relation to due diligence and financing of 90 MW ground-mounted solar project pipeline.
  • Acting in relation to the development of the single largest rooftop solar project in Canada at 7.9 MW on a 2 million square foot roof.
  • Acting for a German company in relation to the engineering, procurement and construction of 150 MW of ground-mounted solar projects in Ontario under the IESO’s FIT Program.
  • Acting for a number of the world’s largest supply chain participants in the renewable energy sector, including hydro equipment suppliers, inverter, racking system, PV module and wind turbine tower manufacturers.
  • Acting for a European company in relation to its bid for the procurement and installation of equipment and the refurbishment of BC Hydro’s 126 MW John Hart Power Generation Station in Campbell River, British Columbia.
  • Acting for a major European construction conglomerate, which was awarded a $1 billion contract by Ontario Power Generation to design and construct a 10.4 kilometer hydro tunnel 140 meters below the City of Niagara Falls to transport water from the upper Niagara River to the Sir Adam Beck Power Station. This complex tunnel project is producing 1.6 GW of additional energy and increasing output by 14 percent - enough to power an additional 160,000 homes.
  • Acting for Europe's largest developer of turn-key biogas plants in relation to the development of projects in Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta, including a 2.8 MW combined heat and renewable natural gas project in Lethbridge, Alberta.
  • Acting for a multi-billion-dollar energy company from China in relation to the establishment of liquefied natural gas stations and related infrastructure for the Canadian transportation industry.
  • Acting in relation to the due diligence, structuring, financing, divesture, acquisition, construction, commissioning, operation and maintenance of more than 2.5 GW of renewable energy projects in Canada, including rooftop and ground-mounted solar projects, biogas projects, hydro projects and wind projects under the IESO's FIT Program and MicroFIT Program.

INFRASTRUCTURE & CONSTRUCTION

  • Acting for world-leading glass and metal facade builder from Germany in relation to the construction of facade work on the West Block of Parliament Hill, Brookfield Place in Calgary, the Toronto Eaton Centre pedestrian bridge and Ville Marie, Montreal. 
  • Acting for Austrian automated warehousing solutions provider in relation to its projects in Ontario and Quebec. 
  • Acting for German engineering firm in relation to the design, procurement, construction and commissioning of Canada’s largest protein processing facility in Saskatchewan. 
  • Acting for German multinational in relation to design, construction and commissioning of organic composting facility for the City of Montreal. 
  • Acting for a Danish/German multinational company in relation to the multi-million-dollar development and expansion of the new Airport Terminal in Calgary, Alberta.
  • Acting for a major German construction conglomerate in relation to the development of 15 km $564 million Southeast Collector Trunk Sewer Tunnel Project in Pickering, Ontario.
  • Acting for a major European construction conglomerate in relation to the development of 8.6 km $2.6 billion Toronto Transit Commission Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension Project.
  • Acting for a Swiss/Austrian railway construction and maintenance consortium in relation to tendering, construction, maintenance and refurbishment of Metrolinx, Via Rail, CNR and CP rail lines.
  • Acting for a world leading logistics solutions provider from Germany. The client was contracted by one of Canada's leading grocery retailers, to design, commission and service the software, electronics and machinery of 500,000 square foot, state-of-the-art automated distribution centres in Ontario and Quebec. This multi-million-dollar project also required our firm to assist in relation to the transfer to Canada of approximately 320 foreign workers from Europe and the USA.
  • Acting for a US construction and engineering contractor in relation to ground freezing of major aquifer at Suncor Energy’s Fort Hills Oil Sands Project in Alberta.
  • Providing advice to clients with respect to the construction lien and builder's lien acts.
  • Assisting clients in drafting stipulated price contracts, guaranteed maximum price contracts, design build contracts and construction management contracts and negotiation of supplementary conditions to standard Canadian Construction Documents Committee and Canadian Construction Association documents.

Community Involvement

Canadian German Chamber of Industry and Commerce
Danish Canadian Chamber of Commerce (Board member)
Canadian Renewable Energy Association
Member of Cross Border Business Lawyers (CBBL)

Recent Presentations & Publications

  • Wind Energy: The Danish & Canadian Experience, Danish Canadian Chamber of Commerce Newsletter, Winter 2009, p. 14-15.
  • Produkthaftung in Kanada. (Product Liability in Canada) Handbuch Internationale Produkthaftung: Produktsicherheit in den wichtigsten Märkten weltweit. Köln, Bundesanzeiger Verlag, 2009, pp. 130-135 (co-author).
  • Handelsvertretung in Kanada. (Agency Law in Canada) Handbuch Internationales Handelsvertreterrecht: Wettbewerbsvorteil auf ausländischen Märkten. Köln, Bundesanzeiger Verlag, in print., 2007, pp. 165 - 170 (co-author).
  • The Liablity of Directors and Officers and Establishing of Business in Canada; Presentation for the Danish, Swedish and Norwegian General Consulats, Chambers of Commerce and Trade Missions together with David E. Clark; April 30, 2009.
  • Green Energy Act Presents New Business Opportunities in Ontario, December 3, 2010 (co-author).
  • Recent Developments arising under Ontario's Green Energy Act, October 18, 2010.
  • Financing of Solar Projects: Essentials of Legal Due Diligence under the OPA's FIT Programm – Presentation at the 4th Canadian - German Solar PV Conference Presentation on Boosting Renewable Energy in Ontario, March 2, 2011.
  • Risks, Challenges and Opportunities for Wind Industry Participants under Ontario's FIT Programm. - Presentation at the Hannover Messe 2011, April 7, 2011.
  • Legal Aspects regarding Joint Ventures and Cooperations with Canadian Companies - Presentation at the 7th Styrian Export Day in Graz, May 24, 2011.
  • Canada: Big Land, Big Opportunities - Entry into the Market in Canada: Regulatory Framework regarding the Entry into the Market in Canada; Presentation at the Chamber of Industry and Trade, Germany, March 26, 2012.
  • Bright days ahead for manufacturers plugged into renewable energy - Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters' Magazine, September 2012 (Co-author)
  • Solar in Ontario: Next Steps Under FIT 2.0 and Looking Beyond Ontario's Long-Term Energy Plan, CANSIA Solar Canada 2012 Conference (December 4, 2012).
  • Canada vs. Germany: The Ins and Outs of Business and Employment Law in Canada. Presentation for Wirtschaftsjunioren, Germany, May 30, 2013.
  • Employment Law in Canada: Contracts, Termination of Employment and Anti-Discrimination. Cross Border Business Lawyers Annual Conference, Munich, Germany, June 7, 2013.
  • Rechtliche Aspekte beim Export von Produkten nach Kanada (Legal Issues regarding the Export of Products to Canada) Webinar, Canadian German Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Toronto, March 4, 2015.
  • Rechtliches Update, Visaproblematik, Firmengründung, Produkthaftung in Kanada (Legal Update - Visa Issues, Establishing a Subsidiary, Product Liability in Canada) - Presentation at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Würzburg, Germany, April 22, 2015.
  • Canada-European Union (EU) Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) - Implications of Agreement for Importation of Food Products to Canada - Austrian Showcase for Food and Beverages, April 10, 2017
  • Machinery and Equipment Supply and Commissioning - Immigration requirements applicable to machinery and equipment commissioning in Canada and the U.S.A. - Austrian Trade Commission , October 11, 2017. 
  • Legal Considerations Applicable to Carrying on Business in Canada - Presentation for Norwegian, Danish and Swedish Trade Commissions, April 19, 2018. 

Service Areas

Corporate & Commercial

Construction & Infrastructure Law

Employment Law

Immigration

Mergers & Acquisitions

Renewable Energy

European Practice Group

Investment in Canada

Education

Studies in German and European law Ludwig-Maximilians-University (Munich); University of Passau
LL.B. Université de Moncton (in French)
B.A. (International Studies) Glendon College, York University

Professional Membership(s)

Admitted to the Ontario Bar (Law Society of Ontario), 2007
Canadian Bar Association


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