François is a partner in the firm’s Business Law Department, and is the Managing Partner of Osler’s Montreal office. He has been nationally recognized as a leading capital markets and U.S/Canada cross-border lawyer in Canada and has been named a “Rising Star” (top 40 under 40) and a “Leading Lawyer to Watch” in the area of Corporate Finance and Securities in Lexpert.
François’ specializes in Canadian and cross-border capital markets, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and private equity transactions, including representing various public and private companies across different industries, with an emphasis on technology and life sciences, and as well as large institutions, investment funds and investment banks. His extensive experience of over 20 years includes acting on in a variety of matters including public offerings and private placements, going private transactions, mergers and acquisitions (both negotiated and unsolicited), large restructurings and governance matters.
Notable matters on which Francois has been involved include:
IPOs and go-public transactions: Bausch & Lomb, Groupe Dynamite, Dialogue Health, Alithya, Mindbeacon, DavidsTea.
M&A: CAE acquisition of military business from Bombardier, sale of interest in Innocap by National Bank, acquisition of Ren’s Pets by Groupe Mondou, acquisitions by Vosker, Alithya, SherWeb and Dilawri, sale of BonLook (acting for founders) and sale of Sharethrough (acting for founders).
Other significant public issuer and governance work: Hydro-Québec, Xebec, Neptune Wellness, Acasti Pharma.
Areas of Expertise
Representative Work
- Neptune Wellness Solutions
Neptune Wellness Solutions in the $5.15M sale of its cannabis business to PurCann Pharma
- Knowlton Development Corporation
The Underwriters in connection with the proposed IPO of Knowlton Development Corporation
- Lightspeed Commerce Inc.
The Underwriters in Lightspeed Commerce Inc.’s US$823.5 million public offering (including full exercise of the over-allotment option)
- The Legault Group
Mondou in its acquisition of Ren’s Pets
- Acasti Pharma Inc.
Acasti in its definitive agreement to acquire Grace Therapeutics
- Dialogue Health Technologies Inc.
Dialogue in its $100 million IPO - Xebec Adsorption Inc.
Xebec Adsorption Inc. in its bought deal public offering and concurrent private placement of subscription receipts and its acquisition of Green Vision Holding B.V., the parent company of HyGear Technology and Services B.V. - MindBeacon
IPO of MindBeacon Holdings Inc. - Milestone Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Milestone Pharmaceuticals Inc. in its $45 million public offering - Alithya Group Inc.
Alithya in its acquisition of Matricis - Milestone Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Milestone Pharmaceuticals Inc. in its US$82.5 million initial public offering - Fairstone Financial Inc.
Fairstone Financial Inc. in connection with its US$300 million note offering - Neptune Wellness Solutions Inc.
Neptune Wellness Solutions in its proposed acquisition of SugarLeaf for up to US$150 million - Lightspeed POS
The Underwriters in connection with Lightspeed POS’ $276 million IPO - CAE Inc.
CAE Inc. in its acquisition of Bombardier’s Business Aircraft Training (BAT) business for US$645 million - Acasti Pharma Inc.
Acasti Pharma Inc. in connection with its underwritten public offering of units for aggregate gross proceeds of $11.5 million - Alithya Group Inc.
Alithya Group Inc., in its going public transaction by way of a business combination with Edgewater Technology, Inc. and completion of a $52.8 million concurrent private placement - Acasti Pharma Inc.
Acasti Pharma Inc. in its Over-Allotment Option for its Public Offering of Common Shares - Neptune Technologies & Bioressources Inc.
Neptune Technologies & Bioressources Inc. in connection with closing US$34 million transaction with Aker Biomarine Antarctic AS to accelerate business and industry development - Nobel Real Estate Investment Trust
Nobel Real Estate Investment Trust in relation to its combination with Edgefront REIT - DAVIDsTEA
DAVIDsTEA in its initial public offering for aggregate gross proceeds to the company of $64.9 million - Syndicate of underwriters consisting of UBS Securities LLC, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., BMO Capital Markets Corp., Mitsubishi UFJ Securities (USA), Inc., RBC Capital Markets, LLC, Wells Fargo Securities, LLC and The Williams Capital Group, L.P. in connection with an offering of US$2.5 billion Class B common stock of Molson Coors Brewing Company
- Valeant Pharmaceuticals in its friendly bids to acquire Salix Pharmaceuticals for US$15.8 billion, as well as related equity and debt financings
- CAE Inc. in its $19.8 million acquisition of the shares and assets of the military aviation training business of Bombardier Inc.
- Teralys Capital Innovation Fund in the structuring and formation of a private equity fund of funds focused on investing in the technology and life sciences sectors
- Acasti Pharma Inc. in its US $23 million cross-border public offering of units comprised of common shares and warrants
- SherWeb, a world-leading provider of email and collaboration hosted solutions and a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, in connection with its acquisition of the DNAmail division of DSL Extreme, a privately held retail brand of IKANO Communications, Inc.
- Gaz Métro Limited Partnership in connection with the reorganization of its public ownership structure into a new publicly listed corporation named Valener Inc. which owns an economic interest of approximately 29% in Gaz Métro
- Valener Inc. in connection with its $40.5 million public equity offering.
- Gaz Métro Limited Partnership in connection with numerous public offerings of debt and equity securities, as well as asset divestitures
- CANMARC Real Estate Investment Trust (formerly Homburg Canada Real Estate
- Investment Trust) in connection with its $160 million initial public offering and listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange
- CANMARC Real Estate Investment Trust and Homburg Invest Inc. in connection with numerous public unit offerings
- Homburg Invest Inc. in connection with proposals by its majority shareholder and its restructuring under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act
- Goldman, Sachs & Co., Morgan Stanley, BofA Merrill Lynch, RBC Capital Markets and other initial purchasers in connection with an offering of US$5 billion principal amount of senior notes by CDP Financial Inc., the financing arm of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec
- National Bank Financial, BMO Nesbitt Burns, RBC Capital Markets and the other dealers in connection with an offering of $2 billion principal amount of senior notes by CDP Financial Inc., the financing arm of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec
- CGE Resources Québec 2011 L.P., a flow-through fund investing in mining and resources issuers, in connection with its initial public offering
- An underwriting syndicate in connection with a $75 million public offering of convertible subordinated debentures by Atrium Innovations Inc.
- Sherweb Inc. in connection with its American acquisition of DNAmail, a division of DSL Extreme, a retail brand privately held by IKANO Communications, Inc., and business agreements entered into by Sherweb
-
Neptune Wellness Solutions in the $5.15M sale of its cannabis business to PurCann Pharma
The Underwriters in connection with the proposed IPO of Knowlton Development Corporation
The Underwriters in Lightspeed Commerce Inc.’s US$823.5 million public offering (including full exercise of the over-allotment option)
Mondou in its acquisition of Ren’s Pets
Acasti in its definitive agreement to acquire Grace Therapeutics
- Dialogue Health Technologies Inc.
Dialogue in its $100 million IPO - Xebec Adsorption Inc.
Xebec Adsorption Inc. in its bought deal public offering and concurrent private placement of subscription receipts and its acquisition of Green Vision Holding B.V., the parent company of HyGear Technology and Services B.V. - MindBeacon
IPO of MindBeacon Holdings Inc. - Milestone Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Milestone Pharmaceuticals Inc. in its $45 million public offering - Alithya Group Inc.
Alithya in its acquisition of Matricis - Milestone Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Milestone Pharmaceuticals Inc. in its US$82.5 million initial public offering - Fairstone Financial Inc.
Fairstone Financial Inc. in connection with its US$300 million note offering - Neptune Wellness Solutions Inc.
Neptune Wellness Solutions in its proposed acquisition of SugarLeaf for up to US$150 million - Lightspeed POS
The Underwriters in connection with Lightspeed POS’ $276 million IPO - CAE Inc.
CAE Inc. in its acquisition of Bombardier’s Business Aircraft Training (BAT) business for US$645 million - Acasti Pharma Inc.
Acasti Pharma Inc. in connection with its underwritten public offering of units for aggregate gross proceeds of $11.5 million - Alithya Group Inc.
Alithya Group Inc., in its going public transaction by way of a business combination with Edgewater Technology, Inc. and completion of a $52.8 million concurrent private placement - Acasti Pharma Inc.
Acasti Pharma Inc. in its Over-Allotment Option for its Public Offering of Common Shares - Neptune Technologies & Bioressources Inc.
Neptune Technologies & Bioressources Inc. in connection with closing US$34 million transaction with Aker Biomarine Antarctic AS to accelerate business and industry development - Nobel Real Estate Investment Trust
Nobel Real Estate Investment Trust in relation to its combination with Edgefront REIT - DAVIDsTEA
DAVIDsTEA in its initial public offering for aggregate gross proceeds to the company of $64.9 million - Syndicate of underwriters consisting of UBS Securities LLC, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., BMO Capital Markets Corp., Mitsubishi UFJ Securities (USA), Inc., RBC Capital Markets, LLC, Wells Fargo Securities, LLC and The Williams Capital Group, L.P. in connection with an offering of US$2.5 billion Class B common stock of Molson Coors Brewing Company
- Valeant Pharmaceuticals in its friendly bids to acquire Salix Pharmaceuticals for US$15.8 billion, as well as related equity and debt financings
- CAE Inc. in its $19.8 million acquisition of the shares and assets of the military aviation training business of Bombardier Inc.
- Teralys Capital Innovation Fund in the structuring and formation of a private equity fund of funds focused on investing in the technology and life sciences sectors
- Acasti Pharma Inc. in its US $23 million cross-border public offering of units comprised of common shares and warrants
- SherWeb, a world-leading provider of email and collaboration hosted solutions and a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, in connection with its acquisition of the DNAmail division of DSL Extreme, a privately held retail brand of IKANO Communications, Inc.
- Gaz Métro Limited Partnership in connection with the reorganization of its public ownership structure into a new publicly listed corporation named Valener Inc. which owns an economic interest of approximately 29% in Gaz Métro
- Valener Inc. in connection with its $40.5 million public equity offering.
- Gaz Métro Limited Partnership in connection with numerous public offerings of debt and equity securities, as well as asset divestitures
- CANMARC Real Estate Investment Trust (formerly Homburg Canada Real Estate
- Investment Trust) in connection with its $160 million initial public offering and listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange
- CANMARC Real Estate Investment Trust and Homburg Invest Inc. in connection with numerous public unit offerings
- Homburg Invest Inc. in connection with proposals by its majority shareholder and its restructuring under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act
- Goldman, Sachs & Co., Morgan Stanley, BofA Merrill Lynch, RBC Capital Markets and other initial purchasers in connection with an offering of US$5 billion principal amount of senior notes by CDP Financial Inc., the financing arm of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec
- National Bank Financial, BMO Nesbitt Burns, RBC Capital Markets and the other dealers in connection with an offering of $2 billion principal amount of senior notes by CDP Financial Inc., the financing arm of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec
- CGE Resources Québec 2011 L.P., a flow-through fund investing in mining and resources issuers, in connection with its initial public offering
- An underwriting syndicate in connection with a $75 million public offering of convertible subordinated debentures by Atrium Innovations Inc.
- Sherweb Inc. in connection with its American acquisition of DNAmail, a division of DSL Extreme, a retail brand privately held by IKANO Communications, Inc., and business agreements entered into by Sherweb
Awards and Recognition
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Chambers Canada: Canada’s Leading Lawyers for Business: Recognized in Corporate: Commercial (Québec)
-
Lexpert Rising Stars: Recognized in Canada’s Leading Lawyers Under 40
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Best Lawyers in Canada: Recognized in Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Securities Law
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IFLR 1000: The Guide to the World’s Leading Financial Law Firms: Recognized in Capital Markets: Equity; Capital markets: Debt (Highly Regarded); Canada Lawyer of the Year (Equity Capital Markets) 2021
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Euromoney LMG: Recognized in Americas Rising Star Awards: Best in Capital Markets (Shortlisted)
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The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory: Recognized in Corporate Commercial Law; Corporate Finance & Securities; Mergers & Acquisitions
Media Mentions
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Osler News June 12, 2025
François Paradis named Osler Montréal Managing Partner
Osler is proud to announce that François Paradis has been appointed as the new Managing Partner of our Montréal office. This appointment is...
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Osler News June 29, 2023
29 Osler lawyers recognized in Lexpert Special Edition: Technology and Health 2023
Congratulations to 29 of our lawyers for their inclusion in the Lexpert Special Edition: Technology and Health 2023.
Read more -
Osler News May 20, 2022
Osler advises on ‘Deal of the Year: Strategic Acquisition’ winner at M&A Awards Gala Québec 2022
Congratulations to Isabelle Lemay of the Legault Group for receiving the “Deal of the Year: Strategic Acquisition” award at the M&A Awards...
Read more -
Osler News May 4, 2022
Osler shortlisted for three ‘Deal of the Year’ M&A Awards 2022
Osler is proud to announce that we have been shortlisted for three “Deal of the Year” awards at the M&A Awards Gala 2022, reflecting our work...
Read more
Speaking and Writing
Speaking Engagements
IPO: What you need to know!
Speaker, Thursday, December 9, 2021
Réaliser une acquisition – Conseils d’experts pour mettre en place une démarche d’acquisition adaptée à vos besoins (in French only)
Speaker, Montreal, October 4, 2018
Transparency Measures in the Extractive Sector – Trends and Developments
Speaker, April 6, 2016
Recent Developments in Corporate Governance and Preparation of Your Next Shareholders’ Meeting
Speaker, Corporate Governance, Montreal, January 27, 2016
Published Work
- Quoted in Pushing for Plan Nord, Canadian Lawyer, September 2012.
Credentials
Education
- Université de Montréal, LL.B.
Languages
- French
- English
Professional Affiliations
- Barreau du Québec
- Young Bar Association of Montréal
- Canadian Bar Association
