Chima is a partner in the Emerging and High Growth Companies Group of our Montreal office and Chair of Osler's Venture Fund Group. He practices corporate and securities law with an emphasis on private equity/venture capital fund formations and investments, emerging companies, corporate finance and private mergers and acquisitions.
Chima has acted for various private equity and venture capital funds in connection with their structuring and formation. He also has experience advising pension funds in connection with their investments in Canadian and international private equity funds. Chima regularly advises emerging companies at all stages of growth as well as the venture capital funds and other investors that finance them. He has also acted for corporations and investment banks in connection with corporate finance transactions and has extensive experience advising buyers and sellers in connection with acquisitions and dispositions of shares and assets.
In 2020 Chima was recognized as a Lexpert Rising Star: Leading Lawyers Under 40.
Representative Work
- Vertu Capital
Vertu Capital in its acquisition of PathFactory
- FlexPay
FlexPay in its $6 million late seed round led by Impression Ventures
- Untether AI & Radical Ventures
Untether AI in its $20 million Series A financing with Radical Ventures
- Sensibill Inc & Radical Ventures
Sensibill in its $41 million Series B capital raise
- Xanadu Quantum Technologies Inc.
Xanadu Quantum Technologies Inc. raises $32 million Series A for Quantum Cloud Computing Platform.
- Innovobot Inc.
Innovobot in its investment in Heyday Technologies
- iNovia Capital
iNovia Capital in its $796 million financing for two new venture funds
- MindBeacon Software Inc.
MindBeacon Software Inc. in its Series A Financing Round
- Integrate.ai and Portag3 Ventures
Integrate.ai in its Financing Round of US$30 million
- Finaeo Inc. and Impression Ventures
Finaeo in its Seed financing round of $2.25 million
- Element AI Inc.
Element AI in its $137 million Series A financing
- Luxury Retreats International Inc.
Represented Luxury Retreats International Inc. in its acquisition by Airbnb Inc.
- Blockstream Corporation
Blockstream Corporation in its $55 million Series A Financing
- CTI Capital
CTI Capital in the $134 million Initial Closing of its Venture Capital Fund
- iNovia Capital Inc., in connection with the formation of its new venture capital fund, iNovia Investment Fund 2015, which raised $175,000,000.
- Information Venture Partners, in connection with the formation of its new venture capital fund, Information Venture Partners II, which raised $72,500,000 at its initial closing.
- HarbourVest Partners in connection with the formation of HarbourVest Canada Growth Fund, a venture capital fund of funds formed as part of the Government of Canada’s Venture Capital Action Plan. The fund raised $197 million at its initial closing.
- TPG Capital LP in connection with its agreement to form a partnership (with Fosun, Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec and Guy Laliberté) and to acquire the Cirque du Soleil (the largest private equity deal in Québec in 2015).
- Blockstream Corporation in connection with Seed and Class A preferred share financings.
- H.I.G. Capital, in connection with the acquisition of ATX Networks Corporation.
- Formation of the following private equity / venture capital funds: Teralys Capital Fund of Funds, Rho Canada Ventures II, Persistence Capital Partners, Lumira Capital II, Merck Lumira Biosciences Fund, iNovia Investment Fund III, TVM Life Science Ventures VII, Réal Investment Fund (Real Ventures), CTI Life Sciences Fund and others.
- TELUS Corporation in connection with its 2015 acquisition of a 20% interest in Alithya, a Quebec based IT and consulting services provider.
- Rho Capital, iNovia Capital, Real Ventures, BDC Capital, Cycle Capital, in several equity and debt investments in emerging companies.
- Chemtrade Logistics Income Fund in connection with the sale of its Montreal East sulphur removal and compliance services business to Suncor Energy Products Inc. for $120 million.
- J.P. Morgan and the other initial purchasers in connection with private placements by New Gold Inc. of US$300 million and US$500 million senior notes in the United States and Canada
- MEGA Brands Inc. in connection with its US$460 million acquisition by Mattel.
- TELUS Corporation in connection with the 2012 acquisitions of privately held KinLogix, the largest provider of cloud-based Electronic Medical Records (EMR) in Quebec, and of Wolf Medical Systems, Canada’s leading EMR solution provider.
- MEGA Brands Inc. in a recapitalization under the Canada Business Corporations Act including a debt reduction of approximately US$290 million; a public bought deal of subscription receipts in an amount of $110 million and a US$121.25 million private placement of common shares, debentures and warrants.
- March Networks Corporation, World Color Press Inc., Tim Horton’s Inc., Miranda Technologies Inc., Kinross Gold Corporation, NOVA Chemicals Corporation, TELUS Corporation and Groupe CVTech Inc., among other issuers, in the preparation and implementation of shareholder rights plans and defense planning.
Vertu Capital in its acquisition of PathFactory
FlexPay in its $6 million late seed round led by Impression Ventures
Untether AI in its $20 million Series A financing with Radical Ventures
Sensibill in its $41 million Series B capital raise
Xanadu Quantum Technologies Inc. raises $32 million Series A for Quantum Cloud Computing Platform.
- Innovobot Inc.
Innovobot in its investment in Heyday Technologies
- iNovia Capital
iNovia Capital in its $796 million financing for two new venture funds
- MindBeacon Software Inc.
MindBeacon Software Inc. in its Series A Financing Round
- Integrate.ai and Portag3 Ventures
Integrate.ai in its Financing Round of US$30 million
- Finaeo Inc. and Impression Ventures
Finaeo in its Seed financing round of $2.25 million
- Element AI Inc.
Element AI in its $137 million Series A financing
- Luxury Retreats International Inc.
Represented Luxury Retreats International Inc. in its acquisition by Airbnb Inc.
- Blockstream Corporation
Blockstream Corporation in its $55 million Series A Financing
- CTI Capital
CTI Capital in the $134 million Initial Closing of its Venture Capital Fund
- iNovia Capital Inc., in connection with the formation of its new venture capital fund, iNovia Investment Fund 2015, which raised $175,000,000.
- Information Venture Partners, in connection with the formation of its new venture capital fund, Information Venture Partners II, which raised $72,500,000 at its initial closing.
- HarbourVest Partners in connection with the formation of HarbourVest Canada Growth Fund, a venture capital fund of funds formed as part of the Government of Canada’s Venture Capital Action Plan. The fund raised $197 million at its initial closing.
- TPG Capital LP in connection with its agreement to form a partnership (with Fosun, Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec and Guy Laliberté) and to acquire the Cirque du Soleil (the largest private equity deal in Québec in 2015).
- Blockstream Corporation in connection with Seed and Class A preferred share financings.
- H.I.G. Capital, in connection with the acquisition of ATX Networks Corporation.
- Formation of the following private equity / venture capital funds: Teralys Capital Fund of Funds, Rho Canada Ventures II, Persistence Capital Partners, Lumira Capital II, Merck Lumira Biosciences Fund, iNovia Investment Fund III, TVM Life Science Ventures VII, Réal Investment Fund (Real Ventures), CTI Life Sciences Fund and others.
- TELUS Corporation in connection with its 2015 acquisition of a 20% interest in Alithya, a Quebec based IT and consulting services provider.
- Rho Capital, iNovia Capital, Real Ventures, BDC Capital, Cycle Capital, in several equity and debt investments in emerging companies.
- Chemtrade Logistics Income Fund in connection with the sale of its Montreal East sulphur removal and compliance services business to Suncor Energy Products Inc. for $120 million.
- J.P. Morgan and the other initial purchasers in connection with private placements by New Gold Inc. of US$300 million and US$500 million senior notes in the United States and Canada
- MEGA Brands Inc. in connection with its US$460 million acquisition by Mattel.
- TELUS Corporation in connection with the 2012 acquisitions of privately held KinLogix, the largest provider of cloud-based Electronic Medical Records (EMR) in Quebec, and of Wolf Medical Systems, Canada’s leading EMR solution provider.
- MEGA Brands Inc. in a recapitalization under the Canada Business Corporations Act including a debt reduction of approximately US$290 million; a public bought deal of subscription receipts in an amount of $110 million and a US$121.25 million private placement of common shares, debentures and warrants.
- March Networks Corporation, World Color Press Inc., Tim Horton’s Inc., Miranda Technologies Inc., Kinross Gold Corporation, NOVA Chemicals Corporation, TELUS Corporation and Groupe CVTech Inc., among other issuers, in the preparation and implementation of shareholder rights plans and defense planning.
Awards and Recognition
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Chambers Canada: Canada’s Leading Lawyers for Business: Recognized in Investment Funds: Fund Formation
-
The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory: Recognized in Investment Funds & Asset Management
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Lexpert Rising Stars: Leading Lawyers Under 40: Recognized as a Rising Star (2020)
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Best Lawyers in Canada: Recognized in Mergers and Acquisitions Law; Private Funds Law; “Lawyer of the Year”, Private Funds Law
Media Mentions
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Osler News August 8, 2022
Osler’s Emerging and High Growth Companies practice launches Venture Fund Group
Osler’s Emerging and High Growth Practice is proud to announce the formation of a dedicated Venture Fund Group.
Read more -
Osler News August 26, 2021
Osler recognized in 2022 edition of Best Lawyers Canada
Osler is proud to announce that 168 of our lawyers have been recognized in the 2022 Best Lawyers Canada rankings
Read more -
Osler News February 19, 2021
Lexpert recognizes 21 Osler lawyers as technology leaders
Osler is pleased to announce 21 of our lawyers have been recognized as leading lawyers in the Lexpert Special Edition: Technology 2021.
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Osler News November 16, 2020
Alex Gorka and Chima Ubani recognized as Lexpert Rising Stars: Leading Lawyers Under 40
Osler is pleased to congratulate Alex Gorka and Chima Ubani for being recognized as 2020 Lexpert Rising Stars: Leading Lawyers Under 40.
Read more
Speaking and Writing
Published Work
- COVID-19 – Private equity and venture capital fund considerations, Osler Update, Mar 23, 2020.
- VC and PE firm codes of conduct , Osler Update, July 25, 2017.
- The ABCs of selling a business, Montreal Gazette, December 17, 2010.
- Getting over the hurdle: Understanding private equity funds, Montreal Gazette, November 17, 2010.
Credentials
Education
- McGill University, LL.B/B.C.L.
- McGill University, B.Sc. (Biochemistry)
Languages
- French
- English
Professional Affiliations
- Barreau du Québec
- Canadian Bar Association
