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Neil Ezra Hazan

Partner

Montréal
[email protected]
514.954.2511

Expertise

Nathalie Michaud

Practice Assistant

Montréal
[email protected]
514.954.2555 x27223

Neil’s practice is focused on cross-border mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance and joint ventures. He also assists businesses with their expansion into Canada and advises on local and international agency and distribution agreements.

Neil regularly advises strategic and private equity buyers in diverse industries on Canadian and international platform and bolt-on acquisitions.

Testimonials

Chambers Canada

"I have been consistently happy with their performance, particularly that of Neil Hazan, who is the partner I most rely upon."

Chambers Canada

"He’s one of [BLG’s] key guys."

Chambers Canada

"He is bright, hardworking, sensitive to his clients’ needs and also good at working with the other side to come to a negotiated agreement."

Experience

  • Acted for New York City based private equity firm Achieve Partners in its investment in Toronto and Philadelphia based Ascend Partners, a provider of enterprise performance management (EPM) technology.
  • Advised industrial heater manufacturer Wattco Inc. and its shareholders on its sale to an affiliate of U.K. engineering company Smiths Group plc.
  • Advised Davie in connection with its acquisition of the assets of Finland's Helsinki Shipyard Oy, a landmark transaction in the Arctic shipbuilding space, including the negotiation of $110 million (€77 million) in equity and debt financing from the Québec government.
  • Advised Pennsylvania-based Frontage Laboratories, Inc. in connection with the acquisition of Nucro-Technics, a pharmaceutical contract research organization.
  • Advised the shareholders of Gibbys, an iconic Montréal steakhouse, in connection with the sale of Gibbys to restuarant group, Grandio Group.
  • Advised Kongsberg, Inc., a Canadian affiliate of Kongsberg Automotive (OSE: KOA.OL) in connection with the carve-out and sale of its powersport business to an affiliate of BRP Inc.
  • Advised LA-based Marlin Equity Partners and its portfolio company Skuid in connection with the acquisition of employee experience platform company InFlight.
  • Advised The New York Times on Canadian matters in connection with its US$550 million acquisition of The Athletic.
  • Advised MACH Capital in connection with its acquisition of approximately $1.5 billion of retail and office properties from Cominar REIT. 
  • Advised Atlanta-based East West Manufacturing in connection with its acquisition of Varitron Group.
  • Advised Playtika Holding Corp, a leading mobile gaming company and monetization platform, in US$1.9 billion initial public offering.
  • Advised the founders and shareholders of Bad Monkey Popcorn in connection with its sale to an investor group led by Champlain Capital Corporation.
  • Advised Triple M Metal in connection with its joint venture with ArcelorMittal Long Products Canada to create Integrated Metal Recycling Inc.
  • Advised private equity firm MACH Capital in connection with its acquisition of outdoor equipment retailer La Cordée Plein Air following the approval of the Québec Superior Court.
  • Advised VetStrategy in connection with Berkshire Partners’ acquisition of a majority stake in VetStrategy from Imperial Capital with a deal value of over US$1 billion.
  • Advised Revision Military Inc. and its affiliates in connection with the carve-out and sale of its global eyewear business.
  • Advised LA-based private equity firm PMC Capital Group in connection with its acquisition of StyroChem Canada, a leading manufacturer of expandable polystyrene grades used in food service, packaging, construction, casting and speciality applications.
  • Advised Indiana-based Elanco Animal Health in connection with its acquisition of biotechnology company Prevtec Microbia Inc.
  • Advised Illinois-based Hilco Global, an independent financial services group, in connection with La Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec's acquisition of a 27% stake in Hilco.
  • Advised Textiles Amalgamated Inc. and its shareholders, including Capital régional et coopératif Desjardins, in connection with the sale of the company to Town & Country Holdings, an H.I.G. Capital Portfolio Company.
  • Advised QuintilesIMS regarding its acquisition of STI Technologies Limited, an outsourced pharma services and tech provider, from private equity firm Imperial Capital Group.
  • Advised HollyFrontier Corporation regarding its acquisition of Suncor Energy's Petro-Canada Lubricants business for C$1.125 billion.
  • Advised Caesars Interactive Entertainment regarding its US$4.4 billion sale of its Playtika social and mobile games business to Alpha Frontier Limited.

Beyond Our Walls

Professional Involvement

  • Member of the Québec Bar
  • Member of the New York State Bar
  • Director of the Lord Reading Law Society since 2009

Community Involvement

  • Director of Federation CJA between 2015 to 2021
  • Co-chair of the 2010-2011, 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 CJA Leadership Development Course
  • Co-chair of a $400,000 fundraising campaign benefitting the Paul-André Crépeau Centre for Private and Comparative Law (McGill University Law School)
  • Volunteer, BLG Reads to Kids, 2005-present

Awards & Recognitions

  • Recognized in the 2025 edition (and since 2024) of Best Lawyers in Canada (Corporate Law) and since 2020 (Mergers and Acquisitions Law)
  • Recognized in the 2024 (and since 2021) edition of Lexpert Special Edition: Finance and M&A
  • Recognized in the 2024 edition (and since 2023) of The Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory (Private Equity), in the 2024 edition (and since 2017) (Corporate Mid-Market), in the 2024 edition (Mergers & Acquisitions) and in the 2021 edition (Corporate Commercial Law).
  • Recognized in the 2022 edition (and since 2019) of IFLR1000 – The Guide to the World's Leading Financial Law Firms (Private Equity)
  • Winner of BLG Montréal’s 2018 Mentor of the Year Award

Bar Admission & Education

  • Québec, 2005
  • New York State, 2003
  • BCL/LLB, McGill University, 2002
  • Graduate Diploma in Management, McGill University, 1999
  • BA, McGill University, 1997