Sam is a problem solver. Drawing on his years of experience and pragmatic nature, he addresses clients’ financing and lending issues both in Canada and abroad. He has a reputation for finding practical solutions to difficult problems and is always striving to make deals work for all parties involved. He is an expert in Caribbean banking and, with great local connections, is a go-to advisor for many of North America’s largest financial institutions active in the region.
Sam is a member of the firm's Financial Services Group and has extensive experience in project finance, syndicated lending, asset-based lending, cannabis lending, precious metals lending, restructuring, leasing, derivatives, asset-backed commercial paper, structured finance, and public and private bond financing. Focusing on unusual, often multi-jurisdictional, secured lending transactions, he provides corporate, regulatory and transactional advice to some of the largest financial institutions in North America. Sam has extensive experience in drafting and commenting on over-the-counter swap documentation and other bespoke derivative transactions.
He began his career with the law department of one of Canada's leading commercial banks and later transitioned into the banking, restructuring and structured finance areas of private practice. He has a strong understanding of business as well as the accounting, tax and regulatory environments in which his clients work.
Sam’s broad experience and practical approach allow him to provide proactive and effective advice to clients in all areas of financial services. He has developed an expertise in assisting financial institutions restructure exposures to struggling resorts, hotels and other hospitality-related businesses in the Caribbean.
Professional Involvement
Memberships
- American Bankruptcy Institute
- Canadian Bond Investors' Association
"State of the Canadian CRE Market," Altus Connect Conference, September 2024.
"Real Estate in Distress and Workouts," Presentation to RBC Special Loans, July 2024.
"Real Estate in Distress and a Taste of Current Issues," BMO Seminar, April 2024.
"Cross-Border and Other Issues in Canada’s Cannabis Sector," CIBC Presentation, July 2019.
"Cross Border Issues, Lending and Insolvency in Canada’s Cannabis Sector," RBC Presentation, June 2019.
"Trump, Tomahawks and Trade," The Risk Management Association’s Annual Meeting of the Senior Workout Officers in Canada, June 2017.
"Unique Challenges Faced by Creditors and Other Stakeholders Involved in Resort Insolvencies in the Caribbean Region," ABI Cross-Border Insolvency Program, November 2016.
Sam has written several articles related to the asset-backed commercial paper market, the credit crisis of 2007 as well as a series of articles on carbon trading. His paper titled "Credit Crisis and Commercial Lending" prepared for the Canadian Institute and another paper titled "The CDS Contagion," published in The National Banking Law Review, June 2009 edition explored the roots of the credit crisis of 2007. He has also written extensively on the challenges faced by international lenders when realizing on security in the Caribbean region and on emerging issues faced by accounting firms in public company mandates. Sam has spoken on the Trump Presidency and Trade to the Restructuring Management Association. In 2024, he authored a Lexpert article on distress in the Canadian real estate development industry.