Elias Benhamou is a partner in the Commercial Real Estate, Corporate/Commercial, Life Sciences, Mergers & Acquisitions and Structured Finance practices. His practice focuses principally on secured (syndicated) lending, structured financing and asset-based lending, on behalf of borrowers and lenders, as well as on commercial real estate acquisitions, development, construction and leasing. The balance of his practice consists of diverse commercial transactions such as joint ventures, private mergers and acquisitions and the negotiation of research, licence and collaboration agreements on behalf of biotech companies. In addition, he is the coordinator of the Montréal office’s Commercial Real Estate group and sits on the firm’s committees on opinions, associate evaluation and space planning.
Elias has implemented secured financings in connection with several large merger and acquisition transactions and takeovers and in connection with acquisitions of mortgage and real estate portfolios across Canada.
Representative Work
- Acted for Industrial Alliance Insurance and Financial Services, Inc. which with a major financial partner each acquired a 50% interest from SITQ National Inc. in the building located at 1981 McGill College Avenue in Montréal, Québec.
- Acted for Cominar REIT on its acquisition of SITQ's interest in the building located at 2001 McGill College Avenue in Montréal, Québec in a deal valued at $165 million.
- Acted for Mirlaw Investments Ltd. in the sale of Complex Place Crémazie located in Montréal to 9197-3586 Québec Inc.
- Acted for Cominar REIT in its $592 million acquisition of 6.5 million square feet of office and industrial properties from Homburg Invest Inc., representing approximately 72% of the leasable space acquired by Homburg in its purchase of Alexis Nihon REIT.
- Acted for MethylGene Inc. in connection with the entering into of a Collaborative Research, Development and Commercialization Agreement for its histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors with Pharmion Corporation in North America, Europe, the Middle East and certain other markets. This transaction was valued at up to US$272 million and was thought to be the largest early stage biotechnology pact in Canada.
Recognition
- Recognized repeatedly in the Canadian Legal LEXPERT Directory as a recommended practitioner in property development.
- Listed in The Best Lawyers in Canada in the field of real estate law.
- Received one of the highest ratings given by Martindale-Hubbell.
Speaking EngagementsElias is often called upon as a lecturer and panellist.
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