Anita Banicevic

Partner

Anita Banicevic

Anita Banicevic

Partner

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Bar Admissions
  • Ontario, 2000

“She is totally dedicated, works hard and has great experience.” (Market Commentator – Chambers Global 2016)

Anita provides creative solutions on all aspects of critical competition and foreign investment review matters. Clients rely on her business-friendly and thoughtful approach to their complex competition cases.

Widely recognized as a leading lawyer in competition law, Anita advises on a number of the most closely watched and leading competition cases in Canada, including those in the areas of mergers, abuse of dominance, misleading advertising and criminal price-fixing investigations.

With extensive expertise in multinational mergers, she has secured Competition Act and Investment Canada Act clearance for numerous high-profile transactions of Canadian and international businesses in various industries. She regularly assists clients with contested proceedings before the courts and the Competition Tribunal, as well as negotiated resolutions and consent agreements.

Anita sits on the Executive Committee of the Competition Law Section of the Canadian Bar Association and will become chair of the section in September 2017.

Anita Banicevic

Partner

“She is totally dedicated, works hard and has great experience.” (Market Commentator – Chambers Global 2016)

Anita provides creative solutions on all aspects of critical competition and foreign investment review matters. Clients rely on her business-friendly and thoughtful approach to their complex competition cases.

Widely recognized as a leading lawyer in competition law, Anita advises on a number of the most closely watched and leading competition cases in Canada, including those in the areas of mergers, abuse of dominance, misleading advertising and criminal price-fixing investigations.

With extensive expertise in multinational mergers, she has secured Competition Act and Investment Canada Act clearance for numerous high-profile transactions of Canadian and international businesses in various industries. She regularly assists clients with contested proceedings before the courts and the Competition Tribunal, as well as negotiated resolutions and consent agreements.

Anita sits on the Executive Committee of the Competition Law Section of the Canadian Bar Association and will become chair of the section in September 2017.

Rogers Sugar Inc.

Acting for Rogers Sugar Inc. in connection with the acquisition of L.B. Maple Treat Corporation, one of the world's largest branded and private label maple syrup bottling and distribution companies, for $160.3 million.

DAK Americas LLC

Acted for DAK Americas LLC, a producer of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) resins, in connection with its acquisition of a controlling interest in Selenis Canada from IMG Group. Selenis Canada operates a PET plant in Montréal.

Stericyle Inc.

Acted as Canadian counsel for Stericycle, Inc. in its acquisition of Shred-it International, a global secure information destruction services provider, for US$2.3 billion in cash.

Bentall Kennedy (Canada) Limited Partner

Acted for the Bentall Kennedy Group, a premier real estate investment management firm operating in Canada and the United States, in its acquisition by Sun Life Financial Inc. for a purchase price of $560 million.

Rogers Communications Inc.

Acted for Rogers Communications Inc. in connection with its successful defence in closely watched misleading advertising proceedings in the Ontario Superior Court brought by the Commissioner of Competition. The case concerned comparative performance-based advertising used by Rogers in connection with its launch in 2010 of Rogers' Chatr brand. This case gave rise to a lengthy trial fought over many weeks, and involved complex expert evidence concerning the testing and operation of wireless networks as well as constitutional challenges to the misleading advertising provisions of the Competition Act.

Schlumberger Limited

Acted for Schlumberger Limited in connection with its $240-million acquisition of CE Franklin Ltd. by National Oilwell Varco by way of plan of arrangement. Schlumberger was the 56% controlling shareholder of CE Franklin, a supplier to the Canadian energy industry.

Maple Group Acquisition Corporation

Acted for Maple Group Acquisition Corporation (renamed TMX Group Limited), an entity whose shareholders consisted of five of Canada's largest pension funds, four Canadian bank-owned investment dealers, a leading independent broker dealer, Canada's largest financial co-operative group and a leading Canadian-based financial services group, in connection with its $3.8-billion acquisition of each of TMX Group Inc., The Canadian Depository for Securities Limited, Alpha Trading Systems Inc. and Alpha Trading Systems Limited Partnership, resulting in the creation of a new integrated clearing and exchange group. This deal was awarded Deal of the Year in 2012 by Lexpert magazine.

Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, Inc.

Acted for Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, Inc. on Canadian regulatory matters in connection with the $2.6 billion acquisition of Dollar Thrifty by Hertz Global Holdings, Inc. to form one of North America's largest car rental agencies. Davies also acted for Dollar Thrifty on regulatory matters arising from a rival bid for Dollar Thrifty by the Avis Budget Group Inc.

Ivanhoé Cambridge

Acted for Ivanhoé Cambridge in the sale of its five Canadian shopping centres to Primaris Retail REIT for an aggregate price of approximately $572 million.

Eurocopter Holding SAS

Acted for Eurocopter Holding SAS, a subsidiary of European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS N.V., in connection with its acquisition of Vector Aerospace Corporation in a transaction valued at $635 million by way of a takeover bid.

Ventana Gold Corp.

Acted for Ventana Gold Corp. in connection with the unsolicited $1.5-billion takeover bid by an affiliate of Eike Batista for all of the outstanding Ventana shares, which ultimately resulted in a supported transaction at a higher price.

Audley Capital

Acted for Audley Capital, the principal shareholder of Western Coal Corp., in the acquisition of Western Coal by Walter Energy Inc. Walter Energy acquired Western Coal through the initial purchase of part of Audley Capital's block and subsequent acquisition of the remaining outstanding common shares by way of plan of arrangement, with a total value of $3.3 billion.

Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, Inc.

Acted for Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, Inc. on Canadian Competition Act matters in connection with the acquisition of Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, Inc. by Avis Budget Group Inc. in a transaction valued at approximately $1.3 billion.

Amcor Limited

Acted for Amcor Limited in its acquisition of Alcan Packaging operations from Rio Tinto plc in 31 countries for approximately US$2 billion. The acquisition enhances Amcor's position as one of the world's leading packaging companies.

Mill Road Capital, L.P.

Acted for U.S.-based private equity firm Mill Road Capital, L.P. in its successful "white knight" bid for Cossette Inc. for approximately $134 million.

Canada Pipe Company Ltd.

Acted for Canada Pipe Company Ltd. before the Competition Tribunal, Federal Court of Appeal and Supreme Court of Canada with respect to the only fully contested abuse of dominance case to be decided in Canada in more than 15 years. This matter was decided in favour of Canada Pipe following a lengthy trial in the Competition Tribunal and against Canada Pipe in the Federal Court of Appeal. The matter was eventually resolved through a negotiated Consent Agreement in December 2007.

Bulletin

Suspension of Private Relief: CASL’s Private Right of Action Delayed

June 09, 2017 - Since its implementation in July 2014, Canada’s anti-spam law, or CASL, has continued to generate a fair amount of controversy due to its broad application and the availability of significant administrative monetary penalties. As we described in prior publications (The Other Shoe Drops: The...

Article

The Cartels and Leniency Review: Canada

Jan. 31, 2017 - The Competition Act (Act) is Canada’s key antitrust legislation. The stated purpose of the Act is to maintain and encourage competition in Canada to promote the efficiency and adaptability of the Canadian economy. Within this federal legislation are provisions dealing with reviewable...

Bulletin

Canada Lowers the Wall to Foreign Investment

Nov. 11, 2016 - At a time when trade globalization is attracting new controversy, the Canadian government has taken steps to encourage increased foreign investment in Canada. These measures promise a more attractive and welcoming foreign investment climate. First, the Canadian government has announced that one of...

Article

Chemical Reaction: Canada and United States Differ on Industrial Review

Aug. 03, 2016 - Over the years, Canada’s Competition Bureau (Bureau) has developed a close working relationship with its counterpart agencies in the United States, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) as agency coordination can lead to consistent...

Guide

Investment Canada Act: Guide for Foreign Investors in Canada, 2016 Edition

June 08, 2016 - The regulatory landscape for foreign investments in Canada is constantly evolving. As a regular adviser on matters relating to the ICA, Davies has updated this informative guide for foreign investors and their advisers, which provides an overview of the ICA and how it is applied. Topics addressed...

Chambers Global: The World’s Leading Lawyers for Business—Competition/Antitrust

Chambers Canada: Canada’s Leading Lawyers for Business—Competition/Antitrust; Advertising

GCR’s Women in Antitrust 2016

GCR 100 Canada: A Guide to the World’s Leading Competition Law and Economics Practices

Global Competition Review’s “40 Under 40” (2012)

Report on Business/Lexpert Special Edition Canada’s Leading Litigation Lawyers

Lexpert Guide to the Leading US/Canada Cross-Border Corporate Lawyers in Canada—Competition Law

Lexpert Guide to the Leading US/Canada Cross-Border Litigation Lawyers in Canada—Litigation: Competition Law

The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory—Competition Law

The Best Lawyers in Canada—Competition/Antitrust Law

Who’s Who Legal: Canada—Competition; Who’s Who Legal: Competition—Lawyers

Who’s Who Legal and Global Competition Review’s Who’s Who Legal: Competition – Future Leaders 2017

Expert Guides’ Women in Business Law; Expert Guides—Competition and Antitrust

Bar Admissions

Ontario, 2000

Education

Queen’s University, LLB, 1998
Queen’s University, BA, 1995

Professional Affiliations

American Bar Association
Canadian Bar Association

Community Involvement

American Bar Association, Section of Antitrust Law, 2017 Consumer Protection Conference, co-chair
American Bar Association, Section of Antitrust Law, Compliance & Ethics Committee, former co-chair
Canadian Bar Association, Competition Law Section Executive Committee, 1st vice-chair
International Competition Network, non-governmental adviser

Teaching Engagements

Anita has lectured on competition law at Queen’s University Faculty of Law.