Private Equity M&A

Forum Overview

Dates: April 6 - 8, 2025

Location: Cambridge, ON

The Forum is an annual gathering of up to 48 senior in-house counsel from the largest Canadian institutional investors and preeminent lawyers who advise them to address emerging legal risks and challenges in direct private equity investments and M&A transactions.

Using candid, peer-driven discussion, this Forum explores key private equity M&A trends and developments, to discern best practices and strategies for successfully negotiating and completing transactions.

2025 Steering Committee

This elite group, comprised of experts in the field, personally nominates all invitees and develops the Agenda, which forms the basis of our discussions.

Committee Co-Chairs

Committee Members

Sarah Leclerc, legal director at CDPQ, maintains a broad corporate practice focused on private equity, mergers and acquisitions and governance. At CDPQ, she works closely with the private equity international team on direct private equity investments as well as passive co-investments. Sarah assists the deal teams with a variety of asset management questions as well as M&As and financing transactions. Prior to joining CDPQ, Sarah worked for over seven years in private practice, specializing in corporate, M&A and securities law. She also benefits from in-house experience, having worked at WSP Global Inc., a publicly traded company, where she advised the company’s board of directors on governance issues while also leading various M&A projects.

Mr. Nurmohamed is the General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer of Searchlight Capital Partners. Searchlight is a private investment firm with offices in Toronto, New York and London. Prior to joining Searchlight in 2014, Mr. Nurmohamed worked as an Associate at Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP in Toronto where he focused on M&A and corporate finance transactions. Previously, he worked in the M&A group at Shearman & Sterling LLP in New York. Mr. Nurmohamed received a BA from McGill University, and a JD from the University of Toronto.

CONNECT. ENGAGE. EXCEL. This is a different event, unlike any you've attended

Built on meaningful interactions and genuine connections, the Forum is the premiere gathering for in-house counsel from the largest Canadian institutional investors and fund sponsors, along with the preeminent lawyers who advise them.

"An opportunity to discuss and debate the current market dynamics among participants with varied perspectives."

Bradley Eidsness

Director & Senior Counsel

British Columbia Investment Management Corporation

Victoria, BC

"The Canadian Forum on Private Equity M&A provided a terrific opportunity to discuss market developments and trends in Private Equity with leading deal professionals in open and engaging conversations that set the Forum apart from other conferences."

Jason R Galbraith

Managing Director & Chief Legal Officer

TorQuest Partners

Toronto, ON

"The PE Forum was a great meeting of the leading minds in the Canadian market. The discussions were informative and thought provoking."

David C. Kruse

Partner

Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP

Toronto, ON

"Candid, insightful conversations and excellent networking set this conference apart from others."

Jackie Taitz

Managing Director & Associate General Counsel, Investments

Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan

Toronto, ON

"The Forum is very different than other M&A or PE legal conferences, what makes it special is the participation of all attendees and the sharing of information and best practices. It is also a great chance to network. It is a good mix of external Canadian and US lawyers, GP, pension funds, sponsors, and investors. Truly one of a kind."