Background

Pierre Côté is a partner in our Financial Services Group in Montréal. He was admitted to the Québec Bar in 1986 and is a graduate of the Université de Montréal Law School.

Areas of Practice

• Pierre specializes in banking law and financing. He represents banks and other financial institutions, captive finance companies and borrowers with respect to secured and unsecured credit transactions.

Rankings and Recognitions

• Selected by peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in Canada® 2012 (Banking and Finance) 
• Recognized in the 2011 Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory (Asset Equipment Finance/Leasing) 
• Martindale-Hubbell BV® Distinguished™ Peer Review Rating

Professional Experience

• Advising lenders and borrowers with respect to corporate, real estate, project and asset-based financings and in the areas of lease, leasing and structured finance.
• Advising with respect to multibank syndicated credit facilities and structuring cross-border transactions.
• Advising with respect to acquisition and leverage financing.
• Advising lenders and borrowers with respect to loan restructurings, workouts and insolvency matters.
• Advising public and private corporations in connection with the securitization of traditional and synthetic assets.

Recent Transactions

• Representing The Bank of Nova Scotia with respect to its $31 million ship financing of The CSL Group Inc.'s vessel MV Salarium.
• Representing CNH Capital Canada Ltd. with respect to its Canadian wholesale and retail securitization programs.
• Representing Bank of Montreal with respect to a $12 million cross-border asset-based facility to a US-based clothing manufacturer.
• Representing Ernst & Young Inc. as advisors to the Investors Committee formed to oversee the restructuring of the $35 billion third party asset-backed commercial paper market in Canada.
• Representing The Bank of Nova Scotia with respect to unsecured credit facilities of $115 million to a tobacco manufacturer.
• Representing HSBC Bank Canada with respect to a $40 million asset-based facility to a Montréal-based clothing manufacturer.
• Representing Caisse Desjardins with respect to a $50 million senior secured club deal term loan in a cross-border management buy-out.
• Representing J.P.Morgan Chase Bank in the establishment and restructuring of credits of $1.7 billion to a U.S.-based private equity fund secured by recreational resorts in North America and Europe.
• Representing Roynat Capital Inc. with respect to a $12 million subordinated term loan and a $4 million equity contribution financing of an acquisition sponsored by a U.S.-based private equity fund.
• Representing a Canadian chartered bank with respect to the restructuring of a defaulted $40 million warehouse finance facility for vehicle loans.
• Representing Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation in the establishment and operation of Canada 's largest mortgage-backed securities program.

Professional Activities

• Speaker at numerous seminars and conferences concerning structured finance including:
  • Mezzanine Financing, The Canadian Institute, September 2010
  • ABL in Québec : What's New or Different, Insight (Toronto), May 2010
  • Mezzanine Financing, The Canadian Institute, January 2009
  • Financing of Equipment and Transportation Material and Securitization of Receivables Secured by Equipment, The Canadian Institute, January 2005
  • Taking Security on Securities, The Canadian Institute, January 2004
  • Developments in Off-Balance Sheet Financing, The Canadian Institute, June 2000
• Former lecturer at the Québec Bar admission courses on security and guarantees
• Member of the Canadian Bar Association
• Member of the American Bar Association