Background

Brad J. Pierce is a partner in the Calgary office. Brad graduated from the University of Alberta in 1984 and was admitted to the Alberta Bar in 1985.

Areas of Practice

• Brad is the Regional Practice Group Manager of the Calgary Corporate and Commercial Group. His primary area of practice is private equity and venture capital financings and mergers and acquisitions.
• Other practice areas include investment funds and asset management, in addition to advising entrepreneurs and start up enterprises on business structures and corporate governance.
• Brad also has unique expertise on the commercial and regulatory issues surrounding land tenures and the structuring and financing of commercial enterprises on federal and First Nations' lands.

Rankings and Recognitions

• Recognized in the 2011 Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory (Private Equity)

Professional Experience

• Brad is primary counsel in Calgary for Canada 's leading venture capital firm regarding its investments in information technology and bioscience firms in Western Canada
• Brad is also primary counsel in Calgary for an Alberta based fund of funds relative to its investments in venture capital firms establishing a presence in Alberta.
• Brad also acts for several of the firm's clients on a broad range of corporate, commercial and regulatory matters, including public and private financings, mergers and acquisitions and regulatory and environmental compliance, including:
  • A leading natural gas and gas storage marketing and trading firm based in Calgary.
  • Manufacturer and distributor based in India and listed on the Indian stock exchange of power management tools and equipment to the worldwide electrical utility industry.
  • A leading Calgary based technology firm developing enterprise software for the upstream oil and gas industry.
  • A leading Alberta based green power generator of electricity and carbon credits.
  • Several ski resorts and resort development projects in Western Canada
• Brad has also acted for buyers and sellers, as well as investors, on the financing and high valuation acquisition and sale of several public and private companies in the oil and gas, engineering, power and technology sectors, including:
  • Successful acquisition and disposition of several Alberta based engineering companies by a leading EPC firm.
  • Successful private acquisition of a large Vancouver manufacture and distributor of power distribution equipment.
  • Acquisition, financing and disposition of shares of a leading Alberta based green power generator.
  • Acquisition, financing and disposition of various companies and of natural gas and natural gas storage assets and contract positions by a leading energy project developer and trader.
  • Acquisition of several international companies and technologies by an India based power management firm.
  • Acquisition, financing and disposition of various resort developments, companies and assets for and relative to ski areas and mountain parks and resorts in Western Canada.
• Acquisition, financing and disposition of several leading Western Canada based information technology and clean technology companies
• Brad has assisted proponents of major development and infrastructure projects, including:
  • The financing, acquisition and refurbishment of two Alberta biomass power facilities and province wide wood-waste gathering and tipping enterprise.
  • The acquisition and land development of a major ski resort and real estate development near Fernie, British Columbia.
  • The financing and construction of ski lift expansion program at Banff based ski resort, including a unique lift exchange program with the Vancouver Olympics.
  • For an Alberta First Nation in regards to the planning and development of a major road extension and real estate development southwest of Calgary.
  • All manner of joint venture agreements and commercial contracts with respect to oil and gas, pipeline, gas storage and infrastructure developments in Western Canada, including within federal and First Nation's lands and regarding several oil and gas and energy developments in several countries in South America

Speaking Engagements and Publications

• ‘Financing Options for Oil & Gas Technologies; A Legal Perspective' Conventional Energy Seminar, ACAMP, Calgary, March 2011
• ‘Alberta Carbon Credits and Emissions Trading' In House CLE, Calgary, November 2010
• 'Vancouver Olympics Sustainable Development Program and Aboriginal Initiatives' Los Angeles County Bar, International Subsection, November, 2010, Los Angeles
• ‘North American Pipeline and Infrastructure Developments – Cross Border Pipelines', Panelist, International Bar Association Annual Convention, Vancouver, October 2010
• 'Oil & Gas Development on Indian Lands' IN House CLE, Calgary, March 2010
• 'Unanimous Shareholder Agreements' Insight, Drafting Major Business Agreements Conference, Calgary, January 2009
• 'Aboriginal Consultation, in the context of Environmental Assessments' Canadian Institute, Environmental Assessment of Major Projects North of 60° Conference, Edmonton, November 2008
• Moderator - Wade Canada, Decentralized Energy Conference, Calgary, September 2008
• 'Unanimous Shareholder Agreements' Insight, Drafting Major Business Agreements Conference, Calgary, July 2007
• 'Top 10 Term Sheet Lessons Learned' Calgary Technologies Lunch & Learn, May 2005
• 'Unanimous Shareholder Agreements' Insight, Drafting Major Business Agreements, Calgary, March 2005
• 'Commercializing Clean Technologies' The Canadian Institute, February, 2005
• 'Term Sheet Trends' Canadian Venture Capital Association Annual Conference, Calgary, May 2004
• 'Key Term Sheet Provisions' Calgary Technologies Lunch & Learn, April 2004
• 'Top 10 Unanimous Shareholder Agreement Terms' Calgary Technologies Lunch & Learn, March 2004
• 'Top 10 List to Raising Venture Capital' Calgary Technologies Lunch & Learn, November 2003
• 'Private Company Sales' BDC Venture Capital Group, January 2002
• 'Exit Strategies' BLG – IP and Technology Group, Calgary, 2002

Directorships, Memberships & Activities:

• Director and Officer, ERLPhase Power Technologies Ltd.
• Director, Lifeline Malawi
• Director, Hidden Angel Foundation
• Member, Canadian Venture Capital Association
• Director and Secretary Treasurer, Venture Capital Association
• Counsel to the Association for Mountain Parks Protection and Enjoyment
• Member, Glencoe Club of Calgary and Glencoe Golf & Country Club
• Member, Harvard Business School Club of Calgary