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Francis Lussier

Senior Associate

Montréal
[email protected]
514.954.2568

Expertise

Francis practices in corporate and commercial law with a focus on venture capital, corporate financing, mergers and acquisitions and private equity transactions, as well as complex commercial negotiations and agreements. He regularly advises strategic and private equity buyers in diverse industries, including the technology and health sectors, on acquisitions and investments in Canada.

Before practising law, Francis carried out a number of scientific research projects, namely in the field of cancer and immunology, in a laboratory now recognized as one of the most innovative research centres in Québec. He also worked in the civil engineering laboratory at McGill University on an environmental remediation project.

Experience

  • McKinsey Consulting in the sale of ElementAI to ServiceNow in a transaction worth approximately US$230 million
  • McKinsey Consulting in its strategic and capital investment agreement with ElementAI
  • Fonds de solidarité FTQ and Fondaction, in partnership with Novacap, in the acquisition of Globe Electric, a Montréal-based firm specializing in the design, development, manufacturing and marketing of lighting and electrical products
  • InvestX Capital, a leading private market secondaries platform and financial technology company based in Vancouver and New York, in raising equity capital from strategic investors Jefferies Financial, Virtu Capital and Canaccord Genuity
  • Investissement Québec in the going-private transaction of EXFO Inc. a provider of test, monitoring and analytics solutions for fixed and mobile network operators
  • Groupe Daubigny and VetStrategy, Canada’s largest and most successful veterinary clinic operator, in its sale to private equity firm Berkshire Partners
  • CI Financial Corp. (TSX: CIX), in its acquisition from Assante Wealth Management (Canada) Ltd. of a minority interest in Assante Dorval, a full-service, personalized wealth management provider operating throughout Québec
  • Fonds de solidarité des travailleurs du Québec (FTQ) and Capital régional et coopératif Desjardins in an acquisition financing with Novacap, Fédération des caisses Desjardins, National Bank and other minority investors, for the acquisition by Bestar, a home and office furniture manufacturer and supplier, of US-based Bush Industries, a leader in home and office furniture manufacturing and supply in the United States
  • Fonds de solidarité (FTQ), BDC Capital and all other shareholders in the sale of Reflex Photonics Inc. to UK-based Smiths Interconnect
  • iNovia Capital and other investors in a venture capital round in Planned Enterprises
  • iNovia Capital (as lead investor) and Fonds de solidarité (FTQ) in a C$70 million venture capital investment round in WorkJam Inc.
  • Atos, a leading French digital transformation company, in its acquisition of In Fidem, a Canada-based cybersecurity consulting firm
  • A group of investors including Fonds de solidarité (FTQ), Forbion Capital, Lumira Ventures and Pharmstandard in multiple venture capital investments in enGene Inc.
  • An investor group comprising Business Development Bank of Canada and Desjardins Capital in an equity investment in Fluent.ai Inc.
  • Business Development Bank of Canada in an equity investment in Groupe Genacol
  • National Bank SME Growth Fund L.P. in its first-ever investment, in the capital of Pol R Enterprises Inc.
  • National Bank of Canada in acquisition financing by certain Québec investment firms
  • Cycle Capital in a C$17.5 million investment in SPARK Microsystems
  • Sports IQ Analytics Inc., provider of sports betting software and odds services, in its US$7 million seed round of financing
  • Triple M Metal in its joint venture with ArcelorMittal Long Products Canada to create Integrated Metal Recycling Inc.  
  • Aéroport de Montréal in drafting and negotiating certain commercial agreements
  • Courchesne Larose in multiple financing projects and business transactions in Québec and abroad
  • Deloitte in negotiating major commercial agreements
  • Enertech, Cycle Capital, Fonds de solidarité FTQ, BDC Capital and Investissement Québec in venture capital funding rounds in Power Survey
  • BDC Capital, i-Source, Go Capital, Fonds de solidarité FTQ and Desjardins-Innovatech in the US$23 million financing of LeddarTech (LiDAR)
  • Cycle Capital, BDC Capital, Desjardins Capital and Lune Rouge in venture capital funding rounds in Agrisoma Biosciences Inc.
  • Bell Canada in outsourcing agreements with various Canadian financial institutions
  • Cycle Capital and Desjardins-Innovatech in venture capital rounds in Airex Energy
  • MACH Capital Inc. private equity investment firm in its acquisition of outdoor equipment retailer La Cordée
  • Desjardins Capital in the C$3 million round of seed financing of ORO Health
  • Haven Entertainment Studios in business transactions and general legal advice
  • Investissement Québec in the loan transaction to Autobus Lion
  • ProMetic Life Sciences Inc. in a bought deal public offering of 13,200,000 common shares, conducted through a syndicate of underwriters, for aggregate gross proceeds of $25,080,000
  • Black & McDonald Limited in its acquisition of Pierre Brossard (1981) ltée, a leading construction company specializing in the electrical and civil engineering sector
  • Fonds de solidarité (FTQ) in a C$70 million investment in EBI, a Québec-based leader in the field of waste management, renewable energy production and the use and distribution of natural gas
  • Attraction Media in the sale of Studio Lamajeure’s assets to a group of buyers comprising Alexandra Stréliski, Mathieu Morin and Maxime Navert
  • HollyFrontier Corporation in its acquisition of Suncor Energy’s Petro-Canada Lubricants business for C$1.125 billion
  • NorthStar Earth and Space Inc. in its C$52 million financing from the governments of Canada and Québec and from strategic partners Telesystem Space Inc. and the Space Alliance of Europe
  • A Chinese private equity firm with regard to its online payment platform
  • A world leader in robotic intelligence and automation-based strategic and operational digital solutions regarding several trade agreements

Beyond our Walls

Professional Involvement

  • Member, Barreau du Québec
  • Volunteer, Jeune Chambre de Commerce de Montréal

Awards & Recognitions

  • Recognized in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in Canada - Ones to Watch™ (Mergers and Acquisitions Law & Venture Capital Law)

Bar Admission & Education

  • Québec, 2018
  • LLB, Université de Montréal, 2017
  • M.Sc. Systems Biology, Université de Montréal, 2014
  • B.Sc. Biochemistry, McGill University, 2013