Ryan’s primary practice areas are debt financing, restructuring, and insolvency.
He regularly works with debtors, creditors and court officers on various insolvency mandates. Ryan helps debtors seek and obtain creditor protection, assists creditors with enforcing loans or realize on security, and helps clients maximize values and preserve options in times of financial distress.
Ryan advises clients on bankruptcies, receiverships, formal and informal debt restructurings (including under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act and Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act), commercial foreclosures, and realizations under the Personal Property Security Act.
He works with creditors and borrowers on debt-financing and other secured transactions, including leveraged acquisition financing, real estate financing, asset-based lending, distress/turnaround financing, note issuances, securitized debt, and multi-jurisdictional financings.
Ryan has acted as counsel to:
Insolvency and Restructuring
- A publicly-listed cannabis company in the restructuring of substantially all of its debt through a debt-to-equity conversion pursuant to a plan of arrangement and compromise under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA);
- A drilling company in its restructuring proceedings under the CCAA;
- A cannabis company in its restructuring proceedings under the CCAA, including the sale of its Canadian facilities;
- A secured creditor in connection with a sale the assets of a developer of consumer wearable technology through a proposal under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (BIA);
- A turnaround lender in acquiring the debt and security of a conventional lender (approximately $80 million), restructuring that debt through a forbearance arrangement and CCAA proceeding, and later refinancing that same debt in an amended and restated credit agreement;
- A marine transport company in connection with its acquisition of various river boats, barges and other marine craft pursuant to a receivership sale;
- A monitor in connection with restructuring proceedings under the CCAA of a large online-based construction supply company;
- A mining company in connection with a voluntary foreclosure and subsequent sale of a mine in Guatemala;
- A court-appointed receiver in connection with the receivership of a large Canadian online shoe retailer.
- A large Brazilian pulp and paper company in connection with its acquisition of substantially all of the assets of a Canadian entity through a receivership sale; and
- A court-appointed receiver in connection with its sale of substantially all the assets of a private college.
- A publicly-listed cannabis company in the restructuring of substantially all of its debt through a debt-to-equity conversion pursuant to a plan of arrangement and compromise under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA);
- A drilling company in its restructuring proceedings under the CCAA;
- A cannabis company in its restructuring proceedings under the CCAA, including the sale of its Canadian facilities;
- A secured creditor in connection with a sale the assets of a developer of consumer wearable technology through a proposal under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (BIA);
- A turnaround lender in acquiring the debt and security of a conventional lender (approximately $80 million), restructuring that debt through a forbearance arrangement and CCAA proceeding, and later refinancing that same debt in an amended and restated credit agreement;
- A marine transport company in connection with its acquisition of various river boats, barges and other marine craft pursuant to a receivership sale;
- A monitor in connection with restructuring proceedings under the CCAA of a large online-based construction supply company;
- A mining company in connection with a voluntary foreclosure and subsequent sale of a mine in Guatemala;
- A court-appointed receiver in connection with the receivership of a large Canadian online shoe retailer.
- A large Brazilian pulp and paper company in connection with its acquisition of substantially all of the assets of a Canadian entity through a receivership sale; and
- A court-appointed receiver in connection with its sale of substantially all the assets of a private college.
Lending
- A multi-national mining company in connection with its secured syndicated credit facilities of up to $500 million;
- An administrative agent and lender in respect of syndicated credit facilities of up to $125 million to a pension benefits management company;
- A software company in connection with its $135 million syndicated loan facilities and acquisition of commercial real estate;
- An administrative agent and lender in respect of syndicated credit facilities of up to $65 million to a reforestation company;
- A Canadian schedule I bank in respect of its revolving credit facilities of up to $60 million to a large real estate development company;
- A Canadian schedule I bank in respect of its asset-based credit facilities of up to $50 million to a manufacturer and distributor of specialty wood products;
- An administrative agent and lender in respect of syndicated credit facilities of up to $43 million to a doctor-owned orthodontics company; and
- A Canadian schedule I bank in respect of credit facilities of up to $10 million to a point-of-sale technology company.
- A multi-national mining company in connection with its secured syndicated credit facilities of up to $500 million;
- An administrative agent and lender in respect of syndicated credit facilities of up to $125 million to a pension benefits management company;
- A software company in connection with its $135 million syndicated loan facilities and acquisition of commercial real estate;
- An administrative agent and lender in respect of syndicated credit facilities of up to $65 million to a reforestation company;
- A Canadian schedule I bank in respect of its revolving credit facilities of up to $60 million to a large real estate development company;
- A Canadian schedule I bank in respect of its asset-based credit facilities of up to $50 million to a manufacturer and distributor of specialty wood products;
- An administrative agent and lender in respect of syndicated credit facilities of up to $43 million to a doctor-owned orthodontics company; and
- A Canadian schedule I bank in respect of credit facilities of up to $10 million to a point-of-sale technology company.
Corporate/Commercial
- Sandstorm Gold Ltd. in its US$30 million Vatukoula stream and royalty transaction on the producing Vatukoula Mine in Fiji.
- A Vancouver-based start-up company designing and selling personal fitness and wellness products;
- A Vancouver agriproducts terminal facility in connection with the preparation and negotiation of its long-term terminal services agreement; and
- A vendor in connection with its sale of a national clothing store chain.
- Sandstorm Gold Ltd. in its US$30 million Vatukoula stream and royalty transaction on the producing Vatukoula Mine in Fiji.
- A Vancouver-based start-up company designing and selling personal fitness and wellness products;
- A Vancouver agriproducts terminal facility in connection with the preparation and negotiation of its long-term terminal services agreement; and
- A vendor in connection with its sale of a national clothing store chain.
