Jeff Oke
Partner
Experience
Jeff's focus is on:
- Mergers, acquisitions and other business combinations (public and private)
- Reorganizations and restructurings
- Equity and debt financings (public and private)
- Shareholder activism
- Public and private company start-ups
- Corporate governance
- Compensation plans
- Securities regulation and stock exchange compliance
- General corporate matters
Jeff also advises publicly listed (TSX, TSXV, NYSE) and private companies of various sizes in industries such as energy, energy services and construction.
Professional involvement
Jeff is a member of the Finance Committee at BD&P. He was also a past co- leader of the business law group.
Corporate roles
Jeff serves as the director, board / special committee member, and corporate secretary of various public and private companies (past and present).
Professional associations
- Member, Law Society of Alberta
- Member, Canadian Bar Association
- Member, Calgary Bar Association
Continuing Education
Seconded to the TSX Venture Exchange, 2000
Representative work
Ricochet Acquisition Corp. Financing
Counsel to Ricochet Acquisition Corp. on its structured financing in connection with its acquisition of Ricochet Oil Inc. for an undisclosed amount.
PFB $186 million acquisition
Counsel to PFB Corporation, a developer, manufacturer and marketer of insulation building products and technologies, for its $186 million acquisition by an affiliate of The Riverside Company in a going private transaction completed by way of statutory Plan of Arrangement.
Petrus Resources' acquisition and refinancing transactions
Counsel to Petrus Resources Ltd. for its $15 million acquisition of a privately owned limited partnership and its general partner with Cardium assets located at Ferrier, Alberta, $20 million rights offering, $30 million revolving loan facility, and $25 million second lien term facility.
Ag Growth International Inc.'s $104 million public offering
Counsel to Ag Growth International Inc. for its public offering of convertible unsecured subordinated debentures by short form prospectus for total gross proceeds of $104 million.
FYi Eye Care Services and Products Inc.'s strategic investment
Counsel to FYi Eye Care Services and Products Inc., the world's largest optometrist-controlled eye care company, in connection with the strategic minority equity investment in FYi made by L Catterton Management Limited, the largest and most global consumer-focused private equity firm, for an undisclosed amount.
Clarke Inc.'s acquisition of Holloway Lodging Corporation
Counsel to Clarke Inc. and the special committee of Clarke's board of directors in connection with Clarke's acquisition of the 49% of Holloway Lodging Corporation that it did not already own. The acquisition was completed by plan of arrangement.
Crown Point Energy Inc.'s rights offerings and acquisition of Apco Austral S.A.
Counsel to Crown Point Energy Inc. regarding its US$16 million circular and short form prospectus rights offerings. Following the offering, BD&P acted as Canadian counsel to Crown Point in its US$39 million acquisition of Apco Austral S.A. from an affiliate of Pluspetrol S.A. using the proceeds from the rights offerings.
Liquor Stores N.A. Ltd.'s proxy contest defense
Counsel to Liquor Stores in the defense of a proxy contest initiated by a dissident institutional shareholder to gain control of Liquor Stores' board of directors. BD&P’s work included the successful defense of Liquor Stores' soliciting dealer fee arrangement before a hearing of the Alberta Securities Commission.
Axia NetMedia Corporation's $272 million acquisition
Counsel to Axia NetMedia Corporation in the $272 million acquisition by Partners Group in a going private transaction completed by plan of arrangement.
Penn West Energy Trust's $10.5 billion conversion to Corporation
Counsel to Penn West Energy Trust with respect to its $10.5 billion conversion to a Corporation, Penn West Petroleum Ltd. completed by statutory plan of arrangement.
Sale of Pacer Construction Holdings Corporation
Counsel to Pacer Construction Holdings Corporation and its affiliated operating companies, a leading contractor in Western Canada, in connection with its US$213 million sale to MasTec, Inc.
Penn West Petroleum Ltd.'s acquisition of Spartan Exploration Ltd.
Counsel to Penn West Petroleum Ltd. in its $222 million acquisition of Spartan Exploration Ltd. and related spin-out of Spartan Oil Corporation completed by statutory plan of arrangement.
Athabasca Oil Corporation's $1.35 billion initial public offering
Counsel to Athabasca Oil Corporation in its $1.35 billion initial public offering of common shares.
Penn West Energy Trust $250 million public offering
Counsel to Penn West Energy Trust in connection with its $250 million public offering of trust units
Just Energy Income Fund's acquisition of Universal Energy Group Ltd.
Counsel to Just Energy Income Fund in the $289 million acquisition of Universal Energy Group Ltd. completed by statutory plan of arrangement.
Crown Point Energy Inc.'s proxy contest defense
Counsel to Crown Point Energy Inc. in the successful defense of a proxy contest initiated by a dissident institutional shareholder who requisitioned a shareholder meeting to gain control of Crown Point's board of directors and to defeat Crown Point's US$15 million financing to a private equity investor.
Coda Petroleum Inc. $75 million private offering
Counsel to Coda Petroleum Inc. for a $75 million private offering of common shares to various private equity and other investors
Sale of Coda Petroleum
Counsel to Coda Petroleum Inc. in connection with its sale to Eagle Energy Trust completed by statutory amalgamation
Penn West Energy Trust private offering to China Investment Corporation
Counsel to Penn West Energy Trust in connection with its $435 million private offering of trust units to an affiliate of China Investment Corporation
Penn West Energy Trust merger with Canetic Resources Trust
Counsel to Penn West Energy Trust with respect to the $14 billion merger with Canetic Resources Trust completed by statutory Plan of Arrangement 
Penn West Energy Trust joint venture with China Investment Corporation
Counsel to Penn West Energy Trust in the formation of an $817 million joint venture with a wholly-owned subsidiary of China Investment Corporation to develop Penn West's bitumen assets in the Peace River area of northern Alberta
Penn West Energy Trust acquisition of Vault Energy Trust
Counsel to Penn West Energy Trust in connection with its $380 million acquisition of Vault Energy Trust completed by statutory Plan of Arrangement
Penn West Energy Trust acquisition of Sifton Energy Inc.
Counsel to Penn West Energy Trust in connection with its $104 million acquisition of Sifton Energy Inc. completed by statutory Plan of Arrangement
Penn West Energy Trust acquisition of Reece Energy Exploration Corp.
Counsel to Penn West Energy Trust in connection with the $101 million acquisition of Reece Energy Exploration Corp. completed by statutory Plan of Arrangement
Sale of Rondo Petroleum Inc.
Counsel to Rondo Petroleum Inc. in its $277 million sale to PetroBakken Energy Ltd. completed by statutory plan of arrangement.
Pacer Construction Holdings Corporation sale to MasTec, Inc.
Counsel to Pacer Construction Holdings Corporation and its affiliated operating companies, a leading contractor in Western Canada, in connection with its US$213 million sale to MasTec, Inc.
Just Energy Income Fund acquisition of Universal Energy Group Ltd.
Counsel to Just Energy Income Fund in respect to the $289 million acquisition of Universal Energy Group Ltd. completed by statutory Plan of Arrangement
International Petroleum Corporation acquisition of oil and natural gas assets from Cenovus Energy Inc.
Counsel to International Petroleum Corporation in the acquisition of oil and natural gas assets in Suffield and Alderson areas of southern Alberta from Cenovus Energy Inc. for proceeds of $512 million plus an additional deferred contingent amount of $36 million
Crown Point Energy Inc. proxy contest defense
Counsel to Crown Point Energy Inc. in the successful defence of a proxy contest initiated by a dissident institutional shareholder who requisitioned a shareholder meeting to gain control of Crown Point's board of directors and to defeat Crown Points's US$15 million financing to a private equity investor
Crown Point Energy Inc. acquisition of Antrim Argentina S.A.
Counsel to Crown Point Energy Inc. with respect to a $54 million acquisition of Antrim Argentina S.A. from Antrim Energy Inc. completed by statutory Plan of Arrangement
Century Oilfield Services Inc. sale to Calfrac Well Services Ltd.
Counsel to Century Oilfield Services Inc. in connection with its $130 million sale to Calfrac Well Services Ltd. completed by statutory Plan of Arrangement
Private company equity commitment and debt financing
Counsel to a private company in respect to its $150 million equity line financing and US$160 million private placement of senior unsecured notes.
Big Country Energy Services Inc. $127 million sale to MasTec, Inc.
Counsel to Big Country Energy Services Inc., a leader in oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids gathering systems and pipeline construction, pipeline modification and replacement services, and compressor and pumping station construction, in connection with its sale to MasTec, Inc., in a transaction valued at over $127 million
Athabasca Oil Corporation $550 million financing
Counsel to Athabasca Oil Corporation in respect to a $550 million private offering of senior secured second lien notes
Awards
Recent honours and recognition
Named in the Legal 500 Canada as a recommended lawyer in capital markets (2021 and 2023) and corporate M&A (2022)