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Brent W. Kraus

Partner

Co-Head of Mergers & Acquisitions Practice

Co-Head of Mergers & Acquisitions Practice | Email

T: 403.298.3071

Email

Calgary

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Kraus Brent
 
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  • Recent Recognition
  • Insights, News & Events
  • Related Services

T: 403.298.3071


Email

Calgary

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  • Education
  • Bar Admissions
  • Select Experience
  • Recent Recognition
  • Insights, News & Events
  • Related Services
  • Select Experience
  • Recent Recognition
  • Insights, News & Events
  • Related Services

Brent Kraus co-leads the firm's Mergers & Acquisitions practice and focuses on the areas of public and private mergers and acquisitions, capital markets transactions, shareholder activism, securities and corporate governance matters. He has experience in a wide breadth of industries, including the oil and gas and related services sector, new energy ventures, natural resources, transportation and financial services. Brent has significant experience in domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions as well as debt and equity offerings on behalf of both issuers and underwriters. His corporate governance advisory work includes advising corporations, boards of directors and special committees with respect to general compliance matters as well as transaction-specific mandates. 

Brent has led complex transactions, both contested and friendly, involving plans of arrangement, proxy contests, take-over bids and recapitalizations, including coordinating concurrent litigation and regulatory strategy.

Chambers Canada

“Brent is very strong for his client service, his level of sophistication and his commercial awareness and vision. I would consider him to be an exceptional talent with deep transactional knowledge and a trusted advisor. He has the perfect blend of legal prowess and situational awareness that is most critical in complex transactions.”

The Legal 500 Canada 2020

Calgary-based Brent Kraus, ‘works to find business solutions’.

Brent is recognized by Chambers Canada in Corporate/Commercial; the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory as "Most Frequently Recommended" for each of Mergers & Acquisitions, Corporate Finance & Securities and Corporate Commercial Law; the Lexpert Guide to Leading U.S./Canada Cross-border Corporate Lawyers; The Legal 500 Canada as a Leading Lawyer in Capital Markets and M&A; Who's Who Legal Canada as a leading lawyer in Mergers & Acquisitions, Energy and Capital Markets; and by LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell.

Brent is also a former co-head of the firm's Capital Markets and Mergers & Acquisitions practice and was a member of the firm's Partnership Board from 2016 to 2021. He is corporate secretary for several private companies.

Prior to joining Bennett Jones, he served as law clerk to Mr. Justice J.C. Major at the Supreme Court of Canada.

Education

University of Saskatchewan, BComm, 1997 University of Saskatchewan, LLB, 1998 

Bar Admissions

Alberta, 1999

Select Experience

Public and Private Mergers and Acquisitions
Corporate Finance
Shareholder Activism
Canadian Natural Resources Limited in connection with its private placement of US1.5 billion of unsecured notes in the United States and Cdn. $500 million of unsecured notes in Canada
Variperm Holdings Ltd., a portfolio company of SCF Partners, as Canadian counsel, in its sale to Forum Energy Technologies, Inc., a public company listed on the NYSE
Canadian Fiber Optics Corp. in the private equity investment by Star America Infrastructure Partners, LLC, by way of private placement
Royal Helium Ltd. in its approximately $100-million acquisition of Imperial Helium Corp
Cenovus Energy Inc., in its $23.6-billion acquisition of Husky Energy Inc.
Canadian Natural Resources Limited, in its approximately $460-million acquisition of Painted Pony Energy Ltd.
Bird Construction Inc., in its $96.5-million acquisition of Stuart Olson Inc.
Pacific Oil & Gas Limited, in its acquisition of all of the issued and outstanding shares of Canbriam Energy Inc. for cash consideration
Innovative Records System Corp., on its acquisition by Access Information Management of Canada ULC, including the acquisition of affiliated entities BCRM Services Ltd., Calgary Archives Corp., 102038083 Saskatchewan Ltd., Phoenix Recycling Inc., FileBank Records Centre Ltd., and DocuGuard Ltd.
Waste Connections, Inc., in an approximately $13 billion merger with Progressive Waste Solutions Ltd. 
Schlumberger Lift Solutions Canada Limited, in its acquisition of Platinum Pumpjack Services Corp
Resource Well Completion Technologies Inc., in the acquisition by Schoeller-Bleckmann Oilfield Equipment AG of a majority interest for approximately $40 million
Founders Advantage Capital, in its $74 million acquisition of a 60% interest in the Dominion Lending Centre group of companies
Founders Advantage Capital, in its $24.7 million acquisition of a 50% interest in Astley Gilbert Limited
Founders Advantage Capital, in its $12 million acquisition of a 52% interest in Cape Communications International Inc.
Founders Advantage Capital, in its $21 million acquisition of a 60% interest in Club16 Trevor Linden Fitness
Schlumberger Canada Limited, in its joint ventures with Production Plus Energy Services Inc. in Canada and the United States
Schlumberger Canada Limited, in its acquisition of Pacesetter Directional Drilling Ltd.
Resource Well Completion Technologies Inc., in the acquisition by Schoeller-Bleckmann Oilfield Equipment AG of a majority interest for approximately $40 million
Schlumberger Lift Solutions Canada Limited, in its acquisition of Pacesetter Directional Drilling Ltd.
Schlumberger Lift Solutions Canada Limited, in its acquisition of Baron Pumpjack Services
Marquee Energy Ltd., in its merger with Alberta Oilsands Inc.
Marquee Energy Ltd., in its acquisition of the Western Canadian assets of Sonde Resources Corp
Schlumberger Canada Limited, in its acquisition of Gushor Inc.
Perpetual Energy Inc., in the sale and disposition of 90% of its interest in Warwick Gas Storage Inc. to a partnership sponsored by Brookfield Asset Management for total proceeds of $81 million dollars
Fort Chicago Energy Partners L.P., in its acquisition of Swift Power Corp. by way of take-over bid
Fort Chicago Energy Partners L.P., in its acquisition of Pristine Power Inc. by way of take-over bid
Enerflex Systems Income Fund, in its acquisition by Toromont Systems Ltd. by way of take-over bid for approximately $700 million
A leading international oilfield services company, in the acquisition of a distressed provider of down-hole services
Statoil ASA, in its acquisition of North American Oil Sands Corporation by way of take-over bid for approximately $2.2 billion
Synenco Energy Inc., in its acquisition by Total E&P Canada Ltd. by way of take-over bid for approximately $540 million
Eimskip Atlas Canada, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Avion Group, and KingSett Real Estate Growth LP No. 2, in their acquisition of Atlas Cold Storage Income Trust by way of take-over bid for approximately $580 million
BlackRock Ventures Inc., in its acquisition by Shell Canada Limited for approximately $2.4 billion
Innicor Subsurface Technologies Inc., in its acquisition by BJ Services Company by way of take-over bid for $55 million
Salamander Energy plc, in its acquisition of GFI Oil & Gas Corporation by way of a plan of arrangement for approximately US$220 million
Schlumberger Lift Solutions Canada Limited, in its acquisition of Grimes Sales & Service Ltd.
Paramount Energy Trust, in its acquisition of Profound Energy Inc. by way of take-over bid for approximately $113 million
StatoilHydro Canada Ltd., in the reorganization of the Canadian subsidiaries of StatoilHydro ASA
Schlumberger Limited, in the formation and capitalization of a joint venture involving High Arctic Energy Services Inc. and subsequent acquisition of the majority interest therein
Penn West Energy Trust, in its acquisition of C1 Energy Ltd. by way of take-over bid
Rolling Thunder Exploration Ltd., in its acquisition by Action Energy Inc. by way of court-ordered plan of arrangement for approximately $60 million
Anderson Exploration Ltd., in its acquisition of Numac Energy Inc. by take-over bid for approximately $960 million
Canadian Natural Resources Limited, in completing $12.74-billion acquisition of a 70 percent working interest in the Athabasca Oil Sands Project and other oil sands assets
DirectCash Payments Inc., in US$460 million acquisition by Cardtronics plc
Gulf Canada Resources Limited, in its acquisition of Crestar Energy Inc. by take-over bid for approximately $2.3 billion
Gulf Canada Resources Limited, in its acquisition by Conoco Inc. for approximately $9.8 billion
PanCanadian Energy Corporation, in its $27 billion merger with Alberta Energy Company Limited to form EnCana Corporation
Canadian Pacific Railway Company in its US$1.2-billion debt offering of notes, guaranteed by Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited
North West Redwater Partnership and NWR Financing Company Ltd., in its $1.3 billion issuance of Series P Senior Bonds and Series Q Senior Bonds, led by CIBC World Markets Inc. and RBC Dominion Securities Inc. as lead agents
Canadian Pacific Railway Company, in its public offering via prospectus supplement of an aggregate of $2.2-billion principal amount of notes, guaranteed by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited
Canadian Pacific Railway Company, in its public offering via prospectus supplement of an aggregate of US$6.7-billion principal amount of notes, guaranteed by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited
Teine Energy Ltd., in a private placement of US$400-million aggregate principal amount of 6.875% senior unsecured notes due 2029
MEG Energy Corp., in its private placement of US$600-million aggregate principal amount of 5.875% senior unsecured notes due 2029
Canadian Natural Resources Limited, in a $800-million public offering of aggregate principal amount of medium term notes, consisting of $500-million aggregate principal amount of 1.45% notes due November 16, 2023 and $300-million aggregate principal amount of 2.50% notes due January 17, 2028
MEG Energy Corp., in its private placement of US$1.2-billion aggregate principal amount of 7.1250% senior unsecured notes due 2027 in the United States and Canada
Acumen Capital Finance Partners Limited, as underwriter in a $12 million offering by Unisync Corp
Founders Advantage Capital, in its $100 million senior secured credit facility with Sagard Credit Partners. 
MEG Energy Corp., in its US$750-million private placement of senior secured second lien notes
Canadian Natural Resources Limited, in three shelf prospectus filings
Natural Gas Partners (NGP) and Riverstone Holdings, LLC, in Northern Blizzard Resources Inc.'s initial public offering and secondary offering for approximately $500 million
MEG Energy Corp., in the $157 million secondary offering of common shares by one of its principal shareholders Warburg Pincus LLC
MEG Energy Corp., in its US$1 billion offering of 7.00% senior unsecured notes
MEG Energy Corp., in its $400 million public bought deal common share financing and concurrent $400 million private placement common share financing
Nexen Inc., in its offering of cumulative redeemable class A rate reset preferred shares, series 2 for aggregate gross proceeds of $200 million
Parallel Energy Trust, in its initial public offering in the amount of $400 million
MEG Energy Corp., in its initial public offering in the amount of $780 million
Fort Chicago Energy Partners L.P., in its public offering of $200 million principal amount of 5.60% Senior Unsecured Notes Series 1 due July 28, 2014
Nexen Inc., in a US$1.25 billion offering of 6.40% Notes due 2037 and US$250 million offering of 5.65% Notes due 2017
Oncolytics Biotech Inc., in its $14 million cross-border public offering of common shares in Canada and the United States
Laricina Energy Inc., in a $60 million private placement of common shares
Rolling Thunder Exploration Ltd., in its initial public offering in Canada
BA Energy Inc., in its $185 million private placement of common shares
Acumen Capital Partners and AltaCorp Capital, in the combined primary and secondary offering of IROC Energy Services Corp
Scotia Capital Inc., as lead underwriter, in a $68 million public offering of convertible debentures and trust units by Enterra Energy Trust
Merrill Lynch & Co., lead to a syndicate of underwriters, in the issue and sale by Agrium Inc. of U.S. $300 million aggregate principal amount of 7.153% debentures due May 2036
ATCO Ltd., in its $150 million public offering of cumulative redeemable preferred shares
Calfrac Well Services in its appearance before the Ontario Securities Commission in successfully resisting an application by Wilks Brothers, LLC to review a decision of the Toronto Stock Exchange that granted exemptive relief to Calfrac in relation to a significant recapitalization transaction
Marquee Energy Ltd., in the defence of its proposed merger with Alberta Oilsands Inc. against challenges by Smoothwater Capital Corporation. 
Special Committee of Central Fund of Canada Limited, in a shareholder meeting requisition by Sprott Asset Management
Alberta-based public company, in the successful defence of proposed meeting activism
Paramount Energy Trust, in its defence against Securities Commission challenges of its acquisition of Profound Energy Inc. by certain Profound shareholders
Rolling Thunder Exploration Ltd., in the successful opposition of a proposed exercise of dissent rights

Recent Recognition

Lexpert Special Edition—Canada's Leading Finance and M&A Lawyers
Recognized as a leading Finance and M&A lawyer
Chambers Canada
Ranked, Corporate/Commercial: The Elite – Alberta
The Legal 500 Canada
Leading Lawyer, Capital Markets
Recommended, Corporate and M&A
Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory
Most Frequently Recommended, Corporate Commercial Law; Corporate Finance & Securities
Consistently Recommended, Mergers & Acquisitions
Repeatedly Recommended, Corporate Mid-Market
LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell
Received a BV Distinguished Peer Review Rating
Lexpert/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada
Ranked, Corporate Commercial
Lexpert Guide to the Leading U.S./Canada Cross-border Corporate Lawyers in Canada
Recognized as a leading lawyer in the area of corporate commercial law
Recognized as a leading lawyer in the area of mergers and acquisitions
Recognized as a leading lawyer in the area of corporate finance and securities
Recognized as a Lawyer to Watch
Lexpert Special Edition
Recognized as a leading infrastructure lawyer in Canada
Recognized as a leading energy lawyer in Canada
Lexperts Rising Stars Leading Lawyers Under 40
Recognized as one of Canada's leading 40 lawyers under 40
Who's Who Legal Canada
Recognized as a leading lawyer in the area of capital markets
Recognized as a leading lawyer in the area of energy
Recognized as a leading lawyer in the area of mergers and acquisitions
Who's Who Legal: Energy
Recognized as one of the world's leading energy lawyers
Who's Who Legal: M&A and Governance
Recognized as one of the world's leading M&A and governance lawyers

Insights, News & Events

Blog

TSX Proposes Amendments to Listing Requirements

April 03, 2025
       

Announcements

156 Bennett Jones Lawyers Featured in 2025 Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory

March 11, 2025
       

Announcements

Twenty-One Bennett Jones Lawyers Recognized in 2025 Lexpert Leading 500 Cross Border Lawyers

January 14, 2025
       

Related Services

Commercial Transactions
Mergers & Acquisitions
Transportation
Capital Markets
Private Equity & Investment Funds
Shareholder Activism & Critical Situations
Corporate Governance
Oil & Gas
Mining
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