William K. Orr focuses his practice on corporate governance and has acted for many boards of directors and independent committees of boards. Bill specializes in securities regulation including multi-national transactions in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and other countries. He is a recognized expert in public and private financing, private placements, takeover bids, mergers and acquisitions, going-private transactions, corporate governance, restructurings, and stock exchange and securities enforcement issues. His clients include boards and independent committees of boards of directors, public companies, investment dealers and institutional investors.
Among his current mandates, Bill serves as independent counsel to the Board of OMERS Administration Corporation.
Bill has taught securities regulation and business law courses at Queen's University, Osgoode Hall Law School, McGill University and the University of Toronto. In 1985 he co-authored a book, Private Placements in Canada, published by Carswell.
Honours and Awards
- Ranked by Chambers Global Guide 2012 for Corporate/M&A
- Recognized by Best Lawyers in Canada 2011 as a leading practitioner in Corporate Governance, Corporate Law, Mergers & Acquisitions Law, Securities Law
- Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory 2010, 2011: consistently recommended, Corporate Finance & Securities; most frequently recommended, Corporate Commercial Law, Corporate Mid-Market and Mergers & Acquisitions
- Listed as a recommended lawyer in the area of Directors' duties and liabilities (Canada) by Practical Law Company in 2009
- Consistently named one of the country's top lawyers in Corporate Commercial, Corporate Finance and M&A in the annual Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada published by Lexpert/American Lawyer Media
- Internationally recognized in the area of Corporate Governance in Who's Who Legal's The International Who's Who of Business Lawyers
- A Leading Lawyer in Canada in the area of Capital Markets in the International Financial Law Review
Community Involvement
Bill has served on a number of community and charitable boards of directors, including:
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President, Family Service Association of Metropolitan Toronto
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Chair, Board of Trustees, Trinity College, University of Toronto
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Chair, Board of Directors, Dellcrest Children's Centre
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Member, College of Electors of the University of Toronto
- Director and Honourary Counsel, The Duke of Edinburgh's Award – Young Canadians Challenge
Membership/Affiliations
- ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors
- Board of Directors, Institute of Corporate Directors