W. Alfred Apps

Alfred Apps carries on an active transaction-oriented practice with a special focus on advising high-growth Canadian mid-market companies with a global outlook, as well as several of the leading domestic and foreign private equity and venture funds that provide financing to them.

Alfred's expertise is in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, equity/debt financings, structured finance, fund formation and corporate restructuring. He regularly advises on both the public and private market transactions, including transactions involving companies listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) and the Alternative Investment Market (AIM). Alfred is recognized as one of Canada's leading counsel in relation to private equity firms and transactions.

Alfred originally joined the firm in 1989 and became a partner in 1991. Between 1989 and 1993, his practice was almost exclusively devoted to major Canadian corporate and debt restructurings.

Alfred withdrew from the partnership in 1993 to become President and Chief Executive Officer of then client The Lehndorff Group, a private, international commercial real estate ownership and management concern (with assets of $3.5 billion under management). At Lehndorff, he led the successful restructuring and recapitalization of the organization until it formed Residential Equities Real Estate Investment Trust by way of an initial public offering ($225 million) in 1997 and completed a special warrants transaction ($150 million) in conjunction with a business combination with Dundee Realty Corporation in 1998.

In 1998, he was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Newstar Technologies, overseeing its subsequent merger with three other leading North American software companies and subsequently became Chief Executive Officer of the merged entity, RealPulse.com, Inc. (dba "The REALM"). The REALM, a Dallas-based company, continues to be the leader in providing information technology and B2B e-commerce services to the North American commercial real estate industry. At The REALM, he completed one of the largest first-round private equity financings (US $132 million) during the year 2000 in the United States.

Since returning to Canada and legal practice in 2001, Alfred has completed a number of significant cross-border acquisitions, divestitures and financings. He has lived, worked and raised capital in Canada, the United States and Europe.

Alfred is also a frequent panelist and commentator at professional conferences and was the founding Director of the firm's Emerging Global Business Group.

His clients include the following public entities: GMP Capital Trust (TSX: GMP.UN), Azure Dyamics Corporation (TSX/AIM:AZD), Rutter Inc (TSX:RUT), Automated Benefits Corp. (TSX-V: V.AUT), Travelzest PLC (AIM:TVZ) and Western Financial Group (TSX:WES), as well as a large number of private corporations, private equity funds and venture funding firms.

Selected Experience

• Azure Dynamics closes $30 million common share offering
• North American Palladium closes bought deal unit and flow through share offerings for proceeds of $73 million

News

• Practical Law Company describes Fasken Martineau as "very creative and pragmatic" in survey
• Alfred Apps quoted in Financial Post article on ABCP

Presentations

• National Angel Summit
• Canadian Private Equity Summit

Membership/Affiliations

• Canadian Bar Association
• Law Society of Upper Canada
• National Angel Organization
• Canadian Venture Capital Association

Community Involvement

• Chair, Foundation Board, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
• Member, President's Council, March of Dimes
• Member, Advisory Board, Seiler Strings
• Member, Advisory Board, Dream Now
  

Honours and Awards

• Recognized by LEXPERT/ALM as one of Canada's leading lawyers
• Listed in EXPERT Guides as one of Canada's leading private equity lawyers
• Listed as a recommended lawyer in the area of Private equity: buyouts (Canada) by Practical Law Company in 2009