Associate

Jean-François Maurice is a member of the Business Law group. His practice focuses primarily on private equity and venture capital transactions, public and private financings, mergers and acquisitions and fund formation. He frequently acts and advises for start-up and growth companies, fund managers, public companies and state-owned enterprises on corporate and securities law matters.

Education

• LL.M., Peking University, 2018– Business Law. Thesis subject: “Corporate governance strategies to improve the governance of state-owned corporations, using principles of economic analysis of law.”
• LL.B., Université de Montréal, 2013

He regularly acts for and advises institutional and private investors, investment fund managers and Crown corporations on the acquisition of equity interests, the creation of investment funds, business acquisitions and regulatory registration requirements and prospectus exemptions.

Jean-François also acts for software and technology companies in the negotiation and drafting of contracts, including licence, distribution and master service agreements.

Jean-Francois is known for his problem-solving mindset and his focus on value creation.

Representatives mandates

• Represented Investissement Québec in connection with a $30 million investment as part of Deep Sky’s Series A funding.
• Represented the Fonds de solidarité FTQ in its acquisition of a $68 million minority interest in the share capital of SMT Hautes Technologies Inc.
• Support to Investissement Québec in the following mandates:
  • Financing of Letenda, a sustainable transport company
  • Financing of Pharma in Silica, a biotechnology company aimed at improving the chemotherapy of solid tumors, particularly lung cancer;
  • Financing of a technology company related to public transport
  • Sale of Algolux to Torc Robotics
  • Financing of Deep Sky, a company specialized in removing CO₂ from the atmosphere
  • Financing of Femtherapeutics, a company dedicated to women's health by manufacturing gynecological prostheses adapted to the specific needs of patients.
• Support to Plateforme Agora Inc. in acquiring assets of Le Panier Bleu and in a financing round by Investissement Québec, Desjardins, Lightspeed and the Fonds de solidarité des travailleurs du Québec.
• Support to the Fonds de solidarité FTQ, Fondaction and EDC for a $30 million investment in Nolk.
• Support to the Fonds de solidarité FTQ and Desjardins Capital for a $22.8 million investment in UgoWork.
• Support to BRIDGR Group in the completion of a $1.6 million seed round of financing.
• Confidential client names: Support to a portfolio manager and a family office in the financing of a data analytics technology company in the UK.
• Supported partners, including the Government of Canada, the Government of Quebec, Fonds de solidarité FTQ, Ivanhoé Cambridge, Fondation Lucie et André Chagnon, Fondaction, Fondation Mirella et Lino Saputo and Fondation J. Armand Bombardier in the establishment of a $151 million fund for the construction and renovation of affordable housing.
• Confidential client name: Support to a fund manager in the structuring and marketing of a real estate investment fund project.
• Confidential client names: Support to an institutional investor and an investment fund in the financing of an instrument and software manufacturing company in the biotech sector.
• Represented the ad hoc committee of first lien lenders to Cirque du Soleil in connection with the acquisition of Cirque du Soleil pursuant to a credit bid under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act for $1.2 billion;
• Represented international investment fund managers in connection with the negotiation and closing of capital commitments from Quebec investors in excess of $425 millions;
• Represented Quebec-based investment fund managers in connection with fund formation and closing of capital commitments in excess of $320 millions;
• Represented investment funds in the closing and renewal of credit facilities of more than $150 million
• Represented public issuers in connection with private placements, with gross proceeds in excess of $85 millions;
• Represented Canadian investment banks acting as lead underwriters in public financings of Canadian mining issuers, with gross proceeds in excess of $56 millions;
• Represented ChronoMétriq Inc. in debt and equity financings of more than $25 million
• Representation of corporations in the SaaS and video game industries in strategic acquisitions, financing rounds and the negotiation and implementation of licence, distribution and master service agreements.

Publications

• André Vautour and Jean-François Maurice, “Entre flexibilité nécessaire et risque d’excès : le droit des sociétés par actions moderne et le rôle des actionnaires dans la gouvernance des sociétés fermées” dans Barreau du Québec, Service de la formation continue, Développements récents en droit des affaires (2022), vol 519, Montréal (QC), Éditions Yvon Blais, 2022, 111
• “Mes André VAUTOUR, France Camille DE MERS & Jean-François MAURICE, Gouvernance des sociétés d'État à vocation commerciale - Rôle et pouvoirs du conseil d'administration et de la direction des sociétés d'État, similitudes et différences avec les sociétés par actions de droit privé, Développements récents en droit des affaires, volume 460, june 1st, 2019.”

Professional and community activities

• ”Bénévole d’affaires”