Speaker details

Biography

David is the chair of Dale & Lessmann LLP’s Corporate & Commercial practice group. He is a transactional business lawyer and practices in the areas of corporate & commercial law, M&A, corporate finance, franchise law, licensing, distribution and cannabis law. He works across a broad spectrum of service sectors including technology, agribusiness, horticulture, engineering and electrical services, finance, retail, restaurants, cannabis and wholesale distribution. David collaborates with management and their outside business, tax and accounting advisors, to interpret the law with the aim of providing practical business solutions. He has become a trusted advisor to many of his long-standing clients. David’s more than 20 years of experience in corporate and commercial law includes structuring and negotiating various complex commercial agreements, including share purchase, asset purchase, shareholder, partnership, joint venture, franchising, distribution, licensing, outsourcing and service as well as lending and security documentation. He acts for both Canadian and foreign businesses, whose transactions frequently include significant international aspects. He has coordinated a wide range of post-closing regulatory matters, as well as post-acquisition restructuring and rationalization to help clients effectively integrate recently acquired businesses. David also regularly advises clients in a wide range of industries on franchise and distribution law matters, including the preparation and negotiation of master franchise agreements, area development agreements, single-unit franchise agreements, disclosure documents and related documentation, as well as advising and assisting clients with respect to system rebranding, regulatory compliance, franchise acquisitions and divestitures, and terminations. He has also advised many brand owners and licensed retail cannabis stores with respect to cannabis licensing, branding and regulatory matters including the drafting and negotiation of license agreements, consulting agreements, loan agreements and security documentation. David has been recognized as a leading Canadian franchise lawyer for many years in The Best Lawyers in Canada, Chambers Canada: Canada’s Leading Lawyers for Business, Who’s Who Legal: Canada, Who’s Who Legal: Franchise and The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory and has been named a Franchise Times Legal Eagle. David is an active member of the American Bar Association's Forum on Franchising, the Canadian Franchise Association's Legal & Legislative Affairs Committee, the International Bar Association's Closely Held and Growing Business Enterprises Committee, the International Franchise Association and the Ontario Bar Association's Franchise Law Section.