Bogdan Catanu is a partner at Woods LLP.
He has a diverse commercial litigation practice and represents public and private corporations, as well as their officers, directors, shareholders, auditors, contractual partners, or creditors in commercial disputes.
He has a solid experience in complex contractual matters, liability of professionals, such as lawyers and accountants, oppression remedies, and rights of shareholders. He has also represented clients on many occasions in the context of injunction proceedings and in commercial arbitrations.
He played a leading role in the defense of BCE Inc.’s privatization worth approximately $52 billion, which was being contested by a group of bondholders, and subsequently in defending the purchasers sued by BCE Inc. for a $1.2 billion break-up fee. He also played a key role in the litigation surrounding the restructuring of the Asset-Backed Commercial Paper market worth $32 billion.
In addition, Bogdan’s pro bono work recently received media attention when he successfully argued on behalf of a university researcher that both the identity of participants in a scientific research study and the information obtained from them were protected by a case-by-case privilege.
Representative cases include:
- Acted as lead counsel in several commercial arbitrations, notably a $200 million supplier-distributor UNCITRAL arbitration.
- Represented the bondholders of Nemaska Lithium Inc., which had issued US$350 million of secured bonds. The company filed arrangement proceedings under the CBCA and then under the CCAA. A settlement was reached whereby the bondholders received the face amount of the bonds plus accrued interest and a lump sum payment of US$30 million.
- Represented FCA Canada (f/k/a Chrysler Canada) in connection with complex claims against Coopers & Lybrand, its former partners, insurers and other related parties, relating to Castor Holdings, both in Quebec and in Ontario.
- Played a leading role in defending BCE Inc.’s privatization worth approximately $52 billion against a challenge by bondholders. Later defended the purchasers sued by BCE Inc. for a $1.2 billion break fee and contributed significantly in the ABCP market litigation.
Updated April 2024
