Christopher Germain’s practice focuses on assisting clients within regulated industries particularly financial services, and energy and natural resources.

Having practiced in Canada, the US, South America, the European Economic Area (EEA) and Asia Pacific regions throughout his career, Chris regularly assists clients involved in cross-border or multjuridictional transactions, financings and regulatory compliance matters. Chris advises on mergers and acquisitions, private placements, going-private transactions, post-transaction integrations, pre-transition compliance initiatives, corporate governance issues, various alternative financing structures, such as leveraged buyouts, convertible debentures, reverse mortgages, royalty contracts, franchise and distribution arrangements, reverse takeovers, option contracts, strategic alliances, shared services agreements, technology transfers, outsourcing, licensing, lease-buy backs, regulatory compliance strategies and risk mitigation programs.

Prior to joining Squire Sanders, Chris was a partner with an international law firm where he split his time among their offices in New York, London and Sao Paulo.

Chris is a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada, the New York Bar and is registered with the Law Society of England and Wales.

Chris is fluent in English and has moderate fluency in French.

Representative Experience

• Advising the largest mining company in Brazil on its ongoing post-acquisition Canadian securities and regulatory reporting and filing requirements as part of its post transaction integration and compliance process.
• Establishing local exemptions from filings and exchange controls to allow publicly listed UK-based securities to be issued to insiders and key executives resident in Chile and Brazil as part of an acquisition of Chile-based mining assets from a former Chilean and Brazilian privately held company.
• Representing a major US-based multinational in the syndication of a US$750 million secured credit facility by a Brazil-based petrochemical company.
• Representing an EEA-based private company in the acquisition of a US$350 million iron ore greenfield site in Brazil.
• Representing a prominent project developer in Brazil on the acquisition of an existing derelict port facility and adjacent land, along with securing second round funding for refurbishment of port related infrastructure in south east of Brazil.
• Advising on the disposition of an India-based in-house technology development subsidiary by a US-based banking multinational and negotiating related 10-year US$5 billion outsourcing services agreement between the client and the acquiring Indian multinational for provision of services to operations across Latin America, Asia, the European Union and Africa.
• Advising on the disposition of an India-based credit card and consumer financing customer service center for US-based banking organizations by a major US-based bank to an India-based outsourcing conglomerate for approximately US$400 million and negotiating a10-year US$2.5 billion outsourcing services agreement between the acquirer and client on service offerings to lower end financial products and entry market clients located in mature western European countries as well as serving markets in Latin America, CIS, Russia and Turkey.
• Representing a US-based multinational charge card conglomerate in its US$100 million joint venture with a Finland-based mobile communication device manufacturer for development and launch of products in the EEA markets, followed by India and then key markets in Latin America.
• Advising a major US-based financial services conglomerate on a leverage buyout, valued at approximately US$12 million, of its Peru-based private label credit card business by local management in Peru.
• Advising Brazil’s largest private financial services organization on the acquisition of a 50-percent stake in Redicard for US$2.4 billion.
• Advising Brazil’s largest financial service organization in the establishment of a US based broker-dealer and undertaking all required regulatory filings, developing necessary compliance program, and advising on regulatory exams by SEC, and NASD as well as the NYSE.
• Assisting Safra National in restructuring specific BVI-based funds and developing due diligence review and a records management process in preparation for Madoff-related litigation.
• Negotiating technology transfer agreement terms and conditions on behalf of a Russia-based LNG exploration and transport company with respect to a joint venture involving a Norway-based exploration company and Brazil-based partners regarding shore gas exploration concession awards by a relevant Brazil-based national energy industry regulatory agencies.
• Representing a minority shareholder in a China-based investment company purchase of a US$390 million majority stake in a Brazil-based mining company.