Steve Szentesi is a Canadian competition/antitrust lawyer based in Vancouver. He practises federal competition law, has advised Canadian and international firms in many industries and has worked on hundreds of domestic and cross-border competition law matters. He has practised competition and international trade law at several leading Canadian and international business law firms including Lang Michener in Vancouver, Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg in Toronto and Linklaters in London. His academic work includes three years as adjunct professor of competition law at the University of British Columbia, including an upcoming new Canadian competition law survey course at the University of British Columbia, Faculty of Law (Spring, 2011). He also served as in-house competition law counsel for one of Canada’s largest single industry trade associations (the Canadian Real Estate Association in Ottawa), a role in which he was responsible for providing competition law and competition law compliance advice to CREA and its approximately 120 member real estate boards and associations across Canada. He has published widely in the competition law field for the past ten years and is a frequent guest speaker at competition law conferences and industry events. He has a particular interest in the application of Canadian competition law to trade and professional associations and is the co-author of a forthcoming book on competition law and associations: The Competition Law Guide for Associations(forthcoming, Carswell, 2011).
CONTACT
Norton Stewart, Business Lawyers
1600 – 1055 West Georgia Street
Vancouver, British Columbia
V6E 3S5
Telephone: (604) 687-0555 extension 238 (office)
Telephone: (778) 867-5558 (mobile)
Telephone: (604) 689-1248 (fax)
Email: info@competitionlawcanada.com
Email: steve@nortonstewart.com
Web: www.nortonstewart.com
EDUCATION
- Intellectual property law (UBC)
- Internet law (BCIT)
- Canadian Securities Course
- LL.B. – Dalhousie University
- M.A. – University of Toronto
- B.A. – University of Toronto
BAR ADMISSIONS
- British Columbia
- Alberta (non-active)
- Ontario (retired)
- England and Wales (non-active)
REPRESENTATIVE RECENT MATTERS & PROJECTS
Providing strategic Canadian foreign investment law information to investment advisers in New York and London relating to the BHP hostile bid for Potash Corp.
Acting for the Canadian subsidiary of one of the world’s largest corporations in relation to an advertising and marketing law matter.
Co-author of Canada’s first competition law guide for professional and trade associations (The Competition Law Guide for Associations), to be published by Carswell in 2011.
Designing Canada’s first national competition law course for organized real estate in Canada (REALTORS) and writing the competition law compliance book for the course (Competition Law and REALTORS).
Competition law compliance projects for several major Canadian trade associations following significant Canadian Competition Act amendments (2009, 2010).
Acting for a client in a competition law dispute in the real estate services sector.
Acting as defence counsel in a domestic price-fixing investigation.
Providing Canadian advertising law advice to a major Canadian real estate development company.
Providing competition law advice to a major Canadian trade association in relation to a significant project involving negotiations with a government
REPRESENTATIVE TRANSACTIONS
- Consultation services in relation to BHP’s $38 b bid for Potash Corp.
- Harbinger Corp. in its $4 billion hostile bid for Inmarsat plc
- South African diamond producer’s acquisition of a Belgian polishing company
- Teck Cominco in its $4.1 billion bid for Aur Resources Inc.
- A Canadian mining company in a friendly takeover by a Japanese company
- A significant U.S. company’s $300 million acquisition of a Canadian start-up
- A Japanese company in its acquisition of a Canadian transportation company
- West Fraser’s $325 million acquisition of 13 U.S. sawmills
- West Fraser’s $78 million sale of two sawmills to Hampton Lumber
- Glamis Gold Ltd. in its $21.3 billion plan of arrangement with Goldcorp
- Teck Cominco in its $16.8 billion unsolicited take-over bid for Inco
- Glamis Gold Ltd. in its $1.4 billion acquisition of Western Silver
- Sierra Systems Group in its $93 million acquisition by Golden Gate Capital
- Aurizon Mines in a $400 million hostile take-over bid by Northgate Minerals
- GE Capital Corporation in its acquisition of Transamerica Finance Corp., II
- Sodisco-Howden Group in its acquisition of Ace Hardware Canada Limited
- A U.S. acquirer in its $400 million acquisition of a commercial office building
- Chapters/Indigo in the merger of Chapters and Indigo Books & Music
- United Grain Growers Ltd. in the merger with Agricore Cooperative Limited
- Ralston Purina Corporation in its acquisition by Nestlé S.A.
- Premdor Inc. in its acquisition of Masonite Corporation
- DaimlerChrysler in its $1 billion acquisition of Western Star Trucks Holdings
- Patheon Inc. in its $300 million acquisition of a Novartis manufacturing facility
INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE (COMPETITION LAW MATTERS)
Agriculture, airlines, architectural woodworking, broadcasting, cat food, construction materials, defence procurement, diamonds, direct marketing, dog food, energy, financial services, forestry, gaming, gem polishing, hardware, hedge funds, insurance, manufacturing, media, mining, news wire services, online gaming, pet food, pharmacies, potash, rail, real estate, real estate self-storage, retail, retail books, satellite communications, software, telecommunications, trailer leasing, transportation, vitamins and digital media.
PRESENTATIONS & TEACHING ENGAGEMENTS
Adjunct professor, Canadian Competition Law, University of British Columbia, Faculty of Law, Spring, 2011.
Speaker, Competition Law & REALTORS, pilot for ACRE/CREA national competition law course for REALTORS, Vancouver, BCIT (March, 2010)
Canadian Competition law compliance seminars for BC trade associations, Competition Act amendments (March, April 2010)
Chair and speaker, Canada’s Competition Act Amendments, Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia (March 18, 2010)
Speaker, Convergence and Canada’s New Merger Control, joint World Council for Corporate Governance (London) & International Academy of Law, International Competition Conference, Delhi, India (2009)
Speaker, Canada’s New Competition Law, CBA, Business Law Subsection lunch, Vancouver, Sutton Place Hotel (November, 2009)
Adjunct professor, Competition Law, University of British Columbia, Faculty of Law (2006, 2007)
Speaker, “Retail Sales & Competition Law”, RetailBC seminar, Vancouver (2007)
Speaker, “Canadian Competition Law & IP”, Chinese aviation industry trade delegation, Vancouver (2007)
Speaker, “Mergers & Acquisitions, Competition Law Developments”, Lang Michener presentation, Vancouver (2007)
Speaker, “Abuse of Dominance & the Canada Pipe Case”, Lang Michener presentation, Toronto (2007)
Speaker, “The Competition Act and You”, six compliance seminars for the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (2006)
Guest lecturer, “Intersection of IP & Competition Law”, University of British Columbia, Faculty of Law (2006)
Speaker, “Competition Law Essentials”, CLE BC seminar, Vancouver (2006)
Speaker, competition law compliance seminars for CREA (Vancouver, Calgary, Jasper, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, etc.) (2004-2006)
Speaker, 2005 CREA / National Association of REALTORS (2005)
Speaker, “Being Ready for the Competition Bureau from an Association Perspective”, CBA, Annual Competition Conference, Ottawa (2004)
COMPETITION LAW BOOKS, ARTICLES & PUBLICATIONS
The Competition Law Guide for Associations, forthcoming book, spring 2011 (Carswell)
Competition Law and REALTORS, competition law compliance book for the Alliance of Canadian Real Estate Education (2010)
“The CREA Abuse of Dominance Case: Competition Bureau Challenges Organized Real Estate in Canada”, Competition Policy International, Antitrust Chronicle (2010) ( www.competitionpolicyinternational.com ) – forthcoming
“Canada’s New Competition Law: Some Implications for Canadian Real Estate Brokers, Agents & Boards”, REM Magazine (2010)
“Canada’s New Merger Control Regime – Frequently Asked Questions”, Norton Stewart publication (2010)
“Canada’s New Cartel Law in Force”, CUTS International, January, 2010: CUTS ReguLetter
Competition Law For Business Lawyers – The Basics (2010)
Competition Law and Trade Associations, available to trade association clients (2010)
“Canada’s New Two-track Criminal Conspiracy Regime”, CLE BC seminar, Vancouver (2010)
“Competition Act Amendments Impact Trade Associations”, Lawyers Weekly (2010)
“Canada’s New Criminal Cartel Rules”, Norton Stewart newsletter (2010)
“Canada’s Competition Act Amendments”, The Advocate (2010)
“Convergence and Canada’s New Merger Control”, presented at joint WCCG & International Academy of Law conference, Delhi (2009)
“Canada’s New Competition Law”, presentation, CBA Business Law Subsection, luncheon, Vancouver, Sutton Place Hotel (2009)
“Why India Needs Merger Control Now”, contribution to submission to the Indian government (Derek Ireland author) (2009)
“Competition Law & Trade Associations”, Boardwalk newsletter, Associations Plus (2009)
“A Canadian View of China’s Anti-monopoly Law”, ABA, International Antitrust Bulletin (2007)
“’M’ is for Merger: A Year in Review for Merger Clearance Developments in Canada”, Commercial Times Newsletter (2007)
“Competition Bureau Continues to Investigate Self-regulated Professions”, Federated Press (2007)
“Canadian Competition Law & IP”, presentation for Chinese aviation trade delegation (2007)
“Hong Kong Poised to Introduce Cross-Sector Competition Law”, ABA International Antitrust Bulletin (2007)
“Developments in Merger Clearance in Canada”, ACG, Mergers & Acquisitions (2007)
“Competition Bureau Issues Final Merger Remedies Bulletin”, CCH, Commercial Times Newsletter (2007)
“Competition Bureau Issues Outline Consent Agreement”, Lang Michener publication (2007)
Canadian Competition Law and Policy, Casebook, UBC Faculty of Law (2006, 2007)
“No Deal for B-Filer” (with James Musgrove), Lang Michener publication (2007)
The Competition Act and You, Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver publication (2007)
“Competition Bureau Puts Self-Regulated Professions Under the Gun”, Lawyers Weekly (2007)
“Self-Regulated Professions Under Bureau Spotlight”, Lang Michener publication (2007)
“Bureau Appeals Tribunal Decision Allowing Labatt/Lakeport Merger”, Business in Vancouver (2007)
“Loyalty Programs: the Latest From Canada”, ABA Tele-seminar (with James Musgrove) (2007)
“Competition Bureau Issues Final Merger Remedies Bulletin”, Lang Michener publication (2006)
“Merger Remedies in Canada: Recent Developments”, Lang Michener publication (2006)
“Efficiencies Again” (with James Musgrove), Lang Michener publication (2006)
“U.S. Supreme Court Antitrust Cases Impact Canadian Business”, Lang Michener publication (2006)
“Developments in the Law of Price Maintenance”, CLE Seminar, Vancouver (2006)
“Competition Bureau / Korean FTC Cooperation Agreement”, Lang Michener publication (2006)
“Competition Bureau Targets Self-Regulated Professions”, Lang Michener publication (2006)
“Good Marketing or Misleading Advertising?: Competition Bureau Steps-up Enforcement”, Lang Michener (2006)
“Grafton Fraser Agrees to Pay $1.2 Million Penalty to Settle Misleading Advertising Case” (2006)
“$1.8 Million Settlement in U.S. Gun-Jumping Case: Reviewing Pre-Merger Coordination” (2006)
“Is That Really on Sale?: Traps for Unwary Advertisers”, Business in Vancouver (2006)
“Loyalty Programs & Abuse of Dominance: Canada Pipe”, CLE, Vancouver (2006)
CREA Misleading Advertising Guide, The Canadian Real Estate Association (2005)
Competition Law Overview for Leadership, Canadian Real Estate Association publication (2005)
Competition Law Compliance Workbook, The Canadian Real Estate Association publication (2005)
“Being Ready for the Competition Bureau”, CBA Annual Fall Conference on Competition Law (2004)
Contributor, Competition Law of Canada, Goldberg & Bodrug, eds. (2004)
“Reform of the Tribunal’s Procedure”, Canadian Corporate Counsel Association, Spring Conference (with George Addy) (2003)
“Proposed Public Interest Review for Transportation Mergers” (with John Bodrug)
“Constitutional Challenges to Foreign Extraterritorial Measures Act” (with Milos Baruciski) (2002)
“Litigating Abuse of Dominance Cases”, Competition Issues in Difficult Times (2002)
“ICPAC and the Road Not Taken”, CBA Annual Fall Conference (with Brian Facey) (2001)
RECENT MEDIA
BNN: China Tells State Companies to Explore Potash Bid, Reuters: China Tells State Companies to Explore Potash Bid, Yahoo News, The Himalayan Times, XE.com, U.S. Daily, ITBusinessnet.com, FoxBusiness.com, Talk Talk, CNBC, India Times, MSN, PublicBroadcasting.net, Yahoo Finance Singapore, Euro Investor, REM Magazine: Canada’s New Competition Law, Lawyers Weekly (”Trade Associations Face Tough New Competition Law Rules”), Globe and Mail, Report on Business: Telus Sues Rogers Over Ad Claims, REM Magazine: CREA Seeks Settlement Over MLS Policies.
CANADIAN COMPETITION LAW LINKS
For more information about Canadian competition law or our competition law services visit our: Abuse of Dominance, Advertising and Marketing Law, Bid Rigging, Canadian Competition Law, Canadian Competition Law Compliance, Canadian Competition Law Home, Competition Act Amendments, Competition Bureau Investigations, Competition Law Courses and Conferences, Competition Law Litigation, Competition Law Publications, Competition Law Resources, Competition Law Services, Conferences, Conspiracy and Competitor Collaborations, Conspiracy – FAQs, Global Competition / Antitrust Law Resources, Global Competition Law Updates, Investment Canada Act, Merger Control, Merger Control FAQs, Private Actions, Promotional Contests, Publications, Refusal to Deal, Team, Trade Associations or Trade Association Cases pages or visit our website at www.NortonStewart.com.
CONTACT US
We provide Canadian competition law and consulting services to Canadian and international clients. For more information about our services contact us at steve@nortonstewart.com, info@competitionlawcanada.com or call us on +1 604 687 0555 or +1 778 867 5558. Visit us on the web in Toronto at www.torontocompetitionlawyer.com or www.torontocompetitionlaw.com.