W. David Petras Partner


Speaks:  English

Year of Call: 1983 - Ontario

Primary phone: +1 519-575-7506

Fax: +1 519-576-6030

Email: david.petras@gowlingwlg.com

Download vCard


Primary office:  Waterloo Region



W. David Petras

David Petras is a partner in Gowling WLG's Waterloo Region office. His practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, financings, technology matters and corporate governance.

David's clients include advanced manufacturers, software developers, Internet businesses, agri/food companies, financial services businesses, auto parts manufacturers, medical products companies and alternative energy companies.

David's mergers and acquisitions work includes domestic and cross-border transactions involving public and private companies. Financings include venture capital financings and IPOs and various types of credit facilities. Technology transactions include system development, research, distribution, strategic alliance and technology transfer agreements. Corporate governance work includes structuring boards and committees developing governance policies and advising boards and senior management on challenging issues.

David is a former leader of the firm's U.S. Initiative, which is responsible for enhancing the firm's relationships with U.S. clients and law firms. Within the firm, he has been head of the Waterloo Region Technology Law Group, member of the Board of Trustees and chair of the CEO Nominating Committee.

David is a present and former director of various corporations and community organizations, including Waterloo Accelerator Centre, Communitech Corporation, Waterloo North Hydro Holding Corporation (Chair), and Waterloo Region Economic Development Corporation. He is also a partner in the Waterloo Region Chapter of Social Venture Partners.

David has completed the Directors Education Program of the Institute of Corporate Directors.

Career & Recognition

Filter timeline:

Memberships

  • American Bar Association, Mergers & Acquisitions Committee of the Business Law Section
  • Institute of Corporate Directors

Representative Work

  • Alltech (animal nutrition) purchase of Masterfeeds
  • Angoss Software Corp. (advanced analytics) sale to Datawatch Corporation
  • Athena Software (case management software) sale to Social Solutions Global
  • Centra Industries (advanced aerostructure manufacturing) sale to Precision Castparts (NYSE: PCP)
  • Covertech Fabricating Inc. (plastic film extrusion and bag manufacturing) sale to Balcan Plastics
  • Crawford & Company (insurance adjusting) purchase of various adjusting businesses 
  • Dspfactory (semiconductor design) sale to AMI Semiconductor 
  • EMJ Data Systems Ltd. (IT distribution) sale to SYNNEX Corporation 
  • eSentire (managed network security) recapitalization with Warburg Pincus
  • Geosign (Internet media) financing round with American Capital 
  • Geosoft Inc. (geoscience software) sale to Seequent Limited
  • Mitra Imaging Inc. (healthcare imaging management) sale to Agfa-Gevaert N.V. of Belgium
  • Naylor Engineering Associates (geotechnical and environmental engineering) sale to Dessau Inc.
  • Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co KG (industrial automation solutions) purchase of Perle Systems Limited
  • PrinterOn (mobile printing) sale of Spicer Division to Open Text 
  • PrinterOn (mobile printing) sale to Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
  • Roadtrek Motorhomes Inc. (motorhome manufacturer) recapitalization with Illinois-based private equity firm, Industrial Opportunity Partners, and two related credit facilities
  • SYNNEX Corporation (business process services) (NYSE: SNX) purchase of VisionMAX™ Solutions Inc. (cloud-based software and services)
  • Tempur Canada (Canadian distributor of Tempur-Pedic mattresses) sale to Tempur Pedic International 
  • Unitron (hearing aid manufacturer) sale to Phonak (now Sonova Holding AG – SIX Swiss Exchange) 
  • Vetech Laboratories Inc. (poultry vaccine manufacturer) sale to Ceva Sante Animale S.A.
  • Waterloo Maple (mathematical software) sale to Cybernet Systems (Tokyo Stock Exchange)