Influencers in Toronto: Spotlight on Peter Simeon

Peter: A lot of what I do is give business advice. How to structure things, and what approach to take. And that's what I enjoy most, steering clients on the right path.

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I always wanted to be a lawyer. I was intrigued watching law shows growing up. And seeing the negotiations, and the way they would argue and win cases for clients. While those lawyers tend to be litigators, and I'm a corporate, commercial, and securities lawyer, a lot of what I do involves negotiating the opposing counsel. And trying to get the best results for my clients, which is what drew me to the field and what I enjoy most today.

Now, if only I was as good as my three sons when they're negotiating more video game time or a later bedtime, then I'd be in a really good place. I started my career at a large B street firm. Then went to a boutique firm, and then to Gowling WLG.

What I enjoy about Gowling WLG, is that we're a perfect mix. We're a big international law firm, which helps when pitching clients, as we have colleagues around the globe and can be a one-stop shop for clients. On the other hand, our culture is that of a smaller environment. Everyone is very friendly. Both our clients and lawyers are entrepreneurial nature, and it's truly a great place where you can feel at home.

I specialize in taking companies public. I help list them on the stock exchange, and I buy and sell companies for clients. Most of my clients are entrepreneurs. And early on in my career, a lot of my clients were in the tech space. Then as mining became more popular in Canada, I began focusing on that industry. And then many of those clients transitioned to the cannabis space, which I do a lot of transactions in today.

It's been interesting working in spaces that are emerging markets. When an industry is young, rules are not always developed and structures still need to be formulated. In the cannabis space, being a brand new industry that is heavily regulated, many of the government statutes aren't as precise as you'd like them to be. So there's a lot to interpret, which makes it an exciting challenge.

I read everything I can in this space. I've developed good relationships with Health Canada, and the regulators and have great relationships with the stock exchanges. Because of this, I'm able to be a trusted advisor to my clients. Being a securities lawyer over the last few years has been very busy. There's been a lot of financings and raising of capital.

With the markets dramatically changing recently, that's now been shifting. And we're seeing more bankruptcy and distressed M&A, so getting financing is expected to be more difficult in the coming months. The transactions I advise my clients on, will vary depending on how the economy is doing.

We know the economy will rebound, but right now we're focused on looking at ways clients can cut their costs or find alternative funding to get them through the next few months. I've had numerous mentees over the years. And we also have a lot of informal mentoring here at Gowling WLG. I try to teach junior people on our team to focus on their soft skills, as it's something that many lawyers don't learn early on.

Clients really appreciate clear communication and responsiveness. Even when you're swamped, a simple email or a phone call explaining when you're able to get back to them will go a long way with clients. The best thing I ever learned from a mentor, is that law is a business and you need to know how to treat it as such. When it comes to business development, I think it's important to get the whole team involved.

When it comes to networking events, it's my regular practice to invite not only clients, but also our clients' junior people, as well as our partners and junior associates. It's important to have relationships at every level of the organization, to help build that closeness. I've worked with some of my clients for 10 to 15 years, so I've developed a very close relationship with them. And many, I would consider my friends.

We've been in the trenches together. I've met their families. And creating this level of closeness helps with our work, as we're able to speak more frankly to one another. I think my clients know me as a practical and hands-on lawyer. I'm always involved in transactions. I'm available any time of the day for my clients, and I encourage them to ask questions.

I also always give my clients options, but understand they often want to be steered in the direction that makes the most sense. I'm not one to put up roadblocks for my clients. Instead, I'll find a way around roadblocks by providing creative solutions. Clients appreciate how I think outside the box.

It takes experience doing many deals, to get to the level of confidence where you can be that trusted advisor that clients need. And I'm proud to be that for my clients. In 2019, a long standing client of mine nominated me to the Top 25 Most Influential Lawyer Award by Canadian Lawyer Magazine.

The client nomination alone meant a lot to me, as it showed the trust and appreciation they had. Then when I was selected, I was honored that my peers had voted for me. Because it showed they respected me and believed I was doing good work, which is what we're all here to do, provide excellent business solutions for our clients.