Overview
Celia Rhea is a partner in a business law group at Goodmans. Her practice encompasses corporate advice, financing, leveraged buyouts, private equity, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and restructuring.
Celia works with companies, private equity funds and hedge funds in financing and corporate transactions, including in the restructuring context, to find creative solutions to unique challenges in collaboration with clients and other professionals.
Celia has been recognized by IFLR1000 as Canadian Lawyer of the Year for Banking and in their Women Leaders 2022 guide as one of the most prominent female lawyers working in Canada. Celia is also recognized as a leading lawyer by various legal publications including Lexpert, Chambers, IFLR 1000, The Legal 500 Canada, The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, Who's Who Legal and Best Lawyers in Canada in the areas of Banking and Finance Law, Corporate, M&A, Leveraged Buyouts, Private Equity and Restructuring.
Featured Work
Celia's representative work includes acting for:
Financing
- Penfund Capital in its $100 million 2nd lien credit facility to Goodlife Fitness
- Carlyle Group in its $225 million credit facility to Empire Communities
- Brookfield Principal Credit in its US$650 million credit facility to Bumble Bee Foods
M&A
- Onex Corporation in its acquisition of WestJet Airlines Ltd. for CDN$5 billion
- Berkshire Partners LLC in connection with its investment in VetStrategy and Groupe Daubigny, Canada’s leading and largest operator of veterinary clinics
- Roots Canada in the sale of majority ownership to Searchlight Capital
Restructuring
- Counsel to the Ad Hoc Committee of Lenders of Cirque du Soleil in the successful global transaction valued at approximately US$1.215 billion
- Toys ‘R’ Us Canada in its $300 million sale to Fairfax Financial Holdings
- Noteholders of Frontera Energy (f/k/a Pacific Exploration & Development Corporation) in Frontera’s US$5.4 billion restructuring
Awards & Recognition
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Chambers Canada Recognized, Banking and Finance 2023
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The Legal 500 Canada Recommended, Banking and Finance 2023
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Best Lawyers in Canada Recognized: Banking and Finance Law, Corporate Law, Insolvency and Financial Restructuring Law, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law 2023
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Who's Who Legal Recommended National Leader, Banking 2022
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The Legal 500 Canada Recommended, Banking and Finance 2022
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Euromoney's Guide to the World's Leading Women in Business Law Recognized, Banking and Finance 2022
Credentials
Professional Involvement
Celia served as a director of People for Education from 2011 to 2018.
Credentials
- McGill University, LL.B., 1984
- Western University, B.A., 1980
Professional Affiliations
- Law Society of Ontario
Call to Bar
- 1986 Ontario
News & Events
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Banking and Financial Services
The Legal 500 Canada Continues to Recognize Goodmans with Top Tier Rankings
We are pleased to announce Goodmans LLP has once again received top tier recognition from The Legal 500 Canada in their 2023 Guide released today. Recognition from The Legal 500 is based on… -
Goodmans Lawyers Named Across 2022 Expert Guides
We are pleased to share Goodmans lawyers have been recognized across several Expert Guides 2022 editions. Recognition from Expert Guides is based on peer review, and demonstrates our lawyers… -
Mergers and Acquisitions
Chambers and Partners Continues to Honour Goodmans with Top Tier Recognition
We are delighted to announce Goodmans LLP has once again received top tier recognition from Chambers and Partners in the Chambers Canada 2023 Guide released today. Recognition from Chambers…