Overview
Karen Vadasz is a partner in the business law group at Goodmans.
Her practice focuses on corporate law and banking and finance law, including a range of domestic and cross-border financing and corporate transactions, acting for both creditors and debtors. Karen has significant experience with corporate and financing transactions involving health care assets and is a member of the firm’s Aging & Healthcare practice.
Karen is recognized in The Legal 500 Canada as a Next Generation Partner, in Legal Media Group’s Expert Guides as a Rising Star, in IFLR1000 as a Rising Star Partner, and in Best Lawyers in Canada for her banking and finance practice. She is also “Repeatedly Recommended” by The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory in the area of banking & financial institutions, and featured in the Lexpert Special Edition: Finance and M&A. In 2025, Karen was honoured as one of Lexpert’s Rising Stars: Leading Lawyers Under 40. Karen was also honoured at the IFLR Rising Stars Awards Americas for her banking and finance practice as well as the jurisdiction award for Canada in 2021.
Expertise
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Acquisition Finance
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Aging and Healthcare
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Banking and Financial Services
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Corporate and Asset-Based Lending
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Debt Issuances and High Yield Debt
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Financial Services Regulatory
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Mergers and Acquisitions
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Power and Energy Finance
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Private Equity and Venture Capital
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Private M&A
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Project (PPP) Finance
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Structured Finance and Derivatives
Featured Work
Karen’s representative work includes acting for:
- A consortium that includes CLV Group Inc. in partnership with GIC, in connection with the acquisition of InterRent REIT in a $4 billion all-cash transaction.
- Welltower Inc. in connection with its announced acquisition of a portfolio of senior housing communities from Amica Senior Lifestyles and Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan for C$4.6 billion.
- King Street Capital Management, as lead lender, in connection with the $US 750 million financings of Canopy Growth Corporation, one of Canada’s largest cannabis companies.
- Ad hoc committee of lenders in connection with the financing of its acquisition of Cirque du Soleil pursuant to a credit bid under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act for $1.2 billion.
- Berkshire Partners in connection with the financing of its investment in VetStrategy, Canada’s leading and largest operator of veterinary clinics.
- The Plan Sponsors (private equity firms as mezzanine lenders) of Stoneway Capital Corporation’s $1 billion restructuring pursuant to the Canada Business Corporations Act.
- Onex Corporation in connection with the financing of its acquisition of WestJet Airlines Ltd. for CDN $5 billion
- Revera Inc. in its joint venture partnership with Axium Infrastructure to share ownership of 32 of Revera’s long term care homes in Ontario, Alberta, Manitoba and British Columbia.
- Sienna Senior Living Inc. in its acquisition of retirement residences for $382 million.
- Ad Hoc Committee of Noteholders of Pacific Exploration & Production Corporation in connection with the company’s restructuring under the CCAA and ancillary proceedings in Colombia and the United States.
- Welltower Inc. and Revera Inc. in their $374.4 million joint venture acquisition of Regal Lifestyle Communities Inc. and in connection with their US$2 billion joint venture resulting in shared ownership of 70+ Canadian retirement residences previously owned by Revera Inc.
- Gramercy Funds Management LLC in connection with $90 million gold forward sale transactions and gold streaming transaction with Banro Corporation.
- Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. in connection with its formation of a joint venture with Toronto-based real estate company, Dream Unlimited Corp. to develop its portfolio of surplus real estate valued at $1 billion.
- Atlantic Power Corporation in connection with the financing of Atlantic Power’s $1.1 billion acquisition of Capital Power Income L.P.
Awards & Recognition
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The Legal 500 Next Generation Partner, Banking and Finance 2026
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Best Lawyers in Canada Recognized, Banking and Finance Law 2026
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The Legal 500 Next Generation Partner, Banking and Finance 2025
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IFLR1000 Rising Star Partner, Banking 2025
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Lexpert's Rising Stars - Leading Lawyers Under 40 One of Canada’s Leading Lawyers Under 40 2025
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Lexpert Special Edition: Finance Canada's Leading Finance Lawyers 2025
Credentials
Professional Involvement
Karen is a co-chair of SenbridGe NEXT by SenbridGe, Goodmans platform for educational, networking and publication offerings related to the seniors living and healthcare industries.
Credentials
- Osgoode Hall Law School / Schulich School of Business, J.D./M.B.A., 2011
- McGill University, B.A., 2007
Professional Affiliations
- Law Society of Ontario
- Ontario Bar Association
Call to Bar
- 2012 Ontario
Insights
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Banking and Financial Services
Canadian Securities Regulators Publish Temporary Exemptions For Derivatives Data Reporting Requirements
On February 20, 2025, the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) introduced temporary exemptions from certain derivative data reporting requirements relating to unique product identifiers for… -
Banking and Financial Services
Canadian Securities Regulators Publish Temporary Exemptions For Derivatives Data Reporting Requirements
On October 31, 2024, the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) introduced temporary relief from certain derivative data reporting requirements under the Trade Reporting Rules identified… -
Banking and Financial Services
Canadian Securities Regulators Announce Temporary Exemptions For Derivatives Dealers and Advisers
On July 25, 2024, the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) introduced temporary exemptions from certain provisions of National Instrument 93-101 concerning Derivatives: Business Conduct (the… -
Banking and Financial Services
Canadian Securities Administrators Publish Final Business Conduct Rules for Derivatives Firms
On September 28, 2023, the securities regulatory authorities of each of the provinces and territories, other than British Columbia, published Multilateral Instrument 93-101 Derivatives: Business…
News & Events
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Banking and Financial Services
Goodmans Receives Top-Tier Recognition from The Legal 500 Canada 2026
We are pleased to announce Goodmans has once again received top-tier recognition from The Legal 500 Canada in their 2026 Guide.Recognition from The Legal 500 is based on independent research and… -
Banking and Financial Services
Karen Vadasz Named 2025 Lexpert Rising Star: Leading Lawyers 40 and Under
Goodmans is proud to congratulate Karen Vadasz who has been honoured as a Lexpert® Rising Star: Leading Lawyers 40 and Under for 2025.Karen is a partner in the business law group at Goodmans. Her… -
Banking and Financial Services
IFLR1000 2025 Recognizes Goodmans Lawyers and Practices
We are proud to announce Goodmans is once again recognized by IFLR1000 in its annual guide.Recognition in IFLR1000 is based on a combination of in-depth qualitative research and direct client…