Law ’88 alumna wins Canadian General Counsel Award

Photo courtesy of Agrium, Inc.

Leslie O'Donoghue, Law '88

Leslie O’Donoghue, Law ‘88, described by the Financial Post as a “firebrand” general counsel for fertilizer producer and supplier Agrium, Inc., received the Canadian General Counsel Award (CGCA) for Deal Making at a reception on June 1.

For this award, CGCA looks at such criteria as the innovation involved in the transactions and how cross-jurisdictional issues were handled. O’Donoghue competed with four other counsel, including those from the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan and CIBC.

“It isn’t really a recognition of me,” says O’Donoghue, “but a significant recognition of Agrium’s growth and team effort. Deals are a team effort. In order to get a deal like this across the line, everybody makes a valuable contribution.”

When asked, O’Donoghue said that she believed she was nominated for this particular award for the 2008 acquisition of UAP, a deal worth $2.7 billion USD and financed via an equity issuance of $1.3 billion prior to closing. Agrium is now a leading source of agricultural nutrients on a global scale and North America’s premier supplier of specialty fertilizers.

“The deal was really brilliantly financed,” says O’Donoghue. “We had the equity financing in place before we closed, and therefore we weren’t at the mercy of the financial markets. The deal was quite strategic from a risk point of view. It has given us a significant presence in the U.S. market, and it’s a deal we are very proud of.”

In the wake of the award, O’Donoghue has taken on a new portfolio as Agrium’s Chief Legal Officer and Senior Vice President, Business Development.

“A law degree provides a great background for business opportunities and opens up many different options,” she reflects. “It gave me the option of moving into the business development role. I look forward to continuing Agrium’s growth.”