Catherine Gibson

Catherine Gibson

Partner

Co-chair, Canadian Real Estate Group

I am always impressed by her exceptional service delivery.
— client feedback, Chambers Canada
Vancouver
About

Catherine Gibson is a business lawyer with a practice that focusses on corporate/commercial and real estate matters.

Catherine has extensive experience providing strategic advice to her clients in a broad range of commercial matters, including: M&A, corporate finance, joint ventures, real estate transactions, development and leasing. She has established herself as a trusted advisor to her clients, who are involved in a wide variety of industries.

Catherine heads up the Canadian M&A representation and warranty insurance practice representing the largest carriers in the industry in their M&A underwriting work. 

Catherine has been recognized for her depth of experience in real estate law by leading lawyer ranking guides, including Best Lawyers in Canada, Chambers Canada and the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory. In 2018, she was selected by the Women's Executive Network (WXN) Canada’s Most Powerful Women as a Top 100 Award Winner.  

Catherine was the Vancouver Managing Partner from 2016 until 2020 and has twice served on the firm’s National Executive Committee, from 2013 to 2015 and from 2020 to 2024. She is the Co-Chair of the Canadian Real Estate Group. She was a member of the Steering Committee for DLA Piper Canada’s Legal Alliance for Women (LAW) from 2015 to 2020 and was the Canadian liaison to the Steering Committee for Global LAW during the same period.

Areas of FocusFinancial ServicesHealthcareCorporateReal EstateDevelopment, Land Use and Zoning
Bar admissionsBritish Columbia

EXPERIENCE

  • Acted for Agilent Technologies, Inc., a global leader in life sciences, diagnostics and applied chemical markets, in connection with its proposed acquisition of BioVectra, a contract drug manufacturer, for US$925 million.
  • Acted for Deka Immobilien Investment GmbH in the purchase of two Class AAA office towers located in downtown Vancouver from Oxford Properties Group and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board.
  • Advising leading representation and warranty insurers in connection with the ‎‎placement of mainly buyer-side representation and warranty insurance in respect of M&A deals.
  • Acted for a world leading luxury retail-driven real estate arm of a PE platform in respect of their investment as co-owner of one of the largest and most significant mixed-use projects underway in North America and the ongoing development and financing thereof.
  • Acted for a group of leading restauranteurs with locations across Canada and the US in connection with the refinancing of their club credit facilities with RBC and CIBC.
  • Represented Western Forest Products Inc. in the $69.2 million sale of its private timberlands on Vancouver Island to Eastwood Forests.
  • Acted for a major US-based lender in the refinancing of and collateral substitution for an $80 million dollar loan secured by hotel properties.
  • Acted for the buyer in a $205 million purchase of an office tower with 414,000 square feet of ‘AAA’ Class office space.
  • Acted for Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. in the $170 million sale of its remaining 25% interest in Island Timberlands Limited Partnership.
  • Represented Pacific Coast Terminals Co. Ltd in the negotiation of a long-term contract for the handling and storage of potash products from K+S Potash Canada’s Legacy mine, which included the amendment of their ground lease with Port Metro Vancouver and advising on numerous other legal matters related to the expansion of their existing bulk terminal located in Port Moody estimated to exceed $200 million.
Languages
  • English

Awards

Chambers Canada

  • Band 4, British Columbia Real Estate, (2019, 2023 – 2026)

The Legal 500 Canada

  • Recommended, Real Estate, (2023 – 2024)
Additional Recognitions
  • Recognized, Vancouver Real Estate Law, Best Lawyers in Canada, (2015 – 2026)
  • Women's Executive Network (WXN) Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award Winner, (2018)
  • Listed, Property Leasing, Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, (2017 – 2025)
Education
  • LL.B., University of British Columbia
  • B.A., Eng. Lit., University of British Columbia

Seminars

  • Speaker, “What is the path forward for a vibrant downtown Vancouver?”, Vancouver Real Estate Strategy & Leasing Conference, ‎November 2023
  • Speaker, "Leasing to Tech Companies", Pacific Business & Law Institute, March 2020
  • Speaker, “Rapid Fire Legal Roundtable: From Government Regulations and Policies to Lease Clauses ‎and Case Law that you need to understand”, Vancouver Real Estate Strategy & Leasing Conference, ‎October 2019‎
  • Panelist, "Grit and Growth Mindsets", CBA Leadership Conference for Professional Women, November 2015

Media Mentions

Other Activities

  • Member, Editorial Board of Commercial Leasing Annotated Precedents (The Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia), 2005-2024
  • Author of Annual Updates to Law Society of BC Practice Checklist Manual for Commercial Lease Drafting and Commercial Lease Procedure

Memberships And Affiliations

  • Member, Urban Development Institute
  • Member of the Advisory Board, Western Canada General Counsel Awards, 2015 and 2017
  • Former Director, Forum for Women Entrepreneurs BC 
  • Member, Law Society of British Columbia 
  • Member, Canadian Bar Association (Real Property, Banking and Health Subsections)

My latest insights

News

Catherine Gibson appointed Co-chair of the Canadian Real Estate Service Group

23 December 2024 .2 minute read

News

DLA Piper advises Agilent Technologies, Inc. in its acquisition of BioVectra for US$925...

23 July 2024 .2 minute read

News

DLA Piper advised Bond Brand Loyalty in strategic investment

15 May 2023 .2 minute read

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Phone

+1 604 643 6468
(Work, Vancouver)