Omar Wakil

Omar leads the firm’s Competition and Foreign Investment Review Practice, offering deep insights and strategic guidance across the spectrum of competition law and foreign investment matters. His expertise spans advising on compliance with the Competition Act, managing complex merger transactions, and navigating cartel and abuse of dominance investigations. Omar is also skilled in guiding clients through the intricate process of net benefit and national security reviews under the Investment Canada Act, representing a diverse clientele that includes foreign investors and domestic companies across various acquisition transactions.

Omar’s proficiency touches a broad range of sectors such as automotive parts, agricultural products, chemicals, consumer goods, energy, financial services, grocery retailing, manufacturing, media, metals and mining, pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, and transportation. His ability to dissect complex, time-sensitive matters and devise clear, actionable strategies is highly regarded in the industry, as noted by CHAMBERS CANADA in 2023.

His notable contributions include acting as Canadian counsel to Viterra in its significant US$8.2 billion merger with Bunge Limited, aimed at creating a premier global agribusiness solutions company. Furthermore, Omar played a key role in the sale of Champion Petfoods to Mars Petcare, showcasing his capability in facilitating major transactions within the premium pet food industry. His involvement in Takeda Pharmaceutical's acquisition of Shire plc for US$62 billion further exemplifies his expertise in handling high-stakes, cross-border acquisitions.

Omar’s work has not gone unnoticed, earning him numerous accolades, including recognition as a leading lawyer in competition/antitrust law by Chambers Canada, Chambers Global, The Legal 500, Best Lawyers in Canada, and the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory. His designation as the competition/antitrust law lawyer of the year (Toronto) by Best Lawyers in Canada in 2022 underscores his prominence in the field.

Beyond his practice, Omar contributes to the legal community as the author of the leading competition law texts, The Annotated Competition Act and The Annotated Investment Canada Act. He is also actively involved with several professional organizations, including the Canadian Bar Association’s National Competition Law Section and the American Bar Association's Antitrust Law Section, among others.

Educationally, Omar’s background is as impressive as his professional achievements, with degrees from King's College London, Stockholm University, the University of Toronto Faculty of Law, and the University of Western Ontario. His dual qualifications in Ontario and England and Wales since 1996 and 2003, respectively, add an international dimension to his legal practice, enhancing his ability to advise on global competition law matters.