The Gordie Howe International Bridge tops the list as Canadian Deal of the Year by Lexpert® in its Top 10 Deals of 2018.
The leading source of news and information about the business of law, Lexpert described 2018 as a “year in which lawyers superbly exercised the art of negotiation…and opened a new frontier . . . and set out to build a bridge,” publishing the most notable agreements of 2018 in its February print issue and online. In detailing the intricacies of the bridge project, Lexpert noted the “strong leadership on both sides of the border” to develop “the concept of a crossing agreement between Canada and the United States.”
Warner Norcross + Judd LLP served as the U.S. legal advisor to Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority, or WDBA, in the successful consummation of the $5.7 billion CAN (estimated $4.4 billion US) concession agreement providing for the design, construction, financing, operation and maintenance of the Gordie Howe International Bridge project. This is the second international award the public-private partnership, or P3, transaction has received in 2019.
“We are honored that the good work of so many involved with the Gordie Howe International Bridge project has again earned international recognition,” said Timothy L. Horner, project lead and chair of Warner’s Infrastructure and P3 Practice Group. “As Lexpert noted, this is very much a story of friendship that demonstrates the respect and trust between the United States and Canada, and the teams representing them.”
Warner partner Charlie Goode added: “Let me echo Tim’s comments. It has and continues to be an honor for us to work on this internationally important and complex project. It is a real source of pride for our team.”
More than 60 Warner attorneys have worked on all U.S. law aspects of the project for more than a decade. These include the 2012 crossing agreement between Canada and Michigan, the 2015 U.S. federal plaza arrangement between the governments of Canada, the United States and Michigan, long-term leases between WDBA, Michigan and the U.S. government, as well as P3 procurement, litigation, governance, real estate, environmental, permitting, utility agreements, government affairs and other legal matters.
For more information on the Gordie Howe International Bridge project, visit www.wdbridge.com.
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