Esme Cragg

Esme Cragg is a Partner in Dentons' Real Estate group, based in Toronto. Her practice focuses on Real Estate Law, specifically commercial real estate transactions, including acquisitions and dispositions, financing, project development and commercial leasing.

She provides counsel to borrowers and lenders on financing transactions, and acts for purchasers and vendors of development lands, seniors' residences and commercial and industrial properties. During law school, she worked in the law group of one of Canada's leading financial institutions.

Her experience includes advising Central Wire Industries, a global manufacturer of specialty alloy wire and cable products, on its acquisition by Altair Industries; advising Parkland Corporation on the acquisition of 163 Husky and Esso retail locations across Canada; advising Capital Power Corporation on the $340 million sale of a 49% interest in a 246 MW wind power portfolio to a fund managed by Axium Infrastructure; advising a major institutional investment and asset manager and its clients regarding joint venture real estate acquisitions, structuring, developments, financings and dispositions, including the purchase and sale of office towers, retail and industrial projects; advising a Canadian chartered bank, as lead arranger and administrative agent, in connection with the establishment of a CA$350 million condo financing for the construction of a high-rise mixed-use condominium project in Mississauga; advising Atura Power (a subsidiary of Ontario Power Generation Inc.) on the acquisition of a 1,858MW portfolio of combined-cycle natural gas-fired power plants in Ontario from affiliates of TC Energy for approximately $2.8 billion; advising Canada Lands Company CLC Limited in connection with its ownership interests in the CN Tower and surrounding lands; and advising Toronto Metropolitan University on its acquisition of a 25% interest in the office building at 2 and 20 Queen Street East, Toronto, worth CA$161,250,000.

She holds a JD from Osgoode Hall Law School (2012) and a BA from Queen's University (2009). She is recognised by Chambers Canada for Real Estate (Ontario), by The Legal 500 Canada for Real Estate, by The Best Lawyers in Canada for Real Estate Law, and by The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory for Real Estate – Property Development. Chambers Canada respondents have noted that "Esme has a broad and firm understanding of the details of complex real estate" and that "Esme's commercial acumen stands out."

She is a member of the Ontario Bar Association, the Canadian Bar Association and Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW).