The M&A Podcast: Deal or No Deal?

In the Season 1 finale, hosts and National M&A co-leads Jason Saltzman and Danny Wakeling look back on a year of insightful conversations across the evolving M&A landscape and thank our guests and listeners for joining us. We wish you a happy, healthy, and successful holiday season — and look forward to welcoming you back for Season 2 in early 2026. Tune in, subscribe, and stay connected with us at Dentons.

Building on our discussion of NDAs, this episode takes the next step in the transaction timeline — the Letter of Intent (LOI). Host Jason Saltzman is joined once again by Michael Beeforth and Riley Dearden to examine how LOIs capture key business terms, manage expectations, and set the framework for definitive agreements.
Together, they discuss how LOIs vary across private and public transactions, what they signal about deal readiness, and how parties can use them strategically to move negotiations forward.

Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) may appear routine, yet in the M&A process they serve as a strategic cornerstone. In this episode, Jason Saltzman, Partner and National Lead of Dentons’ M&A Group has an insightful discussion with Michael Beeforth, Partner, Toronto Litigation & Dispute Resolution, and Riley Dearden, Partner, Calgary Corporate, as they explore how NDAs:
establish the framework of trust between parties,
protect sensitive deal-information at the outset, and
influence negotiation dynamics before the definitive agreement is signed.

Whether you’re advising buyers or sellers, this conversation offers practical insight into why the NDA matters — and what you need to watch for to set your deal up for success.

The definitive agreement is where the rubber hits the road. In this closing chapter of our private deal structure series, host Danny Wakeling, Partner and National Co-lead of Dentons’ M&A practice, is joined once again by Sarat Maharaj, Partner in Dentons’ Edmonton Corporate and Commercial Group, Simon Gauthier, Partner and Co-Lead in Dentons’ Montreal Corporate and Commercial Group, and Mike Harris, Partner in Dentons’ Edmonton Tax Group, to unpack the most highly negotiated terms in a definitive agreement and the emerging trends shaping today’s M&A deal landscape. Together, they explore:
Purchase price mechanics, escrows, adjustments and earn-outs,
Representations, warranties, indemnities and insurance solutions,
Pre- and post-closing covenants, conditions and emerging M&A trends

Tune in for an insightful discussion on strategies that protect value and propel your transactions forward.

In the second episode of our Private deal structure series, host Danny Wakeling, Partner and National Co-Lead of the M&A group continues the conversation with Sarat Maharaj, Partner in Dentons’ Edmonton Corporate and Commercial Group, Simon Gauthier, Partner and Co-Lead in Dentons’ Montreal Corporate and Commercial Group, and Mike Harris, Partner in Dentons’ Edmonton Tax Group. Together, they explore why preparation is critical to ensuring a smooth transaction process. Tune in as the group unpacks:
tax considerations when evaluating deal structures,
how structure impacts due diligence,
navigating competitive vs. non-competitive processes, and
why NDAs and LOIs are essential to deal success.

CPD/CLE Accreditation
This program is eligible for 15 substantive minutes with the Law Society of Ontario.
This program is eligible for 15 substantive minutes with the Law Society of British Columbia.