OTTAWA - The Ottawa Senators ( @Senators ) announced today that the team's alternate governor, Sheldon Plener, has been named the 2019 Lawyer of the Year for his work in Sports Law by Best Lawyers - one of the oldest and most respected peer review publications in the legal profession. The designation - bestowed upon him by his peers - will be included in the 13th editon of The Best Lawyers in Canada.

A partner in the Business Law Group at Cassels Brock, Plener has built on his extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, reorganizations, joint ventures and other commercial transactions in Canada and elsewhere, to work with the Ottawa Senators and owner Eugene Melnyk to recruit, retain and develop top executive talent for the team's business and hockey operations.

Plener's professional sports experience is both deep and varied. In addition to his work as a Board Director and Legal Counsel with the Ottawa Senators and the Canadian Tire Centre, Plener is known for his role as the primary lawyer involved in negotiating the terms of the Toronto Raptors' expansion agreement with the NBA and as the Founding Secretary of the Raptors. He also serves as an Alternate Governor and Director of the American Hockey League's (AHL) Belleville Senators. Previously, he was the Governor of the Ontario Hockey League's (OHL) Mississauga St. Michael's Majors and a member of the Steering Committee for the 2011 Mastercard Memorial Cup. Plener was also the Secretary and lead outside counsel for Toronto's bid for the 2015 Pan American Games.

He has also served as lead counsel to public and private clients in a broad range of industries including mining, transportation, pharmaceutical, manufacturing, cosmetics, toy and advertising industries and professional sports.

Best Lawyers is the oldest and most respected lawyer ranking service in the world. For more than 30 years, Best Lawyers has published lawyer rankings in leading local, regional and national publications across the globe.

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