Acting for debtors, creditors, secured lenders, shareholders, regulators and bondholders, the team at boutique Lax O'Sullivan Lisus Gottlieb LLP supports commercial, real estate, telecoms, finance and energy clients involved in complex insolvency proceedings and restructurings. Practice head Matthew Gottlieb, lauded by one client as ‘always exceeding expectations’, is well-versed in corporate and commercial disputes, insolvency and restructuring, and fraud and securities litigation. Andrew Winton‘s broad litigation practice encompasses insolvency mandates and has additional focus on shareholder disputes.

The department at Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP assists both debtors and lenders with restructuring and insolvency matters, and has particular sectoral expertise in mining, real estate, energy, cannabis and retail. Pamela Huff heads up the national group from Toronto and is knowledgeable in all aspects of insolvency. In Vancouver, Peter Rubin co-leads and majors on supporting debtor companies, lending syndicates and secured and unsecured creditors with insolvency mandates. Calgary head Kelly Bourassa leads significant restructuring mandates, both domestic and cross-border, and has particular expertise in the energy segment. In Montreal, Bernard Boucher is charged with managing the practice and has experience appearing before the Superior Court, the Quebec Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada. Toronto-based partners Linc Rogers and Chris Burr, as well as associate Caitlin McIntyre, are additional key contacts.

The group at Bennett Jones LLP advises clients on the gamut of restructuring and insolvency matters, regularly acting on behalf of creditors, debtors, and court-appointed monitors. Working closely with colleagues in the firm’s litigation, corporate and M&A practices, the lawyers demonstrate sectoral expertise in energy, oil and gas, healthcare, construction and cannabis. The practice is led by Toronto-based Kevin Zych, who majors on private loan workouts and judicially supervised restructurings under the CCAA. Partner Sean Zweig and Kelsey Meyer additional key contacts. Ex-practice head Christopher Simard was appointed a Justice of the Court of King’s Bench of Alberta, effective June 2023.

The ‘exceptional team’ at Fasken assists distressed debtors in out-of-court workouts and in-court restructurings, in addition to supporting lenders and trustees. The group’s sectoral expertise covers financial services, retail, life sciences and tech, among others. Insolvency specialist Stuart Brotman steers the national team from Toronto. In Vancouver, partner Kibben Jackson is active on cross-border insolvency matters. Over in Montreal, Alain Riendeau is lauded by one client as ‘the best insolvency and restructuring lawyer in town’. Additional key contacts at the Montreal office include litigator Brandon Farber and ‘bright and up-and-coming’ associate Éliane Dupéré-Tremblay.

McCarthy Tétrault‘s group handles both domestic and cross-border restructurings, work-outs and insolvencies. The team regularly represent debtors, major financial institutions and other capital providers, large corporate creditors and court-appointed monitors, receivers and trustees. In Toronto, practice head James Gage focuses on advising debtors, creditors, investors and court officers in work-out, restructuring and insolvency proceedings. Partner Sean Collins in Calgary majors on out-of-court and court-supervised restructurings, while Heather Meredith (also Toronto) covers commercial insolvency, restructuring and bankruptcy mandates, as well as related litigation. Lance Williams is a key contact at the Vancouver office. Other key figures include Alain Tardif and Jocelyn Perreault in Montreal.

The group at Norton Rose Fulbright specializes in handling the restructurings and insolvencies of energy, finance, retail, real estate and forestry companies, regularly assisting lenders, noteholders, hedge funds, bondholders trustees and monitors. Montreal managing partner Luc Morin heads up the national restructuring department, and has experience in complex restructuring and liquidation proceedings, notices of intention, reverse vesting orders and bridge financings. Additional key partners include Howard A. Gorman KC in Calgary and Evan Cobb in Toronto.

The group at Torys frequently acts on the side of the main debtor, court officer, principal creditor and purchaser in insolvency mandates. David Bish and Tony Demarinis co-lead the practice from Toronto. Bish focuses on plenary and ancillary cross-border insolvency and restructuring matters, routinely advising clients in distressed circumstances. DeMarinis majors on negotiated workouts, recapitalizations, debt exchanges, refinancings and CCAA proceedings. Scott Bomhof brings over two decades of restructuring experience to the table and has particular strength assisting clients in the real estate, construction and life science sectors. Adam Slavens displays strength in such sectors as sports, cannabis and biotech. All lawyers mentioned work in Toronto.

Borden Ladner Gervais LLP's practice is frequently called upon by senior secured lenders, insolvency professionals acting as monitors and court-appointed receivers, private equity funds, as well as debtors, for its restructuring expertise. Additional expertise lies in acting for DIP lenders, court officers and prospective purchasers regarding cross-border proceedings including Chapter 11. Toronto-based practice head Alex MacFarlane has particular experience acting for distressed finance, cannabis and retail sector clients, while senior counsel Marc Duchesne co-leads in Montreal and works primarily on the debtor side.

The group at Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP handles domestic and international restructurings and liquidations and has particular experience advising clients with assets in Africa and Latin America. Toronto-based insolvency specialist Jane Dietrich steers the practice and specializes in restructurings and related litigation, as well as corporate reorganizations, enforcement of security and unsecured creditor remedies. Partners Ryan Jacobs, Shayne Kukulowicz and Alan Merskey are additional key contacts. Mary Buttery KC left the firm in September 2022.

The group at Gowling WLG specializes in multi-jurisdictional and cross-border restructuring and insolvency matters, and is routinely instructed by debtors, creditors and court appointed officers. Geneviève Cloutier leads the practice from Montreal and focuses on insolvency and restructuring, distressed acquisitions, and banking and commercial litigation matters. National distressed M&A department practice head David Cohen, of the Toronto office, is also active on domestic and cross-border restructuring and insolvency mandates.

Fielding offices in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal, the national restructuring group at Dentons is well-versed in cross-border insolvency matters, in addition to representing clients before the Supreme Court of Canada. The department’s sectoral expertise spans energy, mining, retail, pension plans, natural resources and real estate restructuring, while clients include secured and unsecured creditors, trustees, and consulting firms. Robert Kennedy heads the Toronto team. Vancouver office managing partner John Sandrelli is another key contact. Former co-practice head David W Mann  departed the firm in October 2023.

DLA Piper (Canada) LLP's practice is active in the restructurings of companies in the mining, cannabis and retail sectors. Following the retirement of ex-practice head Brian Davison in June 2022, two partners direct the group: corporate restructuring specialist Colin Brousson leads from Vancouver, while alongside him the Toronto-based Edmond Lamek brings over 25 years’ experience to the table and has particular strength in assisting financial institutions and other secured and unsecured creditors in insolvency proceedings.