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Restructuring and insolvency

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Gowling WLG

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Gowling WLG utilizes its global network across Canada, the UK, Europe, Asia and the Middle East to advise both domestic and international clients on multi-jurisdictional and cross-border insolvencies and restructurings. Clients of the firm include financial institutions, institutional lenders and commercial real estate clients. The team is experienced in representing creditors, debtors and court-appointed officers. The practice is led out of Montréal by Geneviève Cloutier, who represents financial institutions and private lenders in corporate reorganizations, bankruptcies and distressed acquisitions. Names to note from the Toronto team include David Cohen, who is an expert in financing and distressed M&A; Asim Iqbal, an expert in restructurings and special situations; and associate Kate Yurkovich, who assists in a range of issues.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘We leveraged Gowling WLG to aid with understanding the structural risks/ indentify key shareholder issues when developing the recovery strategy. The insolvency team work extremely well at providing options for consideration that focus on reputational risks, process risks and timing.’

  • ‘Cliff Prophet and Kate Yurkovich are extremely efficient and respond with actionable plans. It is important that a recovery strategy be developed early which is what Cliff and Kate facilitate well and help define key stages and milestones. They are exceptional at communications with the creditor (counsel) and keeping the lender current.’

  • ‘Gowling WLG has a very sophisticated and diverse team, they are able to leverage across their firm to ensure that accurate advise is given on particular matters. The restructuring team is very resourceful in coming up with practical advise to the bespoke situations that often arise in restructuring mandates.’

  • 'Both Thomas Gertner and Kate Yurkovich are very responsive and run their matters efficiently. Their ability to apply their own business acumen to legal problems has made restructuring mandates with them very smooth.’
  • 'Asim Iqbal is outstanding.'

Key clients

  • Canada Infrastructure Bank
  • BRON Media
  • People's Trust Company
  • Myra Falls Mine
  • Callidus Capital
  • Otera Capital
  • Healthful
  • Investissement Québec
  • Republix
  • Premium Brands Holdings/GoCold Solutions
  • Grant Thornton
  • Deloitte Restructuring
  • SAF+ Consortium
  • Brands International
  • BJK / HAB Cann
  • Ernst & Young

Work highlights

Advised Canada Infrastructure Bank on negotiations leading to the filing of the application to seek CCAA protection for Varennes Cellulosic Ethanol LP (VCE).
Advised Affected Users as its representative counsel on bankruptcy proceedings of the cryptocurrency exchange, QuadrigaCX.
Advised the Peoples Trust Company on its application for a stay of the CCAA proceedings of the Simply Green Leasing Group.

Lawyers

Leading associates

Leading associates with regular involvement in their team's key work, and recognition from peers or clients as being ones to watch.

Practice head

Geneviève Cloutier

Other key lawyers

Cliff Prophet; Kate Yurkovich; Asim Iqbal; Thomas Gertner; David Cohen

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