Pension and Benefit Issues in Bankruptcy and Restructuring

Bankruptcy and corporate restructuring is a constantly evolving area of law, and pension and benefits issues have become increasingly prominent in recent years. Our bankruptcy and restructuring group has the breadth and experience required to deal with the complex issues that impact our clients in all aspects of bankruptcy and restructuring proceedings.

We represent unions, employees, pension plan members, retirees and plan administrators in the full range of proceedings under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act and Companies Creditors Arrangement Act, whether they involve a company shutdown, bankruptcy, receivership or corporate restructuring. In bankruptcies and receiverships, we advance our clients’ rights to ensure that they obtain the best possible recovery of amounts owing to them for wages, benefits, supplementary pension benefits and other amounts. In restructurings, we represent our clients’ interests throughout the course of the proceeding to protect wages and benefits and to secure pensions and benefits post-restructuring. We also assist employees and unions with filing claims with the federal government under the new Wage Earner Protection Program that applies to employees who are terminated and their employer is bankrupt or subject to a receivership.

Koskie Minsky LLP has successfully represented clients in the insolvency proceedings of Eaton's, Dylex, Cotton Ginny, Irwin Toy, Algoma Steel, Stelco, Ivaco, General Chemical, T.C.T. Logistics, Air Canada, Hollinger, Nortel and many auto-sector companies.