Reliable support, strategic counsel and creative approaches

We sculpt smart and sustainable solutions for every stage of creating, implementing and managing pension, benefit and executive compensation plans.

Our client base is diverse.  Many small and medium sized enterprises seek our guidance.  At the same time we are the go-to counsel for many of the largest public and private multinational plans, employers, sponsors, administrators, governments, regulators, and their service providers.  Our diverse experience means we can provide practical, hands-on advice for your full range of needs - from advice for day-to-day compliance to guidance through your most complex and pressing issues.  We can also work with your usual counsel to address specialized pension, benefits and executive compensation issues. 

We collaborate with clients across all sectors including education, financial services, government, health, hospitality, manufacturing, mining, pharmaceuticals, technology, transportation, philanthropy and food and beverage, combining strategic industry insight with specialized advice relating to:

• governance, including governance training, governance policy development and policy review;
• compliance and responding to regulatory inquiries;
• investment structuring and management, as well as policy development, including Environmental, Social And Governance (ESG) factor integration and PRI;
• plan design, structuring, reorganization and termination
• plan implementation, including registered and non-registered retirement arrangements, profit-sharing plans, employee life, health and welfare trusts, registered education savings plans, group RRSPs, DPSPs, RRIFS, SUB-plans, bonus plans, stock option and all manner of risk-based and equity-based performance rewards;
• preparing and negotiating executive employment agreements, compensation plans and arrangements;
• resolving conflict, including individual or class action representation before regulators, administrative tribunals, mediators, arbitrators and courts;
• mediation or arbitration services;
• pension and benefits advice related to divestitures, mergers, acquisitions and other corporate reorganizations;
• advice or representation in insolvency proceedings for plan administrators, sponsors and creditors;
• pension de-risking initiatives, including development and documentation for buy-outs, buy-ins, derivatives, LDI and other solutions.

We have represented clients in class litigation, mediation and arbitration for some of the most complex, bet-the-company pension and benefits cases.

Pioneering new paradigms

As trailblazers in the field, clients rely on our innovative approach and strategic insights on new and emerging issues such as target benefit plans, structuring direct and indirect pension fund investments for infrastructure, public-private partnerships, private equity and longevity hedging transactions.

Included in our history of successful guidance, we have advised or represented:

• the United Nations on ESG matters, including PRI and fiduciary duty
• the appointed administrator of the Canadian pension plans of Nortel, a major creditor in the worldwide bankruptcy proceedings
• the Ministries of Finance of the Government of the Northwest Territories and Nunuvut in connection with devising and drafting legislation to enact the Northern Employees Benefit Services Plan
• the Canadian Bar Insurance Association in developing and managing a project to create a national multi-employer target benefit plan for law and accounting firms;
• foreign governments, such as the Bermuda Government, in connection with the establishment of their national pension scheme
• Brewers Retail Inc. in regulatory and parallel class action proceedings with respect to pension plan amendments

We have the ability to respond to all of your legal needs relating to pensions, benefits and executive compensation. Our depth and breadth of specialized experience means we can also provide practical and strategic insight.