Bio
Leanne has been recognized as a leading practitioner by The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory and Expert Guides in the areas of restructuring and insolvency.
Leanne practises exclusively in these areas including workouts, refinancing, receiverships, bankruptcies and the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally.
Leanne regularly represents charter banks and financial institutions across a broad spectrum of industries. She also represents court officers such as trustees in bankruptcy, receivers and CCAA monitors.
Representative Mandates
- Counsel to the Unsecured Creditors' Committee in the US Chapter 11 proceeding of Bumble Bee and the Canadian CCAA proceedings of Clover Leaf.
- Counsel to Business Development Bank of Canada in the CCAA proceedings of North American Fur Auctions.
- Counsel to Stantive Technologies Group in their CCAA proceedings.
- Counsel to JTI-Macdonald Corp., one of the largest tobacco companies in Canada, in its proceedings under the CCAA with a goal to achieve a global resolution of the myriad of litigation claims against it exceeding $500 billion. The two other largest tobacco companies have also filed for CCAA protection resulting in unprecedented industry-wide proceedings.
- Counsel to BDC Capital Inc. in the Quebec CCAA restructuring of BioAmber Inc., a sustainable chemicals company.
- Counsel to Whirlpool Canada in the CCAA restructuring of Sears Canada.
- Counsel to BDO Canada Limited as court-appointed receiver of Emmanuel Village Residence Inc.
- Represented Endurance Energy Ltd. in connection with its proceedings under the CCAA, an Alberta-based oil and gas production company, which successfully sold its assets as part of its restructuring efforts.
- Counsel to the court-appointed Monitor of the Mobilicity group of companies.
- Advisor to U.S. Steel in the restructuring of U.S. Steel Canada.
- Counsel to the Syndicate of Lenders to Allen-Vanguard Corporation, a publicly-traded international military defense corporation, during its restructuring through the CCAA and recapitalization as a private entity.
- Counsel to Flextronics Corporation, Nortel’s largest supplier and significant creditor, during the CCAA restructuring of Nortel.
- Represents Hollinger and certain of its subsidiaries in its CCAA filing in Canada.
- Advisor to the court-appointed Monitor of AbitibiBowater.
- Represented the Monitor of a retailer, Athletes World, in its restructuring and successful Plan of Arrangement under the CCAA.
- Counsel to the Monitor of a tobacco company, JTI Macdonald, until its successful emergence from the CCAA.
- Acted as counsel to the court-appointed Interim Receiver of Mosaic Group, a cross-border marketing and technology company, during the liquidation of its assets for the benefit of its creditors.
- Represented the largest secured creditor of Canada 3000 during the liquidation of the airline’s assets.
- Acted as counsel to the largest unsecured creditor of Irwin Toy during the liquidation of its assets.
Representative Mandates
TGF acts as counsel to the Applicant in its CCAA proceedings. JTIM’s CCAA proceedings are related to the CCAA filings of both Rothmans, Benso...
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Contentious three-way battle between US Steel, employee and pensioner union and the Province of Ontario.
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An unusual case involving the Federal Government and a pending lawsuit in respect to the government's actions.
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Counsel to Ernst & Young, court-appointed monitor in the successful cross-border restructuring of the AbitibiBowater entities, one of the world's largest publicly traded pulp and paper manufacturers
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Represents Endurance Energy Ltd. in connection with its proceedings under the CCAA, an Alberta-based oil and gas production company, which successf...
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Counsel to Flextronics Corporation, Nortel's largest supplier and significant creditor, during the CCAA restructuring of Nortel
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Counsel to the Syndicate of Lenders to Allen-Vanguard Corporation, a publicly-traded international military defense corporation, during its restructuring through the CCAA and recapitalization as a private entity
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Represented the Monitor of a retailer in its restructuring and successful Plan of Arrangement under the CCAA.
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Acted as counsel to the court-appointed Interim Receiver of Mosaic Group, a cross-border marketing and technology company, during the liquidation of its assets for the benefit of its creditors
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Acted as counsel to the largest unsecured creditor of Irwin Toy during the liquidation of its assets.
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Counsel to Ernst & Young, in its capacity as the Monitor of JTI Macdonald Corp., the third largest tobacco manufacturer/distributor in Canada, until its successful emergence from CCAA protection
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Professional Involvement
Leanne organizes and coordinates many of TGF's internal and external fundraising efforts to benefit a variety of charities.
Leanne is a Director of the Toronto Chapter of the Turnaround Management Association and a Director at Large with IWIRC International.
Leanne is a member of:
- Insolvency Institute of Canada
- International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation
- Ontario Bar Association, Insolvency Section
- INSOL International
- Toronto Lawyers Association
- Canadian Bar Association
- Turnaround Management Association
- American Bankruptcy Institute
- Canadian Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Professionals
- The Advocates’ Society
- TMA Symposium & Spring Gala Committees of the Turnaround Management Association
- Association for Corporate Growth
- Women’s Executive Network
Her recent professional appearances include:
Recognition
Leanne is recognized as a leading lawyer in:
- Chambers Canada 2020 Guide (Restructuring & Insolvency)
- The Best Lawyers in Canada® 2020 (Insolvency & Financial Restructuring Law)
- The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory 2019 (Insolvency & Financial Restructuring)
- Euromoney's Expert Guides 2018 (Restructuring & Insolvency)
Publications
Apr 10, 2017
Co-author of the Canadian Chapter of the Lexology Navigator for Insolvency & Restructuring
Education
- LL.B. (Manitoba), 1997
- B.A. (Hons.) (Western), 1994