Leanne M. Williams

lwilliams@tgf.ca
416.304.0060416.304.0060

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

JTI-Macdonald Corp.

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...

United States Steel

Contentious three-way battle between US Steel, employee and pensioner union and the Province of Ontario.

Mobilicity

An unusual case involving the Federal Government and a pending lawsuit in respect to the government's actions.

AbitibiBowater: Counsel to the Court-appointed Monitor

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

Endurance Energy Ltd.: CCAA proceedings for Endurance Energy Ltd

Represents Endurance Energy Ltd. in connection with its proceedings under the CCAA, an Alberta-based oil and gas production company, which successf...

Flextronics Corporation: Counsel to Flextronics during the CCAA restructuring of Nortel

Counsel to Flextronics Corporation, Nortel's largest supplier and significant creditor, during the CCAA restructuring of Nortel

Allen-Vanguard Corporation: Counsel to the Syndicate of Lenders to Allen-Vanguard Corporation

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

Athletes World: Represented the Monitor of a retailer in its restructuring and successful Plan of Arrangement under the CCAA

Represented the Monitor of a retailer in its restructuring and successful Plan of Arrangement under the CCAA.

Mosaic Group: Acted as counsel to the court-appointed Interim Receiver of Mosaic Group

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

Irwin Toy: Acted as counsel to the largest unsecured creditor of Irwin Toy during the liquidation of its assets

Acted as counsel to the largest unsecured creditor of Irwin Toy during the liquidation of its assets.

JTI MacDonald: Counsel to the Court-appointed Monitor

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

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:

May 07, 2020

Leanne Williams will be the Canadian panelist on IWIRC’s webinar, “Business Development During COVID-19” on May 7, 2020, which includes counsel from Brazil, Hong Kong and Cayman.

Sep 26, 2019

Leanne Williams is moderating the Judicial & Legal Update panel of the 4th Annual CAIRP Insolvency & Restructuring Exchange.

Sep 28, 2018

Leanne M. Williams will be speaking on the topic “Beware the Civil Remedies Act” at the Insolvency Institute of Canada’s Annual conference in Charlottetown, PEI.

Nov 09, 2017

Leanne M. Williams is a co-presenter on the topic “Enforcing and Realizing on Security” at Osgoode Professional Development’s Intensive Short Course in Secured Lending and Debt Finance on November 10, 2017.

Jun 07, 2017

Robert I. Thornton and Leanne M. Williams are speaking at The Advocates’ Society Program “Insolvency Litigation” on June 7, 2017.

Apr 20, 2017

Leanne M. Williams is a speaker at the annual TMA Symposium on a panel entitled “Shaping the Restructuring Outlook for 2017: Economics, Politics, Government”.

Feb 07, 2017

Leanne M. Williams is co-chairing the Insolvency Law Section of the OBA Institute’s program entitled “What’s New and Notable in the World of Insolvency Law?"

Oct 18, 2016

Leanne Williams is speaking on the lunch and learn panel “West Meet East” hosted by IWIRC on October 18, 2016. The panel will focus on recent restructuring and financial trends in Canada’s troubled oil & gas sector.

Feb 16, 2016

Leanne Williams is co-chairing the Ontario Bar Association's Institute 2016 Insolvency Law Program, Insolvency “Law or Uncertain Economic Times”.

Jan 19, 2016

Leanne Williams is co-chairing and presenting at The Federated Press - “2nd Loan Documentation Course".

Oct 07, 2015

Leanne Williams is presenting at Osgoode Professional Development - "Enforcing and Realizing on Security”.

Feb 05, 2015

Leanne Williams is co-chairing the OBA's Institute 2015 Insolvency Law Program: Hot Topics, Important Cases and Emerging Trends in Insolvency & Bankruptcy Law.

Jan 28, 2015

Leanne Williams is presenting “Negotiating Forbearance Agreements” at the Federated Press’ Loan Documentation Conference: Mastering critical issues in loan negotiation and documentation.

Mar 27, 2014

Leanne Williams is a panelist at CAIRP's Commercial Insolvency and Restructuring Program revolving around a practical scenario of whether to file under the CCAA or the BIA.

Mar 19, 2014

Leanne Williams is a panelist at the Law Society of Upper Canada's program on Bankruptcy, Insolvency and Receivership Essentials.

Mar 18, 2014

Recognition

Leanne is recognized as a leading lawyer in:

The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory 2020 (Insolvency & Financial Restructuring)
Chambers Canada 2020 Guide (Restructuring & Insolvency)
The Best Lawyers in Canada® 2020 (Insolvency & Financial Restructuring Law)
Benchmark Canada: The Definitive Guide to Canada’s Leading Litigation Firms and Attorneys 2020 (Litigation Star in Ontario)
Euromoney's Expert Guides 2018 (Restructuring & Insolvency)

May 04, 2020