Chris Armstrong

Partner

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Chris Armstrong

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Overview

Described by clients as “a fantastic lawyer who gets in the trenches with you” and as “very talented” with “great experience” and “focused on client objectives”, Chris is a partner in Goodmans’ Restructuring Group, which is widely recognized as Canada’s leading restructuring practice.

Specializing in financial restructurings, work-outs and distressed M&A and refinancing, Chris has played a leading role on a number of significant complex Canadian and cross-border restructurings acting for companies, lenders, court officers, ad hoc committees, purchasers and other stakeholders. He has experience across a wide variety of sectors, including technology, retail and consumer goods, real estate, natural resources, entertainment, cannabis, construction, automotive, railways and pharmaceuticals.

Chris has been consistently recognized in the areas of financial restructuring and insolvency by Chambers and Partners, IFLR1000, The Legal 500 Canada, Best Lawyers in Canada, The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, Who’s Who Legal and Expert Guides. In 2017, he was also honoured as one of Lexpert’s Rising Stars: Leading Lawyers Under 40. He is a member of the Insolvency Institute of Canada. In 2014, Chris received the Ontario Provincial Police Commissioner’s Citation for Lifesaving and the St. John Ambulance Lifesaving Award.

 

Featured Work

Chris’ recent representative work includes:
  • The One – Representing the Receiver in the ongoing receivership proceedings of “The One”, an 85-story mixed use development project at the corner of Yonge & Bloor in Toronto that will be Canada’s first super-tall skyscraper
  • Contract Pharmaceuticals – Representing the Contract Pharmaceuticals group of companies, a leading pharmaceutical contract development and manufacturing organization, in their ongoing proceedings under the CCAA, including a refinancing, sale and investment solicitation process
  • Loyalty One (Air Miles) – Representing the Monitor in Loyalty One’s ongoing CCAA proceedings, including in connection with the successful sale of the Air Miles business to Bank of Montreal and Loyalty Venture’s related Chapter 11 proceedings
  • Cirque du Soleil – Representing the Ad Hoc Committee of senior lenders in Cirque du Soleil’s coordinated CCAA and Chapter 15 proceedings, including in respect of their successful US$1.2 billion credit bid to acquire the company and related refinancing, which was recognized as the 2021 Insolvency & Restructuring Deal of the Year at the Canadian Law Awards
  • GreenSpace Brands and Love Child Organics – Representing the GreenSpace group of companies in their CCAA proceedings, including the successful sale of the Love Child Organics business, Canada’s leading organic baby food brand, to Nature’s Path Foods
  • Harte Gold Corp. – Representing the Monitor in Harte Gold’s CCAA proceedings, including the sale of the company in a reverse vesting transaction valued at $200 million
  • Nortel Networks – Representing the Canadian court-appointed “Super Monitor” in all aspects of this multi-national insolvency proceeding involving coordinated CCAA, Chapter 11 and UK administration proceedings, including in connection with the sales of Nortel’s business units and patent portfolio for US$7.5 billion and the US$7.2 billion global settlement and coordinated Chapter 11 and CCAA plans of arrangement
  • MJardin Group – Representing the Monitor in MJardin’s CCAA proceedings, including the successful sale of MJardin’s business in a reverse vesting transaction
  • Clover Leaf/Bumble Bee Seafoods – Representing Brookfield Principal Credit LLC as the Term Loan Agent and DIP Term Loan Agent  in Clover Leaf’s CCAA proceedings and the related Chapter 11 proceedings of Bumble Bee Seafoods, including the US$1.3 billion sale of Bumble Bee and Clover Leaf’s business to FCF Co., Ltd
  • Toys “R” Us Canada – Representing Toys “R” Us Canada in its coordinated CCAA and Chapter 11 proceedings, including in connection with the successful sale of Toys “R” Us Canada for US$300 million
  • Crystallex International – Representing the Ad Hoc Committee of Crystallex’s noteholders and Computershare Trust Company of Canada in its capacity as trustee in Crystallex’s ongoing CCAA proceedings relating to its efforts to enforce a US$1.3 billion ICSID award against the Republic of Venezuela
  • Bondfield Construction  – Representing the agent under Bondfield’s $80 million senior-secured credit facility and DIP financing facility in connection with Bondfield’s CCAA proceeding and the receivership of Forma-Con Construction, including in connection with the sale of the Bondfield loan facilities
  • Aralez Pharmaceuticals – Representing Nuvo Pharmaceuticals as purchaser of Aralez’s Canadian business and certain U.S. assets for US$110 million in coordinated CCAA and Chapter 11 proceedings
  • Skillsoft Corporation – Representing Skillsoft’s first lien lenders in connection with the company’ US$2.1 billion Chapter 11 plan of reorganization and related CCAA recognition proceedings
  • DEL Equipment – Representing DEL Equipment, Canada’s leading truck equipment up-fitter, in its CCAA proceedings, including the successful sale of its business to Drive Products
  • Tervita Corporation – Representing the Ad Hoc Committee of Secured Debtholders in connection with Tervita’s $3.6 billion restructuring pursuant to the CBCA and Chapter 15
  • Horsehead Holdings – Representing the Court-appointed information officer in Horsehead’s CCAA recognition proceedings
  • Chemtura – Representing Chemtura in their joint Chapter 11 and CCAA proceedings
  • Eddie Bauer – Representing Eddie Bauer in its cross-border CCAA and Chapter 11 restructuring, including its successful sale to Golden Gate Private Equity

Credentials

Professional Involvement

Chris was a lecturer at the University of Western Ontario Law School, where he taught the advanced restructuring course from 2012 to 2020.  In 2016, he received the University Student Council Honour Roll Award for Teaching Excellence. He is a regular speaker at conferences and has contributed papers to the Journal of the Insolvency Institute of Canada and is also on the restructuring executive committee of the World Law Group. Chris is actively involved in the firm’s student recruitment and mentoring programs for summer students, articling students and associates.

Professional Affiliations

  • Law Society of Ontario
  • Insolvency Institute of Canada
  • Turnaround Management Association