Brian Empey

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Brian Empey

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Overview

Brian Empey is a partner at Goodmans where he is a member of the Restructuring Group, which is widely recognized as Canada’s leading corporate restructuring practice.

Brian has advised debtor companies, creditors, regulators, committees and court-appointed officers on insolvency matters across Canada. He has particular expertise in complex and cross-border restructurings under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) and in insolvencies of securities firms and financial institutions. 

Brian is also a member of the firm’s Opinions Committee and advises clients in connection with secured transactions and structured financings, including derivatives and asset-backed securitizations, and regulatory compliance in the financial services and payments industry, including crypto-assets. 

Brian has been recognized as a leading insolvency and financial restructuring lawyer by Chambers Canada, Chambers Global, The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, IFLR1000, Lexology Index Canada, Euromoney’s Guide to the World’s Leading Insolvency and Restructuring Lawyers and is BV Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell. Brian is also recognized in the area of banking and finance law and insolvency and financial restructuring law by Best Lawyers in Canada. He is also featured in the Lexpert Special Edition: Insolvency and Restructuring.

Expertise

Featured Work

Brian’s work in the public domain has included representing:
Complex CCAA proceedings
  • the Pan-Canadian Investors Committee concerning its CCAA Plan in the successful $32 billion restructuring of Canadian Third-Party Structured Asset-Backed Commercial Paper
  • the Canadian Red Cross Society in its CCAA restructuring that released the Society from the burden of class action litigation arising from its former operation of the Canadian blood program
Cross-border Restructurings
Insolvencies of Financial Institutions and Securities Firms
  • CIPF in the bankruptcy of MF Global Canada
  • IIROC in the CCAA and receivership of First Leaside Securities
  • the Liquidator of Confederation Life Insurance Company in its winding-up and in related CCAA proceedings 

Awards & Recognition

  • The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory Recognized, Insolvency & Financial Restructuring: Financial Restructuring 2025
  • Best Lawyers in Canada Recognized, Banking and Finance Law, Insolvency and Financial Restructuring Law 2025
  • IFLR1000 Highly Regarded, Restructuring and Insolvency 2024
  • Lexpert Special Edition: Insolvency and Restructuring Canada's Leading Insolvency and Restructuring Lawyers 2024
  • The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory Recognized, Insolvency & Financial Restructuring: Financial Restructuring 2024
  • Best Lawyers in Canada Recognized, Banking and Finance Law, Insolvency and Financial Restructuring Law 2024
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Credentials

Professional Involvement

Brian has authored articles and spoken nationally and internationally on a number of issues. He has served on the Oral Examination Board for licensing of insolvency trustees.

Credentials

  • Western University, LL.B., 1988
  • Western University, B.A., 1985

Professional Affiliations

  • Law Society of Ontario
  • Canadian Bar Association
  • Ontario Bar Association, Insolvency Section 
  • Insolvency Institute of Canada

Call to Bar

  • 1990 Ontario

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