Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP

Kathryn Bush

Kathy has over 30 years' experience in the area of pension, benefits and executive compensation. She regularly assists businesses structure their pension, benefit and executive compensation arrangements and their related investments. She also has substantial litigation experience defending corporations from challenges at all levels of Canadian courts, including the Supreme Court of Canada. Kathy was a member and vice-chair of both the Ontario pension regulator and the tribunal, and was the management expert on the Ontario Expert Commission on Pensions. She is the former chair of the Association for Canadian Pension Management's National Policy Committee. Currently she is a member of the CD Howe Pension Policy Committee and a leader of the Blakes Pension Benefits and Executive Compensation group. Kathy is the chair of the Stakeholder Advisory Committee on Pensions at Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA). Kathy has provided advice to many provincial governments, the Federal government and a great many of Canada's largest jointly sponsored pension plans relating to the structuring of pension and benefit arrangements and their board structure and governance. She has also developed one of the premier Canadian practices on Trustee Board governance.

Natalie Bussière

Natalie dedicates her practice to employment and labour law, as well as pension, benefits and executive compensation. She has represented clients in litigation concerning surplus assets of a pension plan, the validity of contribution holidays taken by employers party to a pension plan and in litigation contesting the legality of clauses found in rules and regulations of pension plans. Natalie also counsels various boards of trustees, pension committees and plan sponsors, and acts as Quebec counsel for a few multi-employer pension plans. Natalie has worked extensively in the field of labour relations, negotiating employment contracts, collective agreements and other agreements, including issues related to the application of the Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms. She also advises on the transfer, hiring or termination of upper management and employees. Natalie has pleaded before the Supreme Court of Canada, the Court of Appeal, the Superior Court, the Federal Court and the Labour Tribunal, as well as before many specialized administrative tribunals. Additionally, Natalie is closely following developments on environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors, including with respect to employee relations and benefits management, and she advises clients in this regard.

Jeremy Forgie

Jeremy advises some of Canada’s largest pension plans and pension funds managers on plan and fund governance, pension fund investment, divestiture, acquisition, funding and de-risking issues. He works with numerous private- and public-sector employers, Canadian and foreign consulting firms and financial institutions on cross-border, pension, tax, trust and benefit issues. Jeremy also advises several large professional sports leagues on their players, officials and other employee pension, benefit and cross border compensation plans.

Jeffrey Sommers

Jeff has practised exclusively in the area of pensions, benefits and executive compensation for over 25 years. He frequently advises on pension and benefit issues arising in the context of corporate transactions, loan agreements, insolvencies and compliance disputes. His practice also focuses on pension investment, governance and fiduciary matters. Jeff has extensive experience assisting clients with pension plan mergers, as well as de-risking strategies, including buy-in and buy-out annuities and longevity insurance arrangements. Jeff's clients include both public and private sector plan sponsors and administrators and a wide range of financial institutions and service providers.

Adam Ngan

Adam's practice covers all aspects of pensions, benefits and executive compensation law, including plan administration, governance, investment, design and taxation. Adam regularly advises jointly sponsored and single employer pension funds on their real estate, infrastructure, private equity and other investments in Canada and abroad. He also advises on the pensions and employee benefits aspects of corporate transactions. Adam provides legal services to both public- and private-sector pension plan sponsors and administrators.