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Max Mendelsohn practices business law, providing advice and guidance to commercial enterprises, financial institutions and insolvency practitioners. Working with clients in a range of industries including the retail, construction and manufacturing sectors, he has earned the reputation of a deal-maker.

In addition to his transactional practice, Max acts as a formal and informal mediator, and as an arbitrator in commercial disputes.

Max is a frequent speaker and panel participant on bankruptcy and insolvency law reform, transborder insolvencies, and legislation relating to banking, insolvency and receivership. He is a fellow and former director of the Insolvency Institute of Canada.

Expertise

Practices

Representative Matters

  • Counsel to the sellers in connection with Novacap’s acquisition of a majority stake in Joseph Ribkoff Inc.
  • Numerous private or Court appointments to serve as sole arbitrator, or as a member of a panel of three arbitrators, in private disputes involving commercial, real estate, railway and aviation matters
  • Air Canada
  • Ravelston Corporation (parent company of Hollinger) (Receivership and CCAA proceedings)
  • Tembec
  • Quebecor World
  • Yellow Media
  • Homburg Invest
  • Retained by Industry Canada to serve as private sector adviser with respect to insolvency legislation reform – 2005
  • Addressed the Standing Committee on banking, trade and commerce of the Senate of Canada, as part of a panel of experts with respect to proposed amendments to the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act and the Company Creditors Arrangement Act – 2003
  • Outside member of a task force on governance of the Canadian Insolvency Practitioners Association (CIPA) – 1996
  • Court appointed co-liquidator in a liquidation ordered as a result of a dispute among shareholders of a solvent corporation
  • Private sector advisor to Industry Canada with respect to the parliamentary process related to bankruptcy and insolvency reform
  • Represented Industry Canada before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry and before the Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce (1996-1997)

Teaching Engagements

  • Lecturer at McGill University Law School in the law of bankruptcy and insolvency (1973-1979)
  • Participant in many seminars and panels on topics related to banking, insolvency, receivership and professional practice, including:
  • Panellist on two panels concerning Canadian US and Mexican cross-border insolvencies and on security registration procedures and search logic at the April 2009 Spring meeting of the American Bar Association Section of Business Law in Vancouver, British Columbia
  • Speaker: “40 Years Later: Some observations on Professional Practice” – Annual Advanced Insolvency Law and Practice Conference of the Canadian Institute (January 2008)
  • Speaker: “GST/QST – When a Simple Reading of the Law is not Enough” – Canadian Insolvency & Restructuring Professionals Association’s Forum on Insolvency and Restructuring (May 2007)
  • Panelist: “Handling Cross-Border Insolvency Cases” – Joint ABA/CBA 2007 Young Lawyers Division Spring Conference (May 2007)
  • Speaker: “Justice James M. Farley’s Legacy in Québec (A Québec Practitioner’s Perspective)” – University of British Columbia’s National Centre for Business Law Annual Review of Insolvency Law Conference (March 2007)
  • Participated on an experts’ panel on CCAA and BIA restructuring conducted by the Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy (Canada) in the course of its National Executive Training Conference (February 2005)
  • Retained by the Industry Canada to serve as private sector advisor with respect to insolvency legislation reform (January 2005)
  • Panellist: “International Bankruptcies and Restructuring” – The Canadian Institute for the Administration of Justice’s Governance of Public Institutions, Professions, Corporations, Tribunals and Courts: Ethics, Responsibility and Independence Annual Conference (October 2004)
  • Panellist: “Examiners and Insolvency Administrators: Developing Issues and Responsibilities” – The International Insolvency Institute’s Annual Insolvency Conference (June 2004)
  • Speaker: “The Ins and Outs of Court Appointed Officers” – The Canadian Institute’s Annual Advanced Insolvency Law and Practice Conference (January 2004)
  • Moderator of Panel of Judges: “The Judicial Perspective with Respect to Inter-Jurisdictional Aspects of Bankruptcy and Insolvency” – The Canadian Institute’s Advanced Conference on Bankruptcy and Insolvency Law (September 2003)
  • Panellist: “The World’s Most Important Current International Bankruptcy Cases” – International Insolvency Institute’s Annual International Insolvency Conference (June 2003)
  • Speaker: “Plan Implementation and Claims Process” – The American Bankruptcy Institute’s Symposium on American/Canadian Insolvency Law (February 2003)
  • Panellist: “Insolvency Reform” – The Canadian Institute’s Annual Advanced Insolvency Law and Practice Conference (January 2003)
  • Panellist: “New European Union Insolvency System” – The International Insolvency Institute’s Annual International Insolvency Conference (June 2002)
  • Speaker: “Insolvency Law Reform” – Joint program organized by the Canadian Bar Association (Ontario), the Law Society of Upper Canada, the Ontario Insolvency Practitioners Association and the Canadian Insolvency Institute (June 1997)
  • Invited to address Judges of the Quebec Superior Court, District of Montreal, on insolvency matters (May 1997)
  • Panellist: “Trans-Border Insolvencies” – The American Bankruptcy Institute’s Spring Conference Symposium on Canadian/American Insolvency Law, an adjunct to the Spring Conference of the American Bankruptcy Institute (May 1997)
  • Panelist: “Competing Rights of Foreign and Domestic Creditors” at the Insol International Regional Conference of the Americas (1995)
  • Lecturer: “Security on Moveables and Private International Law (Personal Property Security and Conflicts of law” – McGill University Meredith Memorial Lectures (1994)
  • Speaker: “Financing and Financial Planning under the New Civil Code of Quebec” – Seminar sponsored by the McGill University Faculty of Law, The Canadian Bankers Association (Quebec Division) and l’Ordre des comptables agréés du Québec (October 1993)
  • Made presentation to visiting Judges from Thailand on Canadian Bankruptcy Law and Practice at the request of the Governments of Canada and Quebec (August 1993)
  • Lectured on amendments to the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act at a Conference of the National Judicial Institute (June 1993)
  • Participated in a seminar on Debtor/Creditor Relations sponsored by the McGill University Faculty of Law, Barreau du Québec, Chambre des notaires du Québec, Chambre de commerce du Québec and Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal on The Conflict of Law Rules on Moveable Securities (May 1993)
  • Lectured at the Cours de perfectionnement de la Chambre des notaires du Québec on the amendments to the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (April 1993)
  • Addressed an Insolvency Subcommittee of the American Bar Association on Canadian Bankruptcy Law (March 1993)
  • Lectured on Amendments to the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act as part of La Formation Permanente du Barreau du Québec (December 1992)
  • Invited to address Judges of the Quebec Superior Court, District of Montreal, on Amendments to the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (November 1992)
  • Panellist: “Cross-Border Insolvency” at INSOL International’s the North American Regional Conference (February 1991)
  • Participated as resource person in the Professional Development Program for Official Receivers, Bankruptcy Department, Department of Consumer & Corporate Affairs Canada (June 1987)
  • Lectured – Meredith Memorial Lectures – McGill University on the topic Bankruptcy – Present Problems and Future Perspectives (1985)
  • Participated in a seminar, across Canada, for the Canadian Insolvency Association on proposed new Bankruptcy Act (1984)
  • Participated as a panellist at the Annual Canadian Law Conference of the International Council of Shopping Centres (1983 to 1991)

News

Rankings & Recognition

  • Recognized by Chambers Global (2021) as a leading lawyer in the area of Restructuring / Insolvency
  • Named the Best Lawyers in Canada (2021) Insolvency and Financial Restructuring “Lawyer of the Year” in Montreal
  • Recognized by the Best Lawyers in Canada (2021) as a leading lawyer in the areas of Banking & Finance Law and Insolvency & Financial Restructuring Law
  • Recognized by Chambers Canada (2021) as a leading lawyer in the area of Restructuring / Insolvency
  • Recognized in the 2020 Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory as a Repeatedly Recommended lawyer in the area of Insolvency & Financial Restructuring: Financial Restructuring
  • Recognized by Chambers Global (2020) as a leading lawyer in the area of Restructuring / Insolvency
  • Recognized by Chambers Canada (2020) as a leading lawyer in the area of Restructuring / Insolvency Law
  • Recognized by Best Lawyers in Canada (2020) as a leading lawyer in the areas of Banking & Finance Law and Insolvency & Financial Restructuring Law
  • Recognized in the 2019 Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory as a Repeatedly Recommended lawyer in the area of Insolvency & Financial Restructuring – Financial Restructuring
  • Recognized by Chambers Global 2019 as a Senior Statesmen in the area of Restructuring / Insolvency
  • Recognized by Chambers Canada 2019 as a leader in Restructuring/Insolvency
  • Recognized by Best Lawyers in Canada 2019 as a leading lawyer in the areas of Banking & Finance Law and Insolvency & Financial Restructuring Law
  • Recognized in the 2018 Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory as a Repeatedly Recommended lawyer in the areas of Banking & Financial Institutions and Insolvency & Financial Restructuring – Financial Restructuring
  • Chambers 2018 recognized as a leading lawyer in Restructuring/Insolvency (Senior Statesmen)
  • Chambers Canada 2018 recognized as a leading lawyer in Restructuring/Insolvency (Senior Statesmen)
  • Zenith Award October 2012 (honouring lawyers who have been change agents for forty or more years, for their clients, firms, companies, departments, faculties, profession, colleagues and/or communities)
  • Lifetime Achievement Award from The Turnaround Management Association in 2011 (Montreal Chapter) recognizing “A Lifetime of Excellence in Restructuring and Bankruptcy Services”
  • Awarded the designation “Avocatus Emeritus” (Ad.E) by Barreau du Québec 2010
  • Recognized by the Canadian Bar Association Bankruptcy and Insolvency Section for leadership and service to the Canadian insolvency and restructuring community as a leading and “gentleman” lawyer in the field (September 2006)
  • Recognized in National and International Directories including:
  • Best Lawyers in Canada 2018 – Banking and Finance Law and Insolvency and Financial Restructuring Law
  • Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory – Repeatedly recommended: Banking & Financial Institutions and Insolvency & Financial Restructuring – Financial Restructuring
  • Who’s Who Legal: Canada 2017 – Insolvency/Restructuring
  • Chambers Global 2017 – Restructuring/Insolvency
  • Best Lawyers in Canada 2017 – Banking and Finance Law and Insolvency and Financial Restructuring Law
  • Chambers Canada 2017 – Restructuring/Insolvency
  • Who’s Who Legal: Canada 2016 – Insolvency/Restructuring
  • Chambers Global 2016 – Restructuring/Insolvency
  • Best Lawyers in Canada 2016 – “Lawyer of the Year” Montréal – Insolvency and Financial Restructuring Law
  • Best Lawyers in Canada 2016 – as a leader in Banking and Finance Law and Insolvency and Financial Restructuring Law
  • Lexpert Report on Business Magazine 2016 – Leading Corporate Lawyer
  • The Legal 500 Canada 2015 as a “Leading Lawyer” – Restructuring and Insolvency
  • Chambers Global Directory of the World’s Leading Lawyers 2015 – as a  leader in the area of Restructuring/Insolvency
  • Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory 2016 – leading practitioner in the area of banking and financial institutions and insolvency and financial restructuring
  • Lexpert Guide to the Leading US/Canada Cross-Border Corporate Lawyers in Canada 2016 – as a leader in Insolvency and Financial Restructuring
  • Who’s Who Legal 2014 – as a leader in Insolvency & Restructuring
  • Best of the Best Expert Guide 2012
  • Lexpert/American Lawyer’s Media Guide to the Leading 500 lawyers in Canada 2008
  • International Who’s Who of Insolvency and Restructuring Lawyer – World’s Leading Practitioners

Community Involvement

  • Longstanding member of Le comité des sûretés du barreau du Québec, dealing with personal property security
  • Longstanding Governor, and member for several years of the Governor Recruitment Committee, of La Fondation du Barreau du Québec
  • Member of the Board of Trustees and former member of the Board of Directors and Vice-President of YM-YWHA of Montreal
  • Former Chairman of the Board of the YM-YWHA Children’s Summer Camp
  • Former member of the Board of Directors, and former Co-Chair of Fundraising event, for The Arthritis Society
  • Member of Cercle du chancelier – Université de Montréal
  • Participant in numerous charitable and healthcare-related fundraising projects

Directorships & Affiliations

  • Fellow of the Insolvency Institute of Canada (and former director)
  • Turnaround Management Association (Canada)
  • International Insolvency Institute
  • Former member of the Board of Directors of Recochem Group Inc. (Director), a private world-wide producer and distributor of consumer and industrial chemical products
  • Former member of the Board of Directors of Le Chateau Inc., a public Canadian apparel retailer
  • Former member of the Board of Directors of La Senza Corporation, then a public Canadian retainer, and world-wide licensor, of lingerie and sleepwear products
1966
Called to the Québec bar
1965
LLLUniversité de Montréal
1962
BAMcGill University

Publications