Michelle is a partner practising in the area of corporate and commercial law, with a special emphasis on business acquisitions, dispositions, commercial real estate, financing, transportation and pension law.
Commercial and Real Estate
- Co-lead counsel on sale of city-owned telephone company
- Assisted on acquisition of Allstream Inc. by Manitoba Telephone Services Inc.
- Lead counsel on purchase and sale of large manufacturing facilities
- Providing advice on a variety of commercial business and real estate acquisitions
- Assisted on various strategic alliance matters involving a large public company
- Providing advice to a variety of clients on shareholders matters
- Providing commercial and real estate advice to national grocery retailer
- Providing advice on the creation of and ongoing advice pertaining to life lease projects
Transportation
- Providing a variety of clients with assistance on contract negotiations and interpretation, including truck and rail transportation and port contracts
- Providing advice on levels of service issues
- Drafting independent contractor and third party trucking agreements
- Lead counsel on purchase and sale of trucking businesses
Pension and Benefit
- Advised employer on partial windup and full windup of a defined benefit plan
- Advised federal employer on establishing new defined benefit/flexible plan and transfer of assets into plan
- Advised employers on participation and separation from multi-employer plans and plan texting draft
- Preparation of health and welfare benefit trust agreements
- Advised on purchases and sales of companies involving insolvent pension plans
- Providing advice on negotiating and interpreting various pension related agreements
Financial Services
- Providing advice to various lenders and borrowers on securitization, registration and priority issues
- Negotiated factoring agreement for accounts receivable
- Assisted in creation of mutual funds and transfer of mortgage blocks
Past Positions
- Aikins, MacAulay & Thorvaldson LLP: Senior Associate (1998-2004)
- Pitblado & Hoskin: Associate and Articling Student (1993-1998)
- Investors Group Financial Services Inc.: Associate Legal Counsel (1996), secondment position
- Director, Mennonite Brethren Collegiate Institute (2013-present)
- Chair, Constitution Committee, Mennonite Brethren Church of Manitoba (2005-present), Committee Member (2003-2005)
- Council Member, Manitoba Bar Association (2005-2007)
- Chair, Business Law Subsection, Manitoba Bar Association (2002-2003)
- Vice-Chair, Manitoba Pension Commission (1997-1999)
- Chair, Manitoba Chamber Small Business Committee (1994-1999)
- Director, Bethania Personal Care Home (1996-1998)
- Director, Crosstown Credit Union Limited (1992-1995)
Memberships
- Canadian Transportation Lawyers Association
- The Law Society of Manitoba
- Manitoba Bar Association
- Canadian Bar Association
- “Legal Update on Pension Matters,” Public Sector Pension Conference (July 2010)
- “Pension Issues with Respect to Mergers and Acquisitions,’ Pension Law, Litigation and Governance Conference, Canadian Institute (May 11, 2006)
- “Legal Options in Commercial Transactions,” The Law Society of Manitoba (May 11, 2005)
- Advanced Business Law, The Law Society of Manitoba (September 30, 2003)
- Basic Business Law, The Law Society of Manitoba (May 6, 2003)
- Bar Administration Course Seminar Leader Real Estate, the Law Society of Manitoba (2002-2003)
- Red River Community College, Business Law II Instructor (1994-1996)
- One of the Best Lawyers in Canada – Real Estate Law (2019)
- A leading practitioner, Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, Corporate Commercial