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Maggie Carmichael
Maggie Carmichael (she, her, hers) Associate | Toronto

About Maggie

Maggie's practice focuses on all aspects of pensions, benefits, and executive compensation law.  Maggie advises clients on matters including plan administration, governance, design, taxation, investment, and termination.  She has experience working with sponsors and administrators of both federally and provincially regulated defined benefit and defined contribution pension plans.  Maggie also advises on pension, other benefit, and equity and deferred compensation aspects of corporate transactions.

Maggie completed her articles with Blakes in 2018/2019. She has a JD from Queen's University, where she was named to the Dean's List.

Select Experience

Recent representative matters in which Maggie has been involved include:

  • Sycamore Partners on its acquisition of Lowe's Companies, Inc.’s Canadian retail business including Lowe’s Canada and Rona stores

  • Penn National Gaming, Inc. in its US$2-billion acquisition of Score Media and Gaming, Inc.

  • DCL Corporation in connection with its restructuring under the CCAA, done in coordination with the Chapter 11 proceedings of its US-based affiliates, which resulted in the going concern sale of the DCL Group's multi-jurisdictional business to its secured term lender for an aggregate purchase price estimated to be US$162-million to US$170.8-million

  • Knix Wear Inc. on the US$313-million sale of 80% interest in Knix to Essity

  • Coty Inc. on Canadian aspects of its strategic transaction with KKR for Coty's Professional and Retail Hair business valued at US$4.3-billion

  • Equinix, Inc. on its C$1.04-billion acquisition of 25 data-centre facilities across Canada from BCE Inc.

  • FirstGroup plc in the US$4.6-billion sale of First Student and First Transit to EQT Infrastructure

  • dentalcorp Holdings Ltd. in connection with its C$700-million initial public offering and C$250-million concurrent private placement of subordinate voting shares for total proceeds of approximately C$950-million

  • A syndicate of underwriters led by TD Securities, JPMorgan and Citi in connection with Air Canada's public offering of C$500-million of voting shares and US$650-million of convertible senior notes

  • Advised various pension clients on plan amendments, restatements, asset transfers, and plan wind-ups, as well as other plan administration matters

  • Advised on the merger of several single employer pension plans into a jointly sponsored pension plan

Awards & Recognition
  • The Legal 500 Canada – 2023–2024 (Rising Star – Pensions)

Professional Activities

Maggie is a member of the board of directors of Trafalgar Castle School, where she currently serves as chair of the Risk Committee and was previously a member of the Governance Committee.  She is also a member of the Ontario Bar Association and the Canadian Bar Association.  Maggie is actively involved in Pride@Blakes and other equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives both within and outside of Blakes.

Professional Appearances
  • Co-speaker : Risk It for the Biscuit: Risk Management for Pension Plans
    Key Topics and Developments in The Pensions and Benefits Sector Seminar, November 28, 2023.
  • Co-speaker : What’s New in Pensions and Benefits?
    Canadian Bar Association Pensions and Benefits Law Online Symposium, June 14, 2023.
  • Co-speaker : WFH 101
    HR Legal Considerations for Remote Work Webinar, June 13, 2023.
  • Speaker : Regulatory Round-Up and Case Law Update
    Recent Developments in Pensions and Employee Benefits Law Seminar, May 16, 2023.
  • Co-speaker : Administrative Guidelines for Life Events
    Canadian Pension Certificate Program, Canadian Pension & Benefits Institute in partnership with the Human Resources Professionals Association, October 31, 2022 and April 3, 2023.
  • Co-speaker : Pension and Employee Benefits Updates for 2022
    Canadian Pension & Benefits Institute Webinar, October 18, 2022.
  • Panellist : LGBTQ+ Representation and Advancement in the Legal Profession
    PRIMSE Conference, Toronto, Ontario, June 18, 2022.
  • Co-speaker : Electronic Communications and Beneficiary Designations
    Key Topics and Developments in the Pensions & Benefits Sector, Webinar, June 9, 2022.
  • Co-speaker : Regulatory Round-Up and Case Law Update: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes
    Key Topics and Developments in the Pensions & Benefits Sector, Webinar, November 18, 2021.
  • Co-speaker : Regulatory Round-Up and Case Law Update with a Focus on the Fraser Decision
    Recent Developments in Pensions, Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation Law, Webinar, June 17, 2021.
Media Activities
  • Quoted : Why lost pension plan members should be a concern for HR
    Interviewed by Lauren Johnson, Canadian HR Reporter, February 21, 2024.
  • Quoted : Your employees are working remotely - but are you paying them properly?
    Interviewed by Sarah Dobson, Canadian HR Reporter, February 8, 2024.
Education
Certificate in Pension Law, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University – 2020
Admitted to the Ontario Bar – 2019
JD, Queen's University – 2018
BA (Hon.), Wilfrid Laurier University – 2015
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