Top Litigator Joins ThorntonGroutFinnigan LLP Media Release Toronto, September 18th, 2008 ThorntonGroutFinnigan LLP is pleased to announce that Michael E. Barrack will join the firm as a partner in its litigation practice effective October 1, 2008. "I am excited about the personal and professional prospects of working with the leading restructuring and litigation boutique in the country," said Barrack. "Joining TGF opens scope for my litigation practice plus I like the focussed and entrepreneurial platform they have created." "Michael is one of the top litigators in the country and a perfect fit for us," said Bob Thornton, a founding partner of TGF. "This represents an important milestone towards our goal of creating Canada's premiere 'go to' law firm in the areas of commercial litigation and restructuring. We are excited that Mike shares our vision and we look forward to adding his considerable talents to the TGF team." Michael's addition comes as the firm builds its momentum through a number of high profile litigation briefs including BCE, Hollinger, Portus and Norshield. "The addition of John Porter last year and now Mike Barrack are proof of our commitment to create a ‘best in class' commercial litigation firm," added John Finnigan, also a TGF founder. Mr. Barrack joins TGF from McCarthy Tétrault where he was a partner in the Toronto office and a prominent member of the litigation group. Recently he acted as lead counsel to Stelco during its contentious restructuring proceedings that involved over 60 court appearances. TGF acted as counsel to the Monitor in that matter. Courtney Pratt was the CEO of Stelco during the restructuring and worked closely with Michael and the TGF lawyers for more than two years. "They worked exceedingly well together in intense circumstances. I have enormous respect for everyone involved. I know that together they will be a dynamic and formidable combination," said Pratt. Recognized across Canada and internationally as a top litigator, Mr. Barrack enjoys a broad and successful practice. He has appeared in a full range of matters throughout Canada, including trials, arbitrations, mediations and appeals before both federal and provincial courts across the country including the Supreme Court of Canada. In addition, he has appeared in England at the London Court of International Arbitration on behalf of a client against the Government of Ecuador. The breadth of his practice is supported by his listing in the 2008 Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory in eight litigation categories - Corporate Commercial, Securities, Class Actions, Insolvency and Financial Restructuring, Directors and Officers Liability, International Commercial Arbitration, Corporate Tax and Medical Negligence. He was named one of the 100 Most Creative Lawyers in Canada. Mr. Barrack is past president of The Advocates' Society, a former founding director of Pro Bono Law Ontario and a member of the Supreme Court Institute. He received a B.Comm from the University of Toronto in 1977, his LLB from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1980 and was called to the Ontario bar in 1982. TGF is celebrating its 10th anniversary. Firmly established as a leading restructuring firm, including major mandates in matters such as Air Canada, Stelco and Hollinger, the litigators at the firm have also played leading roles in many recent cutting edge and high profile cases including representing a successful group of bondholders in the Calpine restructuring, representing the Receivers in the Portus and Norshield hedge fund scandals and most recently, representing a blue chip group of institutional bondholders before three levels of Court including the Supreme Court of Canada in the BCE privatization proceeding.