Michael E. Barrack

416-304-1109 • mbarrack@tgf.ca

PRACTICE
Michael E. Barrack joined the partnership of Thornton Grout Finnigan LLP on October 1st, 2008. Recognized across Canada and internationally as a top litigator, Mr. Barrack enjoys a broad and successful practice which includes an expertise in arbitration, bankruptcy & restructuring, biotechnology, class actions, corporate commercial litigation, international trade & investment law, litigation, pharmaceutical, product liability, professional liability, securities litigation, tax and tax disputes.

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.

PROFESSIONAL INVOLVEMENT
Mr. Barrack acted as lead litigation counsel for the debtors in each of Stelco, Algoma Steel Inc. and Olympia & York (U.S.) in their CCAA restructurings. He has also acted for a number of debtors in both domestic and multi-jurisdictional insolvencies. The Stelco matter involved approximately 60 court appearances over two years including six appearances before the Ontario Court of Appeal.

He has acted on a number of leading commercial cases as both plaintiff and defence counsel. He obtained a significant victory in the Ontario Court of Appeal on behalf of a group of bondholders who complained that they had been improperly dealt with when their bonds were redeemed with the proceeds of a securitization. He obtained court approval of the first Delaware merger in Canadian law in connection with the Fairmont going private transaction.

Michael has also acted on a number of class action matters, including those involving products liability and cross border securities actions. For Johnson & Johnson he wrote the first multi-jurisdictional protocol for class actions in Canada which was favourably commented on by the court in Ontario and adopted by practice direction by the Court in British Columbia.

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 is a frequent lecturer at several law schools and has written articles and spoken at conferences in the areas of law in which he practises. He received a B.Comm. from the University of Toronto in 1977, and his LLB from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1980. Mr. Barrack was called to the Ontario bar in 1982.

EDUCATION
He received a B.Comm. from the University of Toronto in 1977, and his LLB from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1980. Mr. Barrack was called to the Ontario bar in 1982.