About

Provided by Lawson Lundell LLP

Lawson Lundell boasts Western Canada's leading Pensions and Employee Benefits Law Group. The group consists of a core of solicitors practising exclusively in the pensions and benefits law area and a litigation team with an unmatched level of experience conducting pension litigation and defending pensions class actions in the courts. When needed the group can call on other lawyers with relevant expertise in related areas such as tax, trust, fiduciary, investment and insurance matters affecting pensions and benefit plans.

Pensions and Employee Benefits Law is a specialized area of law focused on providing advice and solutions on issues arising out of different kinds of plans and programs that employers provide for their employees.

These include:

  • Defined benefit registered pension plans
  • Capital accumulation plans (including defined contribution registered pension plans, group RRSPs, and deferred profit sharing plans)
  • Supplemental employee retirement plans (or “SERPs”) and retirement compensation arrangements (or “RCAs”)
  • Health and welfare trusts
  • Group benefits including life, disability and health and dental plans
  • Employee incentive plans and bonus plans
  • Executive compensation plans and change in control agreements

Our pensions and employee benefits lawyers are specialists in navigating the legal and regulatory hurdles encountered in establishing, governing, managing, communicating, litigating, merging and terminating pensions and employee benefit plans. 

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Pensions & Benefits - Nationwide - Canada

2
Band 2

What the Team is Known For

Lawson Lundell is one of the dominant law firms for pensions advice in Western Canada, regularly providing services to clients across British Columbia, Alberta, the Northwest Territories and Yukon. The team receives accolades for its comprehensive pensions and benefits coverage, regularly handling matters such as pension plan restructuring and administration, as well as the creation, administration and review of plan documentation and contracts. Its impressive client roster includes an extensive range of entities from sectors such as healthcare, manufacturing, mining and education, while its expertise extends to both employer and union-sponsored arrangements.

Work Highlights

  • Lawson Lundell oversaw the simplification and improvement of pension benefits for the members of CMAW Canada, a construction industry union in Western Canada.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

Murray Campbell
1
Murray Campbell
1
Band 1

Murray Campbell of Lawson Lundell is an esteemed practitioner based in Vancouver, who is seen to advise on various pensions and benefits disputes, as well as regulatory matters. He is especially well-regarded for his expertise in implementing and redesigning pension plans.

Murray is so knowledgeable and thorough!

Murray brings deep industry knowledge and a strong understanding, making his advice particularly valuable.

Murray offers very practical advice, is very responsive and is really knowledgeable about our organisation and business improvements.

Murray has lots of experience and is aware of how business is evolving in the sector.

He is experienced and innovative, as well as dedicated and attentive.

Kenneth Burns
2
Kenneth Burns
2
Band 2

Kenneth Burns is a skilled Vancouver-based lawyer at Lawson Lundell, who provides counsel to pension and benefit plan sponsors on a variety of matters. He also has experience overseeing the merging of pension plans and provides regulatory pensions advice to clients across Western Canada and the Northwest Territories.

Ken is a pleasure to work with.

Lisa Chamzuk
3
Lisa Chamzuk
3
Band 3

Lisa Chamzuk of Lawson Lundell has acquired a significant reputation for pension governance and administration mandates. Based in Vancouver, she is well-versed in issues relating to multi-employer pension plans.

Lisa is an excellent legal professional with sharp analytical skills.

Lisa is fantastic. She's very articulate, communicates very efficiently and explains things well.

She consistently delivers a great depth of knowledge of pension plans, as well as strategic advice on how to proceed to make these things work.

Lisa's been extremely helpful in identifying issues, risks and mitigations we can put in place.

Megan Kaneen
4
Megan Kaneen
4
Band 4

Megan Kaneen of Lawson Lundell is based in Vancouver and is increasingly well-regarded for her work assisting with the maintenance and governance of pension funds. She is also well-versed in pension regulatory matters.

She is highly intelligent and a pleasure to work with. Her sharp legal insight, combined with a thoughtful and approachable style, makes her a trusted and effective adviser.

Megan is amazing and her subject matter expertise is incredible.

Megan has provided excellent service.

Meghan Popp
5
Meghan Popp
5
Band 5

Meghan Popp of Lawson Lundell in Vancouver acts for boards of trustees and other administrators and sponsors of pension and benefit plans. She advises clients in the private and public sectors on the day-to-day administration of plans, as well as on larger projects, such as plan mergers.

Meghan is wonderful in all aspects!

Meghan is dedicated and detailed.

I've always been pleased with the opinions and quality of work that Meghan delivers.

Meghan is a sharp and detail-oriented lawyer with a strong command of complex legal matters.

Ranked Lawyers at
Lawson Lundell LLP

Provided by Chambers
Filter by
Band

Nationwide - Canada

Pensions & Benefits

Murray Campbell
1
Murray Campbell
1
Band 1
Kenneth Burns
2
Kenneth Burns
2
Band 2
Lisa Chamzuk
3
Lisa Chamzuk
3
Band 3
Megan Kaneen
4
Megan Kaneen
4
Band 4
Meghan Popp
5
Meghan Popp
5
Band 5

Members

Provided by Lawson Lundell LLP