While Toronto boutique Thornton Grout Finnigan hosts practitioners attending to a variety of commercial and project litigation, it is best recognized and most celebrated for its stature as Canada’s premier insolvency shop. The firm has been at the forefront of some of the largest insolvency filings affecting the Canadian market across a broad spectrum of industry sectors. Clients voice their enthusiasm for the firm’s litigators’ individual and collective bankruptcy acumen as well as their overall approach to litigation. Clients turn out in full throat to voice their appreciation for the firm’s services, as well as that of virtually all of its respective individual practitioners. “We retain TGF for our more complicated, complex and/or high-profile commercial litigation matters due to their expertise and reputation,” confirms one. Another declares, “Thornton Grout distinguishes itself from the other top-tier, national law firms by its leaders; they are practical, timely, versatile and easy to work with. They are extremely well respected by Canadian Courts, debt and capital providers, and restructuring professionals.” Still another offers this elaborate accolade: “Their advice is strategic, leading-edge and practical, and we are able to have thoughtful, intelligent professional discussions on resolving complex corporate challenges in the restructuring/insolvency and litigation arenas. I am always comfortable having TGF as my counsel as I know ‘they have my back’. I also note that TGF acts effectively on both complex, international, multi-stakeholder restructuring mandates, and more direct commercial lender enforcement proceedings; this is extraordinary.” Thornton Grout is not short on peer support either; one sums up the firm’s personnel with, “Each of them are trusted legal advisors, not simply “order takers.” They help create successful outcomes without over-lawyering files. The cultural fabric and business approach of the firm is very strong, and its values permeate with all of the lawyers across the firm.”
Speaking to the partners’ individual prowess, “There is no better than
DJ Miller,” insists a client, furthering, “Over 35 years I have worked with many insolvency lawyers and she is the best – logical, tactical, straight to the point.” Miller leads many of her own insolvency files, many of them being novel and precedent-setting. She also works with commercial litigation-focused partner Deborah Palter in representing a commercial landlord in a dispute with Hudson Bay Company, which failed to satisfy rent obligations throughout the course of the COVID pandemic. “I’m a huge fan of Leanne Williams,” crows one peer. This opinion is shared by several other peers as well as clients, one of whom testifies, “Leanne has significant experience in CCAA’s and is a practical, results-oriented lawyer. She is also very personable and has strong relationships with most other counsel practicing in this field which makes her an invaluable resource.” Williams and Palter are acting for a trustee in the bankruptcy of Aiden Pleterski, a 23-year old self-proclaimed “crypto king” who was, along with his company, adjudged bankrupt following the successful issuance of a Mareva Order. The Trustee has received over $27 million in claims from investors and is attempting to locate additional assets that it believes have been hidden from creditors. Peer enthusiasm remains strong for firm founders Bob Thornton and
John Finnigan; “These two guys are legends,” extols one contemporary. “John might get more of the contested work but Bob does litigation work as well, and his insolvency knowledge is almost unparalleled.
Daniel Schwartz, a commercial litigator with a varied practice, is “doubling down on construction and infrastructure” as of late. Schwartz also has a niche focus on the automotive industry.
