Kelly Bourassa

Bio:

As a Chambers-ranked restructuring and insolvency lawyer, I am experienced in all areas of corporate restructuring, including both the litigation and commercial aspects of workouts, reorganizations, corporate arrangements, receiverships and other enforcement of security (both domestic and cross-border). I lead the Blakes Calgary Restructuring & Insolvency practice and am an active member of the Calgary restructuring community.

Over the past 20 years, I have acted as strategic counsel to financial institutions, debtors, debtor-in-possession (DIP) lenders, secured and unsecured creditors, equity backers and court-officers, including receivers, monitors and trustees in bankruptcy in complex domestic and cross-border insolvencies across a broad range of industries, with particular expertise in energy-related restructurings. I have appeared before all levels of courts in Canada, including acting as lead counsel to the senior secured lender in the matter of Redwater Energy Corp. before the Supreme Court of Canada in an important case dealing with priority of secured creditors claims as against abandonment and reclamation liabilities.

Outside of Blakes, I am involved with a number of committees and organizations dedicated to improving the insolvency process and practice in Canada. I am a member of the board of directors of the Insolvency Institute of Canada and am the current vice-president conferences of the Turnaround Management Association. I am also a member of the Canadian Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the American Bankruptcy Institute, INSOL International, the International Women's Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation and The Advocates' Society.