Nobody teaches you how to build a career in restructuring.

Law school and accounting programs give you the technical skills. They don't cover how to read a room in a creditor negotiation, how to find a mentor, or how to know if you're on the right path. That's learned on the job, often slowly, and often alone.

We're hosting a half-day conference in Toronto on October 29 to help close that gap. It's for accountants and lawyers in the early-to-mid stages of their insolvency careers (associates and managers at the accounting firms, lawyers in approximately years 1 to 8 at law firms).

You'll spend the morning with practitioners who've already navigated the questions you're facing now. Sessions cover the tools of the insolvency trade and the habits that separate good junior professionals from great ones. Just as important, you'll spend the day with peers at the same stage of their careers. The relationships you build in this room are the ones that will refer you work, bring you into deals, and become your first calls for years to come.

For leaders at firms: encourage your juniors to attend. This is the kind of development they won't get from files alone, and it's a direct investment in the relationships that will shape their careers, and your firm's referral network, for years ahead.

Details

• Date: October 29th, 2026

• Location: Goodmans - 333 Bay St. #3400, Toronto, ON M5H 2R2

• Time: 8:30am - 1:00pm

Agenda

8:30 - 9:00 - Registration / Light Breakfast

Sign in and get a name badge, grab some breakfast and get ready for a great morning!

9:00 - 9:30 - Ice Breaker

A fun way to kick off our morning and get to know each other.

9:30 - 10:15 Session 1: Insolvency 101: Tools in the Insolvency Toolkit

Insolvency files can involve an intimidating mix of proceedings, remedies and terminology. This session will provide a practical introduction to the insolvency toolkit and explain how the different pieces fit together. When does a receivership make sense? Why might a secured creditor pursue a creditor-led CCAA proceeding? Where do proposals, bankruptcies and other restructuring tools fit? The panel will also break down concepts such as reverse vesting orders and other increasingly common features of insolvency proceedings, giving attendees a practical foundation for understanding the files they work on.

Panelists

• Erik Axell, Associate, Goodmans LLP

• Meagan Greenbaum (Binder), Director, Corporate Advisory & Restructuring, PwC Canada

10:15 - 10:30 Coffee Break

Grab a coffee and a snack and catch up with your colleagues.

10:30 - 11:15 Session 2: Where Can an Insolvency Career Take You? Building a Career in Restructuring

This session will explore both the traditional and less conventional paths available to restructuring professionals. Panelists will discuss building a career toward partnership or senior leadership, balancing demanding professional roles with life outside work, and making decisions at important career inflection points. The conversation will also look beyond law and accounting firms to opportunities in special loans, financial institutions, consulting and other parts of the restructuring ecosystem.

Panelists

• Rachel Nicholson, Partner, Thornton Grout Finnigan LLP

• Nerina Jahja, Senior Manager, Special Accounts Management Unit, EQ Bank

• Michael Basso, Partner and Senior Vice President, MNP

11:15 - 12:00 Session 3: How to Get Good at This: Lessons for Junior Insolvency Professionals

What separates a good junior restructuring professional from a great one? Experienced insolvency practitioners share the lessons they wish they had known earlier in their careers, including how to approach a new file, anticipate what senior team members need, communicate effectively, manage competing demands and earn the trust of clients and colleagues. The panel will cover the small habits that make a big difference, common mistakes to avoid and practical ways junior professionals can become indispensable members of a restructuring team.

Panelists

• Brendan O'Neill, Partner, Goodmans LLP

• Josh Nevsky, Managing Director, Alvarez & Marsal

• Tracy Sandler, Partner, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP

12:00 - 1:00 Lunch

Trade stories and compare notes over a catered lunch.

Pricing

Registration is $299 + HST.

Partners

A sincerely thank you to our partners and sponsors who make this event possible!