Natasha MacParland on joining Dentons and the future of restructuring in Canada

After more than two decades at a national law firm, Natasha MacParland has made the move to Dentons, taking on leadership roles in the firm’s Toronto and national restructuring practices. She spoke to us about the move, the evolution of the restructuring market and where she sees the biggest opportunities for clients and advisers in the year ahead.

1. After over 20 years at a national law firm, what made this the right time to join Dentons?

I was energized by the opportunity to take on a new challenge at Dentons. The timing felt particularly compelling because restructuring and insolvency mandates are becoming more complex, more multidisciplinary and increasingly international.

As Canada’s Global Law Firm, Dentons combines a global platform with national strength, a key differentiator in today’s market. In a world where technology is reshaping legal services and clients are navigating greater complexity, global connectivity matters more than ever. This is particularly relevant to my practice, which has long involved significant cross-border matters spanning Canada, the United States, Europe, Latin America and the Asia-Pacific region. I was also drawn to the Firm’s willingness to be bold in pursuing growth and embrace transformation. Dentons’ deep and multidisciplinary Restructuring, Insolvency and Bankruptcy team brings together experience from across Canada, giving us a strong foundation as we shape the group’s next phase of growth, complete national integration and support clients through a rapidly evolving business and restructuring landscape.

2. What attracted you to Dentons specifically, both as a platform for your practice and as a place to take on a national leadership role?

Much of my work involves businesses, investors, lenders and other stakeholders operating across multiple jurisdictions. Dentons offers a combination that is difficult to match: local market knowledge, on the ground talent and international capabilities around a shared understanding of the client’s business objectives. That matters because cross-border considerations are no longer limited to the largest mandates. Capital structures, supply chains, operations and investor groups increasingly extend across markets.

Dentons also has exceptional talent across Canada’s key business centres and a culture of collaboration across offices and practice areas. Those strengths allow us to look beyond the immediate restructuring issue and bring together the right perspectives to address the broader business, financial and operational considerations shaping the outcome. For clients, that means fewer handoffs, greater continuity and a team that remains aligned around their commercial objectives. The opportunity is to build an even more connected national practice that anticipates where the market is heading and delivers greater value to clients.

3. As Toronto Leader and National Co-Leader of the Restructuring, Insolvency and Bankruptcy group, what are your main priorities for the practice over the next few years?

My priority is to help build a market-leading practice that clients turn to when the stakes are highest and the path forward is not immediately clear. Working closely with my fellow national co-leaders, John Sandrelli and Robert Kennedy, and colleagues across the country, I want us to be known not only for responding effectively to distress, but also for helping clients anticipate challenges, identify strategic options and opportunities, and act early to preserve value.

We also want to continue attracting top talent and investing in the next generation of restructuring lawyers, ensuring we remain at the forefront of legal, financial and commercial developments through sophisticated mandates, innovative solutions and meaningful thought leadership. Restructuring increasingly intersects with banking and finance, litigation, corporate transactions, employment, real estate, tax and regulatory matters. Our ability to connect those disciplines in which we have top talent, and to do so across borders, is a significant differentiator.

4. How do you hope to build on the group’s existing strengths, and where do you see the greatest opportunities for growth?

The group has an excellent foundation: strong lawyers, a collegial and supportive culture, trusted client relationships and meaningful domestic and cross-border sector experience. The opportunity now is to connect those strengths even more deliberately and bring them to the market as a cohesive national offering.

Clients want advisors who understand the full picture, from capital and transactions to litigation risk, stakeholder dynamics and the operational realities of the business. By becoming involved earlier, we can help clients preserve flexibility, manage risk and evaluate a broader range of strategic options. This enables us to become a more integral partner across the full business cycle.

5. What have you enjoyed most about your first few months at Dentons?

Attending the Dentons Canada Partner Meeting in my first week at the Firm reinforced the strength of our culture and leadership. I was struck by the level of engagement, collaboration and shared ambition across the partnership. There is a clear willingness to connect across offices, practices and jurisdictions, and to bring the best of the Firm together around clients’ needs. That collaborative mindset is essential in restructuring, where the strongest solutions often emerge from combining legal, financial, operational and industry perspectives.

Over the past months, I have spent time getting to know colleagues, understanding the group’s strengths and identifying where we can create even greater connections across the Firm. What stands out is the depth of talent already here and the shared ambition to keep building. I am excited about the momentum within the practice and what we can accomplish together.

6. Looking ahead, what types of restructuring and insolvency files do you expect will keep you busiest over the next year, and which sectors are you watching most closely?

I expect the coming year to involve a broad range of traditional restructurings, distressed M&A, liability management transactions, capital solutions and strategic advisory mandates. Canada’s economic environment remains complex and continues to face headwinds. The Bank of Canada has pointed to weak and volatile growth in 2026, tariff-related adjustments and continued uncertainty in the trade environment, even as it anticipates strengthening growth over the longer term.[1] The 20 CCAA proceedings filed in the first quarter of 2026, spanning sectors from manufacturing and real estate to technology and natural resources, reflect how broadly those pressures are being felt.

What I find most encouraging is that more organizations are seeking advice earlier. Restructuring is not simply about responding to a crisis – it’s about creating options and positioning a business for what comes next. That is where experienced, multidisciplinary and forward-looking advice can make the greatest difference.

[1] https://www.bankofcanada.ca/publications/mpr/mpr-2026-07-15/canadian-outlook/