More about Michael

 Education

  • Osgoode Hall Law School (LL.B., 1982)
  • Year of Call: 1984 (Ontario), 1990 (British Columbia), 1994 (Alberta)

 Acknowledgements

  • The Best Lawyers in Canada 2012: Employee Benefits Law
  • The Best Lawyers in Canada 2010: Employee Benefits Law

 Memberships & Professional Affiliations

  • Law Society of Alberta
  • Law Society of Upper Canada
  • Law Society of British Columbia
  • Advisory Committee for the Joint Alberta - British Columbia Drafting of Pension Legislation
  • Canadian Pension and Benefits Institute (Past Chair of the National Board of Directors)
  • Human Resources Association of Calgary (Past Member of Board of Directors)
  • Federated Press Pension Planning (Member of Editorial Board)
  • Association of Canadian Pension Management
  • International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans
  • Canadian Bar Association (Executive Member of the National Pensions and Benefits Law Section, and Past Chair of the Southern Alberta Pensions and Benefits and Corporate Counsel sections)
  • Calgary Bar Association

 Publications

  • Lloyd v. Imperial Oil (Case Commentary), Lancaster House Pension & Benefit Law E-Bulletin, No. 80, July 26, 2009
  • Courts Recognize Rights Need Balance, Benefits and Pensions Monitor, Volume 19, Number 1, February 2009
  • Developments and Trends in Pensions and Benefits Law: Some Recent Cases, Human Resources Association of Calgary Annual Legal Conference, May 13, 2008 (with C. Rea)
  • Courts - Not Arbitrators Have Jurisdiction Over Dispute Concerning Reduction in Retired Civil Service Employees' Health Benefits, Court of Appeal Affirms (Experts' Commentary), Lancaster House Pensions & Benefits Law E-Bulletin, Issue No. 63, December 14, 2007
  • Improper Denial of Disability Benefits by Insurer, Causing Mental Distress, Warrants Damages for Breach of Contract, But Not Punitive Damages, Supreme Court Rules (Experts' Commentary), Lancaster House Pensions & Benefits Law E-Bulletin, Issue No. 44, September 29, 2006
  • Pension Amendments Impact Alberta Pension Plan Members, Osler Update, October 2006 (co-authored with C. Brown, K. Smith and C. Valestuk)
  • Bargain Hunting: When Negotiating Benefits, Employers and Unions Should Consider the Implications of the Collective Agreement When it Come to Dispute Resolution, Benefits Canada, August 2006

 Presentations

  • Certificate in Canadian Benefit Plans, Niagara Falls – August 15-17, 2011
  • Innovative Benefits to Compliment an Overburdened Healthcare System, Canadian Pensions and Benefits Institute Forum 2009, Calgary, AB, May 27, 2009
  • Termination: Doing it Right, BenefitLink, April 22, 2009 (with D. Rigolo)
  • Identifying and Addressing Pension Legal Risks in M&As and Restructurings, 3rd Pension Law & Litigation Course, Vancouver, BC, April 21, 2009
  • Pension Reform in Canada: The Impact of Your Practice and Your Clients, 2008 Canadian Bar Association Canadian Legal Conference, Quebec City, PQ, August 18, 2008
  • Legal Update: Developments and Trends in Pensions & Benefits Law, Human Resources Association of Calgary, May 13, 2008
  • Developments and Trends in Pensions and Benefits Law: Some Recent Cases, Human Resources Association of Calgary Annual Legal Conference, May 13, 2008 (with C. Rea)
  • Legal Update: Developments and Trends in Pensions & Benefits Law, Canadian Pension & Benefits Institute, 2008 Spring Seminar, Saskatoon, SK, April 23, 2008
  • Benefits Fundamentals: The Essentials of Benefits Plan Governance, Canadian Pension and Benefits Institute - Ontario Region. Toronto, ON, December 6, 2007
  • Post-Retirement Benefits, Canadian Public Sector Pensions and Benefits Institute, Niagara Falls, ON, June 29, 2007
  • Effective Communication with Plan Members, The Canadian Institute's Western Canada Forum on Pension Law, Litigation & Governance, May 16, 2007
  • Legal Update: Trends in Pensions and Benefits Law, Morneau Sobeco, May 9, 2007 (with C. Brown)
  • Avoiding the Legal Quagmire - Hypothetical Pension Plan Case Studies, Canadian Pension & Benefits Institute, South Alberta Region, Pension Education Day, May 16, 2007 (with K. Smith)
  • Legal Update: Developments and Trends in Pension and Benefit Law, Canadian Pension & Benefits Institute Breakfast Seminar, March 26, 2007 (with C. Brown)
  • Benefits Fundamentals: Privacy Issues, Canadian Pensions and Benefits Institute - Ontario Region, Toronto, ON, December 7, 2006
  • Pensions in Crisis? The Year in Review: Case Law and Legislative Developments, The Canadian Institute's Western Canada Forum on Pension Law, Litigation and Governance, May 10, 2006 (with C. Valestuk)

 Community Involvement

  • Currently an active supporter of the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Alberta Chapter