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Michael Nowina’s litigation practice focuses on a broad range of commercial disputes including advising on the recovery from fraudulent investment schemes, mortgage fraud and credit fraud. Michael’s fraud-related and investigations experience includes representing victims of a Canada-wide investment fraud and ultimately securing recovery of a majority of the proceeds from the fraud, advising numerous creditors in proceedings commenced to recover fraudulent conveyances and preferential payments in multi-jurisdictional litigation, and representing financial institutions in identity fraud cases and in proceedings to recover funds from fraudulent borrowers. Michael also frequently advises clients on insolvency matters involving fraud.

In the summer of 2024, Baker McKenzie obtained a trial judgment in fraud in CHU De Québec-Université Laval v. Tree of Knowledge International Corp. This decision provides clarity on the application of the “recklessness” standard

Continue Reading 2024 Notable Cases (Part 3) – Civil Fraud and Personal Liability Established by Finding that a Corporate Officer’s Conduct was Reckless

The bankruptcy of Aiden Pleterski, the self-proclaimed ‘Crypto King’ began on August 9, 2022, with a court application brought by Baker McKenzie on behalf of a group of investors. This case garnered significant media attention

Continue Reading 2024 Notable Cases (Part 2) – Bankruptcy of the Crypto-King and Related Rulings

As we enter 2025, we look back on five important decisions that made the news in 2024. Here is the the first case.

On October 11, 2024, the Supreme Court of Canada released two decisions

Continue Reading 2024 Notable Cases (Part 1) – Supreme Court clarifies Corporate Attribution Doctrine

Can a lender challenge debtors’ transactions with a parent company as fraudulent conveyances when the debtors had disclosed the transactions before the loan was advanced? In NYDIG ABL LLC v IE CA 3 Holdings Ltd

Continue Reading British Columbia’s Court of Appeal overturns ruling on invalidity of inter-company transfers from financially distressed Bitcoin mining companies

The general rule in bankruptcy is that a debtor receives a “fresh start” and is discharged from prior debts, but this is subject to certain exceptions. Subsection 178(1) of the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (BIA) sets out eight

Continue Reading Supreme Court Clarifies Exceptions to Fresh Start Principle in Canadian Bankruptcies

In a decision released in 2023, Justice Vermette of the Ontario Superior Court rejected an application to set aside an arbitration award on procedural fairness and jurisdictional grounds. This decision clarified when Ontario’s International Commercial

Continue Reading Ontario Superior Court Rejects Application to Set Aside an Arbitration Award under the Model Law