Practice

David Baird is Counsel with the Fasken Martineau DuMoulin Insolvency and Restructuring Practice Group. His practice focuses on the areas of insolvency, bankruptcy and receivership law and banking and commercial disputes. David has been involved in a number of significant restructurings of insolvent companies, including those of Chrysler Corporation, Dome Petroleum, Algoma Steel Corporation, Cadillac Fairview, Olympia & York Developments, Dylex, Beatrice Foods, The T. Eaton Company, Royal Oak Mines, SkyDome Corporation and GT Group Telecom.

Professional Involvement

From 1993 to 1997, David was a member of the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Advisory Committee established by Industry Canada to make recommendations on further amendments to the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act. He was a member of the Working Group that made recommendations to the Committee on amendments to laws involving receiverships, proposals, landlord and tenant matters and corporate restructurings. He was also Chair of the Task Force on the treatment of environmental claims in insolvency situations.

From 1985 to 1986, David was a member of the Advisory Committee established by the Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs of the Government of Canada to consider amendments to the Bankruptcy Act.

From 1975 to 1980, he was Counsel to the Standing Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce of the Senate of Canada when it considered two proposed Bankruptcy Acts.

From 1972 to 1981, as a consultant to the Ontario Law Reform Commission, David advised on revisions to laws regarding the enforcement of judgment debts and related matters.

David has been an editor of the Canadian Bankruptcy Reports since 1969, was the consulting editor for Case Studies in Recent Canadian Insolvency Reorganizations (1998), and was a co-editor of the Handbook on the Personal Property Security Act of the Province of Ontario (1982).

Professional Recognition, Affiliation and Education

David was nominated as an expert on insolvency and restructuring in Canada by the publication The Best of the Best 2004 published by Euromoney Legal Media Group. He was also nominated as an expert in the field of insolvency and restructuring law for inclusion in various editions of “An International Who’s Who of Insolvency and Restructuring Lawyers” published by Law Business Research Ltd., “The Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada” published by American Lawyer Media and LEXPERT, "Guide to the World's Leading Insolvency Lawyers", published by Euromoney Publications PLC and Global Counsel Handbooks - Restructuring and Insolvency, a Practical Law Company Publication.

A past President and director of The Insolvency Institute of Canada, he is also a member of the International Bar Association, INSOL International, The American Law Institute and the American Bankruptcy Institute.

B.A., 1955 University of Toronto

LL.B. (Hons.), 1959, Osgoode Hall Law School

Law Society of Upper Canada (Ontario Bar) 1959

Queen’s Counsel, 1976

Other Interests

Golf, tennis, and sailing.