Lisa C. Chamzuk
Partner
| Firm: | | Lawson Lundell LLP |
| Address: | Suite 1600 Cathedral Place
925 West Georgia Street
Vancouver, British Columbia V6C 3L2
Canada |
| Phone: | 604-631-6732 |
| Fax: | 604.669.1620 |
| Email: | Send an Email |
| Local Time: | Sun. 17:11 |
Profile
Lisa practices exclusively in the area of pension and employee benefits, representing boards of trustees and corporate plan sponsors in both the public and private sector and in a wide variety of industries.
Lisa regularly advises boards of trustees and other sponsors of pension and employee benefit plans in respect of the interpretation and amendment of plan texts, the application of the governing legal principles and of provincial and federal legislation. She often prepares formal opinions for her clients advising on proposed courses of action in light of the governing legal principles. Lisa is particularly familiar with the provincial and federal privacy legislation as they apply to pension and employee benefit plans and has drafted privacy policies for a number of her clients.
Though Lisa works as a solicitor, she provides support to senior litigators engaged in complex pension and employee benefit litigation, including class actions. Lisa also provides litigation risk assessment and management services to her clients.
Lisa clerked for the Supreme Court of British Columbia before joining Lawson Lundell LLP.
Languages: English
Areas of Practice
- Administration, Pension Governance & Investment
- Mergers and Acquisitions: Pension and Benefits Issues
- Pension and Benefits Litigation
- Pension and Employee Benefits
Professional Career
Significant Accomplishments
* Acting for a company determining whether changes can be made to the program of post-retirement group benefts
* Representing a multi-employer pension plan recover withrdrawl obligations from a former participating employer
* Acting for a company seeking to add new members to an existing pension plan
* Advising a health and welfare trust on a range of privacy issues, drafting requisite forms and negotiating with service providers
* Negotiating trust and custodial agreements and obtaining necessary regulatory approvals
* Drafting opinions on the tax rules that apply to pension plans and health and welfare trusts
* Representing trustees and other administrators in litigation matters including disputes among competing beneficiaries
* Drafting and amending plan texts for pension plans and health and welfare plans
* Drafting policies for plan administrators
* Drafting legal opinions on a variety of topics including: vesting, fiduciary, obligations, and privacy issues
* Negotiating investment management agreements
* Negotiating group benefit arrangements
Professional Associations
Professional Activities
* The Law Society of British Columbia, Member
* Canadian Bar Association: Pensions and Benefits, Chair
* Canadian Pension and Benefits Institute, Member
* International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, Member
Publications
"Pension & Benefits Law Briefing Note: Nolan v. Kerry (Canada) Inc." (August 7, 2009)
"Pension Plan Funding Update" Continuing Legal Education (April 2006), co-author with Murray Campbell
"Recent Legal Developments Affecting Trusteed Pension and Benefit Plans" Pacific Business & Law Institute Conference (February 2006), co-author with Murray Campbell
"Cho v. Telus Communications (B.C.) Inc.: Consequences of Ambiguous Terms in Pension Plans" Pension Planning, Vol. X, No. 3 (2003)
Seminars
"Plan Design in Difficult Times", Canadian Pension and Benefits Institute, Burnaby, BC (January 20, 2010)
"The Funding Fiasco: What you can do when Faced with Staggering Pension Funding Obligations", Practical Tips for Tough Economic Times Seminar, Vancouver, BC (May 20, 2009)
"Foundations for Trustees", International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, Vancouver, BC (June 23, 2008)
"Fiduciary Obligations and Liability" Federated Press, Vancouver, BC (December 20, 2007)
"Introduction to Trust Responsibility" International Foundation of Employee Benefits Plans, Vancouver, BC (September 27, 2007)
"Pension Division on Marital Breakdown: An Introduction" Canadian Pension and Benefits Institute, Continuing Education Series (February 5, 2003)
Bar Admission
British Columbia (2002)
Education
Simon Fraser University (B.A., 1996); University of Victoria (LL.B., 2000).