Education

University of Western Ontario, BA, 2004 Schulich School of Business, York University, MBA, 2008 Osgoode Hall Law School, LLB, 2008 

Bar Admissions

Ontario, 2009

Sean Zweig

Partner

T: 416.777.6254 / E: zweigs@bennettjones.com

Toronto

Sean Zweig is a leading restructuring and insolvency lawyer, with significant experience representing all types of stakeholders in Canadian and cross-border restructurings.

Sean is a partner in the Bankruptcy and Restructuring Group in Toronto. He acts for insolvent corporations, creditors, bondholders, boards of directors, shareholders, trustees in bankruptcy, monitors, receivers and landlords in a variety of domestic and cross-border matters under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act, the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act and the Canada Business Corporations Act.

Sean is ranked/recognized as a leading lawyer in various publications, including Chambers, Lexpert and Expert Guides. He has had a prominent role in many of Canada’s major restructurings.

Sean's public engagements include:

For Lenders/Creditors: Corus Entertainment; Tacora Resources; Contract Pharmaceuticals Limited; Ardenton; Source Energy Services, Sherritt International; Cirque de Soleil; Concordia Healthcare, Aralez Pharmaceuticals; Tervita Corporation, Lightstream Resources; Connacher Oil and Gas; Nelson Education; Target Canada; Postmedia; Opti Canada; Nortel; Yellow Media; Essar Steel Algoma; LightSquared; SkyLink Aviation; Gateway Casinos; Catalyst Paper

For Debtors/Boards of Directors: Goli; Wheel Pros; BZAM Cannabis; FIGR; Sears Canada; PharmHouse Canada; Bumble Bee/Clover Leaf Seafoods; NCSG Crane & Heavy Haul; James Wagner Corporation/Trichome Financial; Sanjel; Quicksilver Resources; Lone Pine Resources; Sino-Forest; Argent Energy; Performance Sports Group

For Estate Fiduciaries: Accuride; BioSteel; BowFlex; Endo International; Curo Group; Ted Baker Canada; Mastermind Toys; Nexii Canada; Forme Development; Payless Shoes; Sungard; McEwen Enterprises; Toys R Us; U.S. Steel Canada; Danier Leather; Aeropostale Canada; Takata; Regus Canada; Smurfit-Stone; AbitibiBowater; Cooper-Standard Automotive

Recent Recognitions

• Lexpert Special Edition—Canada's Leading Restructuring and Insolvency Lawyers
  

  Recognized as a leading Restructuring and Insolvency lawyer

• Chambers Canada
  
  Ranked, Restructuring/Insolvency
• Chambers Global
  
  Band 2, Restructuring/Insolvency
  
  
• The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory
  
  Most Frequently Recommended, Insolvency & Financial Restructuring - Financial Restructuring
• The Legal 500 Canada
  
  Leading Lawyer, Restructuring and Insolvency
• Lexpert Special Edition
  
  Recognized as a leading energy lawyer in Canada
  Recognized as a leading finance and M&A lawyer in Canada
• Lexpert/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada
  
  Ranked, Insolvency
• Who's Who Legal: Canada
  
  Recognized, Restructuring & Insolvency
• Best Lawyers in Canada
  
  Recognized for Insolvency and Financial Restructuring Law

Recent Insights, News & Events

• 156 Bennett Jones Lawyers Featured in 2025 Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory
  Announcements / March 11, 2025
  The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory has recognized 156 Bennett Jones lawyers in the 2025 edition. The firm also received rankings across 32 practice areas.   
• Chambers Global Ranks Bennett Jones Lawyers in 2025 Guide
  Announcements / February 13, 2025
  Bennett Jones has been recognized in the Chambers Global Guide 2025, with 49 lawyers ranked across 19 practice areas. Clients in Canada and around the world trust us to navigate their most complex legal matters. Our inclusion in Chambers Global Guide 2025 highlights our commitment to an exceptional client experience, deep industry knowledge and long-standing client relationships.
• Twenty-One Bennett Jones Lawyers Recognized in 2025 Lexpert Leading 500 Cross Border Lawyers
  Announcements / January 14, 2025
  Twenty-one Bennett Jones lawyers are recognized as leading lawyers in the 2025  Lexpert 500 Cross Border Directory (formerly ALM 500). This recognition underscores Bennett Jones' dedication to helping clients with their most complex legal matters. The Lexpert 500 Cross Border Directory profiles the most frequently recommended lawyers across Canada in approximately 35 practice areas identified via an extensive, annual peer survey. Lexpert produces the Directory in collaboration with American Lawyer Media.
• Bennett Jones Recognized as Top-Tier Firm in Legal 500 Canada Rankings
  Announcements / November 14, 2024
  Bennett Jones has once again been recognized as a top-tier firm in five practice areas in the 2025 Legal 500 Canada guide. Known for our deep knowledge and client-focused approach, we consistently deliver strategic solutions that help clients solve their most complex legal matters. This recognition highlights our commitment to excellence and our dedication to achieving the best results for our clients.
• 10 Lawyers Recognized in Lexpert Special Edition: Restructuring and Insolvency 2024
  Announcements / October 17, 2024
  We are pleased to announce that 10 Bennett Jones lawyers have been ranked in the Lexpert Special Edition: Restructuring and Insolvency 2024, reflecting our team's deep expertise in handling complex insolvency and restructuring cases. This issue highlights how companies in Canada can navigate the mounting economic pressures.
• Bennett Jones Top Ranked in Chambers Canada 2025
  Announcements / September 26, 2024
  Bennett Jones is proud to have once again been recognized as one of Canada’s leading law firms across 41 practice areas, with 135 lawyer rankings in Chambers Canada 2025. These rankings reflect the deep trust our clients place in us to solve their most complex legal matters and underscore our lawyers' extensive understanding of their industries and businesses, enabling us to consistently deliver an exceptional experience. In this year's guide, Bennett Jones has 10 Band 1 practice rankings, 20 Band 1 lawyer rankings and 10 newly-ranked lawyers. In addition to this year's rankings, Bennett Jones was awarded Class Action Law Firm of the Year and was a finalist for Real Estate Law Firm of the Year. 
• 167 Bennett Jones Lawyers Recognized in the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory 2024
  Announcements / March 06, 2024
  167 Bennett Jones lawyers have been recognized for their legal expertise in the 2024 edition of the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory. 
• Chambers Global Ranks Bennett Jones Lawyers in 2024 Edition
  Announcements / February 15, 2024
  Bennett Jones has 49 lawyer rankings across 19 practice areas in Chambers Global 2024. Chambers and Partners is an independent research company operating across 200 jurisdictions delivering 49 detailed rankings and insight into the world's leading lawyers. 
• Twenty-Three Bennett Jones Lawyers Recognized in 2024 Lexpert ALM 500 Directory
  Announcements / January 22, 2024
  Twenty-three Bennett Jones lawyers are recognized in the 2024 Lexpert/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada. The Lexpert/ALM 500 Directory profiles the most frequently recommended lawyers across Canada in approximately 35 practice areas identified via an extensive, annual peer survey. Lexpert produces the Directory in collaboration with American Lawyer Media.
• Bennett Jones Top Ranked in Chambers Canada 2024
  Announcements / September 28, 2023
  Bennett Jones has been recognized as one of Canada’s leading law firms across 39 practice areas, with 124 lawyer rankings in Chambers Canada 2024. In this year's guide, Bennett Jones has 11 Band 1 practice rankings, 21 Band 1 lawyer rankings and 10 newly-ranked lawyers. In addition to this year's rankings, Bennett Jones was awarded Real Estate Law Firm of the Year and was a finalist in Projects and Energy Law Firm of the Year.
• Bennett Jones Lawyers Recognized in Best Lawyers in Canada 2024
  Announcements / August 24, 2023
  104 Bennett Jones lawyers have been recognized across 46 practice areas in the 2024 edition of Best Lawyers in Canada. The recognized lawyers work in Bennett Jones' offices across Canada in Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto and Vancouver, highlighting the firm's national expertise.
• Forty Bennett Jones Lawyers Recognized In Benchmark Canada 2023
  Announcements / April 26, 2023
  Bennett Jones is Highly Recommended in the 2023 Benchmark Canada rankings, with 40 individual lawyers ranked this year—30 Litigation Stars and 10 Future Stars. Benchmark Litigation's law firm and lawyer rankings based on extensive interviews with litigators, dispute resolution specialists and their clients as well as analysis of the market’s most important cases and firm developments.
• Chambers Global Ranks Bennett Jones Lawyers in 2023 Edition
  Announcements / March 06, 2023
  Bennett Jones has 50 lawyer rankings across 19 practice areas in Chambers Global 2023. Chambers and Partners is an independent research company operating across 200 jurisdictions delivering detailed rankings and insight into the world's leading lawyers.
• Twenty-One Bennett Jones Lawyers Recognized in 2023 Lexpert ALM 500 Directory
  Announcements / February 06, 2023
  Twenty-one Bennett Jones lawyers are recognized in the 2023 Lexpert/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada. The Lexpert/ALM 500 Directory profiles the most frequently recommended lawyers across Canada in approximately 35 practice areas identified via an extensive, annual peer survey. Lexpert produces the Directory in collaboration with American Lawyer Media.
• Bennett Jones Highly Recommended in Benchmark Canada 2022
  Announcements / April 28, 2022
  Bennett Jones is Highly Recommended as a firm in the 2022 Benchmark Canada rankings, with 38 individual lawyers ranked this year—30 are Litigation Stars, with 5 ranked as a Top 50 Trial Lawyer, and 8 are Future Stars.
• Twenty-Four Bennett Jones Lawyers in 2022 Lexpert/ALM 500 Directory
  Announcements / January 06, 2022
  Twenty-four Bennett Jones lawyers are recognized in the 2022 Lexpert/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada.
• Bennett Jones: "Top Tier" in Chambers Canada 2022
  Announcements / September 16, 2021
  Bennett Jones has been recognized as one of Canada’s leading law firms across 38 practice areas, with 111 lawyer rankings in Chambers Canada 2022. Bennett Jones has 8 Band 1 practice rankings and 14 Band 1 lawyer rankings in this year's guide.
• Bennett Jones' Best Lawyers in Canada 2022
  Announcements / August 26, 2021
  146 Bennett Jones lawyers have been recognized across 48 practice areas in the Best Lawyers in Canada 2022 edition, with 44 lawyers having earned recognition in multiple practice areas. The recognized lawyers work in Bennett Jones' offices across Canada in Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto and Vancouver, highlighting the firm's national expertise.
• Bennett Jones Congratulates Catalyst Capital in Deal of the Year Win
  Client Work / May 21, 2021
  Bennett Jones congratulates its client, Catalyst Capital and the deal team led by Gabriel de Alba, Managing Director and Partner, for its work in the Insolvency & Restructuring Deal of the Year in the 2021 Canadian Law Awards.
• Bennett Jones Highly Recommended in Benchmark Canada 2021
  Announcements / May 04, 2021
  Bennett Jones is Highly Recommended as a firm in the 2021 Benchmark Canada rankings, with 37 individual lawyers ranked this year—29 are Litigation Stars, 8 are Future Stars and 5 are Top 50 Trial Lawyers.
• 159 Lawyers in Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory
  Announcements / April 29, 2021
  159 Bennett Jones lawyers have been ranked in the annual edition of The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory. 26 are in the highest category of Most Frequently Recommended.
• 36 Bennett Jones Lawyers in Lexpert's Special Edition on Finance and M&A
  Announcements / April 16, 2021
  Thirty-six Bennett Jones lawyers are ranked in the 2021 Lexpert Special Edition – Canada's Leading Finance and M&A Lawyers. 
• Bennett Jones in Chambers Global 2021
  Announcements / February 21, 2021
  Bennett Jones has 51 lawyer rankings in 18 practice areas in Chambers Global 2021. Chambers and Partners is an independent research company operating across 200 jurisdictions delivering detailed rankings and insight into the world's leading lawyers.
• Twenty-Five Bennett Jones Lawyers in Lexpert/ALM 500 Directory
  Announcements / December 17, 2020
  Twenty-five Bennett Jones lawyers are recognized in the 2021 Lexpert/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada.
• 40 Bennett Jones Lawyers in Lexpert's Special Edition on Litigation
  Announcements / November 26, 2020
  Forty Bennett Jones lawyers are ranked in the 2020 Lexpert Special Edition – Canada's Leading Litigation Lawyers. This annual feature profiles Lexpert-ranked lawyers in business-related litigation and appears in the December issue of the Globe and Mail’s Report on Business Magazine.
• Bennett Jones Leads Canada in Energy Law
  Announcements / October 26, 2020
  Bennett Jones has 52 lawyers ranked in Lexpert's Special Edition: Energy 2020—more than any other law firm in Canada. Ranked lawyers provide services in oil & gas, electricity, alternative and nuclear energy. Bennett Jones has been intimately involved in virtually every major energy development project in Canada in the past 20 years, representing project proponents, investors and other stakeholders.
• Bennett Jones is Recognized in Chambers Canada 2021
  Announcements / September 10, 2020
  Bennett Jones has been recognized as one of Canada’s leading law firms across 38 practice areas, with 115 lawyer rankings in Chambers Canada 2021.
• Bennett Jones in Chambers Global 2020
  Announcements / February 13, 2020
  Bennett Jones has 50 lawyer rankings in 17 practice areas around the world in Chambers Global 2020. 
• Bennett Jones is Top-Tier in The Legal 500
  Announcements / November 18, 2019
  Bennett Jones has been recommended as a Top-Tier firm in 5 practice areas in The Legal 500 Canada 2020 guide.
• Bennett Jones' Leading Lawyers in Chambers Canada 2020
  Announcements / September 19, 2019
  Bennett Jones has been recognized as one of Canada’s leading law firms with over 100 recognized practitioners nationally in Chambers Canada 2020. Here are a few things clients have said: “The [...]
• Concordia Decision Expands Potential Scope of CBCA Plans of Arrangement
  Articles / May 01, 2019
  Kevin J. Zych, Sean Zweig and Preet K. Gill co-authored "Concordia Decision Expands Potential Scope of CBCA Plans of Arrangement" published in Banking & Finance Law Review, vol. 34.2.
• The Expanded Use of the CBCA in Debt Restructurings
  Articles / March 12, 2019
  Sean Zweig and Preet K. Gill co-author "The Expanded Use of the CBCA in Debt Restructurings" published in 2018 Annual Review of Insolvency Law. 
• Bennett Jones in Chambers Global 2019
  Announcements / February 14, 2019
  Bennett Jones has 48 lawyer rankings in 15 practice areas around the world in Chambers Global 2019. 
• Concordia: Novel Features in a CBCA Restructuring
  Articles / February 01, 2019
  Kevin J. Zych, Sean Zweig and Preet K. Gill co-author "Concordia Novel Features in a CBCA Restructuring" published in the National Insolvency Review, Vol. 36, No. 1.
• Bennett Jones in Who’s Who Legal: Canada 2018
  Announcements / November 01, 2018
  64 Bennett Jones lawyers are ranked in 19 areas of Who’s Who Legal: Canada 2018. The guide identifies the foremost legal practitioners in multiple areas of business law for their annual publication.
• Equity Claims Relief Granted as Part of CBCA Restructuring
  Updates / September 07, 2018
  On June 26, 2018, Regional Senior Justice Morawetz of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice granted an order approving a plan of arrangement under the Canada Business Corporations Act (“CBCA”), in respect of Concordia International Corp. and Concordia Healthcare (Canada) Limited (collectively, “Concordia”).1 The Concordia plan of arrangement, and the order approving it under subsection 192(4) of the CBCA, contained provisions which, in effect, limited recovery on equity claims embodied in class action proceedings which were extant to available insurance proceeds, and released all other equity claims against Concordia. Such provisions, while common in plans of arrangement under the Companies Creditors’ Arrangement Act (“CCAA”), had not previously been implemented within a CBCA plan of arrangement. The Concordia decision represents an example of the flexible use of the CBCA plan of arrangement provisions to implement balance sheet restructurings that would otherwise need to be implemented under the CCAA with the resultant increase in cost, delay and potential value destruction.
• Concordia International Corp. Completes US$4 Billion Recapitalization
  Articles / September 06, 2018
  Concordia International Corp. (TSX: CXR), an international specialty pharmaceutical company focused on becoming a leader in European specialty, off-patent medicines, completed the recapitalization of approximately US$4 billion of secured and unsecured debt in September 2018 pursuant to a plan of arrangement under the Canada Business Corporations Act (CBCA).
• Commercial Insolvency Reporter
  Articles / June 01, 2017
  Sean Zweig and Preet Gill co-authored "Court of Appeal permits union certification application in face of insolvency stay of proceedings" published in Commercial Insolvency Reporter, Vol. 29, No. 5.
• Court of Appeal Permits Union Certification Application in Face of Insolvency Stay of Proceedings
  Updates / May 03, 2017
  The Ontario Court of Appeal recently released a decision allowing a certification application by a union to proceed in the face of a receivership of the employer. The decision garnered a strong dissent from Justice Lauwers, suggesting that the decision of the majority would “effect a sea change in insolvency law.”
• Bennett Jones Names Eight New Partners
  Announcements / March 07, 2016
  Bennett Jones LLP is pleased to announce that eight lawyers have been admitted to the partnership.
• Important Restrictions Placed on Use of CBCA for Debt Restructurings
  Articles / November 11, 2015
  In a recent unreported decision denying approval of a plan of arrangement under the Canada Business Corporations Act (CBCA) proposed by Connacher Oil and Gas Limited, Justice C.M. Jones of the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench considered the solvency test that corporations must meet in order to obtain a final order approving a plan of arrangement under the CBCA. Prior to Justice Jones' decision, courts had not explicitly considered the issue of whether, in order to grant a final order approving a CBCA arrangement, the court first needed to be satisfied that the entity emerging from the CBCA proceedings would not be insolvent. Justice Jones opined on that novel issue and concluded that: 1) In order to make a final order under the CBCA plan of arrangement provisions, the court must be satisfied that the entity emerging from the proceeding will not be insolvent; and 2) It is not appropriate for the court to exercise its discretion to essentially "deem away" events of default which underlie the determination of whether the entity emerging from the proceeding will not be insolvent. Published in Volume 31, Number 1 of Banking & Finance Law Review by Carswell, a Division of Thomson Reuters Canada Limited.
• Important Restrictions Placed on Use of CBCA for Debt Restructurings BFLR
  Articles / November 01, 2015
  In a recent unreported decision denying approval of a plan of arrangement under the Canada Business Corporations Act (CBCA) proposed by Connacher Oil and Gas Limited, Justice C.M. Jones of the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench considered the solvency test that corporations must meet in order to obtain a final order approving a plan of arrangement under the CBCA. Prior to Justice Jones' decision, courts had not explicitly considered the issue of whether, in order to grant a final order approving a CBCA arrangement, the court first needed to be satisfied that the entity emerging from the CBCA proceedings would not be insolvent. Justice Jones opined on that novel issue and concluded that: 1) In order to make a final order under the CBCA plan of arrangement provisions, the court must be satisfied that the entity emerging from the proceeding will not be insolvent; and 2) It is not appropriate for the court to exercise its discretion to essentially "deem away" events of default which underlie the determination of whether the entity emerging from the proceeding will not be insolvent. Published in Volume 31, Number 1 of Banking & Finance Law Review by Carswell, a Division of Thomson Reuters Canada Limited.
• Important Restrictions Placed on use of CBCA for Debt Restructurings
  Updates / May 21, 2015
  In a recent unreported decision denying approval of a plan of arrangement under the Canada Business Corporations Act (CBCA) proposed by Connacher Oil and Gas Limited, Justice C.M. Jones of the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench considered the solvency test that corporations must meet in order to obtain a final order approving a plan of arrangement under the CBCA. Prior to Justice Jones' decision, courts had not considered the issue of whether, in order to grant a final order approving a CBCA arrangement, the court first needed to be satisfied that the entity emerging from the CBCA proceedings would not be insolvent. Reprinted in Volume 30, Number 2 of National Creditor Debtor Review by LexisNexis Canada Inc.
• Bennett Jones Receives Top Honours in Four Practice Areas by Chambers Global Rankings
  Announcements / March 18, 2015
  The 2015 Chambers Global Rankings have been published and once again Bennett Jones LLP remains one of the top ranked law firms in the country, with 18 rankings out of 28 categories and 60 individually ranked lawyers.