Martin Rochette practises primarily in the area of pension and benefits law. He is chair of our Canadian pension and benefit plans team. Mr. Rochette has focused on the legal aspects of employee benefits, especially pension plans, since 1977. Consequently, he followed developments in this field throughout the period in which major pension reforms were developed and implemented.
Mr. Rochette handles most aspects of pension plans and employee benefits. He has experience in litigation and making representations to government authorities, such as the Régie des rentes du Québec, the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions Canada and the Canada Revenue Agency. He has served on the expert committee of the Régie des rentes du Québec on the role of pension committees and the supervision of the Régie des rentes du Québec.
Before joining the firm in 1991, Mr. Rochette worked for a leading Canadian actuarial firm for over 15 years.
Selected client work
Mr. Rochette has recently acted for the following clients:
· Domtar Corporation in connection with the sale of its forest products business to EACOM Timber Corporation for approximately $126.5 million
· Nortel in connection with its multijurisdictional insolvency proceedings including its agreement to sell its global Carrier VoIP and Application Solutions (CVAS) business to GENBAND
· Hydro-Québec in the $615 million acquisition of a 60% interest in the McCormick hydroelectric facility from Abitibi-Consolidated Company of Canada
· Metro, RONA, Rio Tinto Alcan, the Board of Trustees of the CBC Pension Plan and the Pension Committee of the Université de Montréal Pension Plan on pension governance matters
· Wajax, the Pension Committee of Université de Montréal and Buck Consultants regarding pension class actions
· AkzoNobel and Laurentian Bank on post-retirement benefits matters
· National Bank on group insurance matters
· Groupe Aeroplan in respect of the setting up of a new defined benefit pension plan and the transfer of a large group of unionized employees
Rankings and recognitions
· Best Lawyers in Canada, 2012 - Employee Benefits Law
· Chambers Global: The World's Leading Lawyers for Business, 2011: Band 1, Employment, Labour & Pensions (Pensions & Benefits)
· PLC Which Lawyer? Cross-border Labour and Employee Benefits Handbook
· Lexpert, 2010 - Most frequently recommended in Pension and Employee Benefits - Management
Memberships and activities
· Canadian Pension and Benefits Institute
- Past president of Quebec Regional Council
· Quebec Bar
- Committee on Private Pension Funds
· Conseil du Patronat du Québec
- Committee on Pension Plan Surpluses
· Régie des rentes du Québec
- Expert committee
· Canadian Bar Association
- Pension and Benefits Law Section
· International Pension and Benefits Lawyers Association
Related Publications
Pension and benefit plans in Quebec - Issue 3
Norton Rose OR's pension and benefit plans practice team publishes this bulletin on a quarterly basis.
28/12/2011
Pension and benefit plans in Quebec - Issue 2
Norton Rose OR's pension and benefit plans practice team publishes this bulletin on a quarterly basis.
30/09/2011
Pension and benefit plans in Quebec - Issue 1
Norton Rose OR's pension and benefit plans practice team publishes this bulletin on a quarterly basis.
30/06/2011
Pension and Benefits Law in Quebec
Section 24 of the Supplemental Pension Plans Act provides that every application for registration of an amendment to a pension plan must be accompanied with the employer's written acknowledgment of the obligations incumbent on the employer under the amendment or an attestation by the pension
12/04/2011
Employers beware
MEPP sponsors with Quebec members may be in for a few surprises in light of the pension funding crisis.
01/05/2009
Slow motion
More than a year after the implementation of Bill 30, Quebec's plan sponsors and pension committees remain in a state of tranquility. But it won't last for long.
01/05/2008
Is your organization contributing to a multi employer pension plan for employees working in Quebec?
A number of employers who contribute to multi-employer pension plans governed by the Supplemental Pension Plans Act
29/01/2009
Related News
Comment vieillir riche
In L'Actualité, Martin Rochette says the financial crisis, the recession and the poor performance of pension funds recently have created a critical situation for defined benefit.
01/02/2010
Employers beware
An op-ed written by Martin Rochette in Benefits Canada magazine talks about the potential consequences for employers contributing to multi-employer pension plans amidst the current pension funding crisis in Quebec.
01/05/2009
(Also at Montreal Office)