
Overview
Robert J. Chadwick is a partner at Goodmans. He practices in the areas of corporate and commercial law, restructuring, mergers and acquisitions, banking and private equity law with a focus on corporate financing and restructuring. He also has expertise in national, cross-border and international transactions.
Rob has provided strategic advice in significant financings, acquisitions and other transactional matters in various industries on behalf of a diverse group of clients. He advises a number of boards of directors of companies, and is recognized as a leading business lawyer in Canada.
Rob is recognized as a leading practitioner of insolvency and restructuring law by several leading industry guides, including The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, The Lexpert 500, Chambers Canada, Chambers Global, Euromoney’s Guide to the World’s Leading Insolvency and Restructuring Lawyers, IFLR1000 (Market Leader), Lexology Index: Restructuring & Insolvency, Lexology Index Canada, Lexology Index Thought Leaders - Restructuring & Insolvency, The Legal 500 Canada, Best Lawyers in Canada and The 2020 Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Bankruptcy & Restructuring Lawyers.
Rob has consistently been ranked by Chambers in Band 1 (the highest ranking) of the leading restructuring lawyers in Canada and is featured in the Lexpert Special Edition: Finance and M&A, Lexpert Special Edition: Litigation, and Lexpert Special Edition: Insolvency and Restructuring. He was recognized by Lexpert as one of Canada’s “Top 40 Lawyers Under 40” early in his career. He was named the 2014 Toronto Insolvency and Financial Restructuring “Lawyer of the Year” by Best Lawyers in Canada. In 2022, Rob was named as a Global Elite Thought Leader in the Lexology Index Thought Leaders, Restructuring & Insolvency 2022 Report.
Rob is highly praised by clients and peers and is described as:
- “the number one restructuring lawyer in Canada. He excels at resolving complex problems efficiently and calmly, which avoids substantial time and legal costs that others often seek to cause” (IFLR1000)
- “a fantastic negotiator, a very thoughtful advocate, and really good at doing a deal”, “a strategic thinker, who is very calm under fire, and seems to manage everybody like the conductor of an orchestra,” and “he’s always thinking four steps ahead” (Chambers Canada)
Featured Work
Rob has been lead counsel on many of the major, high-profile Canadian and cross-border commercial matters and restructurings, including, most recently, Sherritt International Corporation, Endo Pharmaceuticals, Calfrac Well Services, Source Energy Sources, Just Energy, Concordia International, Carillion Canada, Bellatrix Exploration, Postmedia, Golf Town Canada, Essar Steel Algoma, RGL Reservoir, Crystallex International, Tervita, Rubicon Minerals and Millar Western Forest Products.
Awards & Recognition
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Chambers Global Band 1, Restructuring/Insolvency 2025
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Chambers Canada Band 1, Restructuring/Insolvency 2025
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The Legal 500 Canada Hall of Fame, Restructuring and Insolvency 2025
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The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory Recognized, Insolvency & Financial Restructuring: Financial Restructuring, Insolvency & Financial Restructuring: Insolvency Litigation 2025
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Lexpert's Leading 500 Cross-Border Lawyers: A Guide to Doing Business in Canada Most Frequently Recommended, Insolvency & Financial Restructuring 2025
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Best Lawyers in Canada Recognized, Banking and Finance Law, Insolvency and Financial Restructuring Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law 2025
Credentials
Professional Involvement
Rob is a frequent speaker on a broad range of corporate, restructuring and board governance topics in Canada, and is a member of the Women's Success Committee at Goodmans.
Credentials
- Western University, LL.B.
- Dalhousie University, B.Comm.
Professional Affiliations
- Law Society of Ontario
- Ontario Bar Association
- INSOL International
- Insolvency Institute of Canada
- International Insolvency Institute
- Turnaround Management Association
Call to Bar
- Ontario
Insights
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Restructuring
The Strategic View: Corporate Restructuring - Canada Chapter
Robert Chadwick and Brendan O'Neill co-authored the Canada Chapter of "The Strategic View - Corporate Restructuring " published by Global Legal Group Ltd. This article provides insights…
News & Events
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Aging and Health Care
The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory 2025 Once Again Recognizes Goodmans
We are proud to announce Goodmans LLP continues to be recognized in the 2025 edition of The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory.Congratulations to the 96 Goodmans lawyers recognized as leaders across… -
Banking and Financial Services
Chambers and Partners Once Again Honours Goodmans with Global Recognition
We are proud to announce Goodmans LLP continues to receive top-tier recognition from Chambers and Partners in the Chambers Global 2025 Guide released today.Recognition from Chambers and Partners is… -
Banking and Financial Services
Goodmans Featured in the 2025 Lexpert's Leading 500 Cross-Border Lawyers: A Guide to Doing Business in Canada
We are pleased to announce that Lexpert's Leading 500 Cross-Border Lawyers: A Guide to Doing Business in Canada once again recognizes Goodmans in their 2025 Guide.The Lexpert 500, produced in…