Josef G.A. Kruger QC

Josef Krüger is a partner in our Commercial Litigation Group in our Calgary office, and a member of BLG's National Council, which is our Firm's governing body. He was Regional Manager of our Commercial Litigation Group from January 2007 to July 2011.

Josef focuses his practice on commercial litigation, international arbitration, and bankruptcy and insolvency. He has more than 30 years' experience in commercial litigation and insolvency law, and is a veteran of over 300 trials and arbitrations. He has extensive experience arguing matters on appeal, and has acted in numerous insolvency and bankruptcy proceedings, including cross-border restructurings. He was appointed to the Insolvency Institute of Canada in 2010, and appointed Queen's Counsel that same year.

Josef's experience also includes:  oil & gas litigation, international arbitrations, arbitration of commercial disputes, the unravelling of international commercial frauds, and the recovery of assets across borders, Mareva injunctions and Anton Pillar Orders, defending auditors' liability claims, and patent disputes.

Prior to moving to Calgary in 1998 and joining one of BLG's founding firms, Howard Mackie, Josef articled and practised as a barrister in South Africa for a total of 18 years.

• Counsel for the debtors in the restructuring proceedings of Canadian Superior Energy Inc. and Darian Resources Ltd. In both proceedings, creditors were paid the full amounts of their claims and equity for shareholders was preserved.
• Counsel for the Monitor in the cross-border restructurings of Mirant Corporation, Calpine Corporation, SemGroup LP, and Oilsands Quest Inc.
• Counsel for the Monitor in Smokey River Coal Limited, Gauntlet Energy Corp., and Victoria Park LP.
• Counsel for the Receiver in the Receiverships of Smokey River Coal Ltd., Integra Investments Limited, Hartland Pipeline Services Ltd., CanEnerco Limited, Kalta Energy Corp., Victoria Park LP and QuikJets Inc.
• Counsel for the Purchaser in the restructurings of Meadow Lake Pulp Mill and Ramparts Energy Ltd.
• Counsel for creditors in the restructuring of Liberty Oil & Gas Limited, K2 Developments Limited, Tirecraft Group Inc., Nevada Bob's Golf Inc., Enron Canada, Chauvco Resources International Ltd., Bearcat Explorations Ltd., Stampede Oils Inc., and Skope Energy Inc.
• Counsel for insolvent corporations in the restructuring of Blue Range Corp., Canadian Superior Energy Inc., Darian Resources Ltd., and Goldray Inc.
• Lead Counsel in trials and arbitrations in the fields of corporate and shareholder disputes, banking, insolvency, engineering, oil & gas, contractual, patent and seismic data disputes.

• Past speaker at insolvency conferences and seminars organized by the University of Calgary, University of British Columbia, Lorman, The International Bar Association and the Canadian Bar Association.
• Co-Author, "Policy Considerations regarding Exempt Property:  A South Africa-Canadian Comparison," Annual Review of Insolvency Law, (with Janis Sarra), 2007 Edition.
• Co-Chair, Panel Discussion on "Interim Finance in Restructuring Insolvent Corporations,"  International Bar Association Conference, Zurich, Switzerland:  May 2007.
• Co-Chair, Panel Discussion on "Acquisition of Corporations in the Insolvency Zone,"  International Bar Association Conference, Buenos Aires, Argentina:  October 2008.
• Author, "The Exploration Geophysicist as an Expert Witness," The Leading Edge, Vol. 19, No. 6, June 2000.

• Selected by peers for inclusion in the 2013 edition (and since 2009) of The Best Lawyers in Canada® (Insolvency, Financial Restructuring).
• Recognized in the 2012 edition of The Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory (Insolvency & Financial Restructuring).
• Martindale-Hubbell® BV® Distinguished™ 4.4 out of 5 Peer Review Rated.
• Recognized in Benchmark Canada — The Definitive Guide to Canada's Leading Litigation Firms & Attorneys (Commercial Litigation, Insolvency, International Arbitration). 
• Recognized in the 2011 edition of Who's Who Legal:  Canada (Insolvency, Restructuring); described as "highly regarded for his cross-border restructuring expertise."