Photo of Murray Campbell

Murray Campbell

Partner
  • Shelly Barrow
  • Legal Assistant
  • P: 604.408.5329

Practices

 

Murray is a pension lawyer who acts for boards of trustees and other sponsors of pension and benefit plans in the private and public sectors in British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan. While Murray is a solicitor, he is regularly involved in pension and benefit litigation.

Murray is the head of Western Canada’s largest and most experienced Pension and Benefits Law Group.

Recognition and Ranking

Professional Activities

  • Canadian Bar Insurance Association, Board of Directors
  • Pension and Benefits Law Section of the Canadian Bar Association (B.C. Branch) (1993 – 1995) and (2008 – 2010), Chair
  • International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, Member
  • International Pension and Employee Benefits Lawyers Association (IPEBLA), Member
  • Canadian Pension and Benefits Institute, Member

Community Activities

  • Forest Hills Little League (North Vancouver), Coach (2004 – 2012)
  • Lawyers Assistance Program of BC Society, Board Member (2001 – 2007)

Bar Admissions

  • Alberta (1985)
  • British Columbia (1990)

Education

  • University of Saskatchewan (B.Comm., 1983)
  • Osgoode Hall Law School (LL.B., 1984)

Pension and Benefit Litigation Experience

Involved in disputes over or involving:

  • Surplus allocation among members
  • Reduction in post-retirement benefits
  • Surplus ownership
  • Contribution holidays
  • Trustee deadlock resolution
  • Surplus sharing
  • Enhanced early retirement entitlement
  • Entitlement to pre-retirement death benefit
  • Recovery of benefit overpayments and third party reimbursements
  • Disability benefit denial
  • Trustee advice and direction

Pension and Benefits Practice (Non-Litigious)

  • Advises over 30 boards of trustees of multi-employer pension or benefit plans
  • Helped introduce joint trusteeship to several public sector pension plans in British Columbia, Alberta and Manitoba
  • Advises trustees and other plan sponsors on fiduciary liability
  • Prepares opinions on, and liaises with regulators and fundholders regarding, surplus ownership, contribution holidays and payment of administrative expenses
  • Drafts and amends plan texts and trust agreements for RPPs, health and welfare plans, DPSPs, EPSPs, group RRSPs, RCAs and IPPs
  • Drafts and implements supplemental pension arrangements
  • Drafts and implements letters of credit trust arrangements to secure supplemental pension arrangements or comply with new solvency rules
  • Helped establish new defined benefit multi-employer pension plan
  • Advises on compliance with CAPSA CAP guidelines for participant directed defined contribution plans
  • Advises on compliance with CAPSA Governance guidelines
  • Implements PIPA compliant privacy policies for boards of trustees of pension and benefit plans

Murray has chaired and presented at many Pension and Employee Benefits Law conferences over the last 15 years. Some of his most recent engagements include:

  • "Recent Legal Developments",
    19th Annual Essential Tasks of Pension and Benefit Plan Trustees Conference, Vancouver, BC
    (February 27, 2013),
    Chair and Speaker
  • "Legal Update", 2012 BC Pension Forum,
    Shareholder Association for Research & Education (SHARE), Vancouver, BC
    (March 12, 2012),
    Speaker
  • "Recent Legal Developments",
    18th Annual Essential Tasks of Pensions and Benefit Plan Trustees Conference, Pacific Business & Law Institute, Vancouver, BC
    (February 22, 2012),
    Chair and Speaker
  • "Statutory Reform - What It Means to My Plan",
    44th Annual Canadian Employee Benefits Conference, International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, Vancouver, BC
    (September 11-14, 2011),
    Speaker
  • "Legal and Legislative Developments—Western Canada",
    44th Annual Canadian Employee Benefits Conference, International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, Vancouver, BC
    (September 11-14, 2011),
    Speaker
  • "Legal and Legislative Developments Across Canada",
    44th Annual Canadian Employee Benefits Conference, International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, Vancouver, BC
    (September 11-14, 2011),
    Panelist
  • "Recent Legal Developments",
    17th Annual Essential Tasks of Pensions and Benefit Plan Trustees Conference, Pacific Business & Law Institute, Vancouver, BC
    (February 23, 2011),
    Chair and Speaker
  • "Current Pension and Benefits Issues",
    7th Annual Canadian Association of Counsel to Employers (CACE) Conference, Vancouver, BC
    (September 23-25, 2010),
    Speaker
  • "Recent Legal Developments",
    16th Annual Essential Tasks of Pensions and Benefit Plan Trustees Conference, Pacific Business & Law Institute, Vancouver, BC
    (January 27, 2010),
    Chair and Speaker
  • "Recent Legal Developments",
    15th Annual Essential Tasks of Pensions and Benefit Plan Trustees Conference, Pacific Business & Law Institute, Vancouver, BC
    (February 24, 2009),
    Chair and Speaker
  • "Employee Benefit Plans in Global Transactions" and "Post-Closing Integration Issues",
    Pension and Employee Benefits in Mergers and Acquisitions Conference, Canadian Bar Association and the Continuing Legal Education Committee
    (November 20-22, 2008),
    Speaker
  • "Legal and Legislative Developments, Western Canada",
    41st annual Canadian Employee Benefits Conference, International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans
    (August 2008),
    Speaker
  • "New Legal Challenges Facing Trustees and Plan Administrator",
    31st Annual Pension, Health & Welfare Seminar of the British Columbia & Yukon Territory Building & Construction Trades Council
    (May 2008),
    Speaker
  • "3rd Annual, The Essential Course in Pensions, The Legal and Practical Guide for Lawyers and Other Professionals",
    Continuing Legal Education Conference, Toronto, Ontario
    (October 2007),
    Speaker
  • "Legal and Legislative Developments, Western Canada",
    40th Annual Canadian Employee Benefits Conference, International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans
    (August 2007),
    Speaker