Partner, Toronto
Direct: 416.864.7302
Main: 416.362.1011
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Year of Call: Ontario, 2007
Biography
Natasha Monkman is a pensions and benefits lawyer in Hicks Morley’s Toronto office and the chair of the firm’s Pensions, Benefits and Compensation Practice Group. She regularly advises employers on governance, plan administration, investment and compliance matters relating to their employee benefit plans and pension plans as well as compensation matters.
Natasha has advised multiple clients on asset and liability transfers and issues relating to derisking initiatives including annuity purchases. More recently, Natasha has assisted clients with respect to the strategy, negotiation and implementation of complex plan design changes, including single employer to jointly sponsored pension plan mergers and conversions. She advises employers and plan administrators regarding mergers and acquisitions and funding issues, including in the context of insolvency proceedings.
Natasha routinely assists clients with and has defended claims regarding benefit entitlements, including upon marriage breakdown and the death of an employee. She also represents employers in labour arbitrations and regulatory proceedings as well as collective bargaining with respect to their pensions and benefits arrangements.
Natasha regularly advises municipal and school board employers regarding their obligations as participating employers in large public-sector pension plans and has represented participating employers in related grievance arbitrations and Financial Services Tribunal hearings.
Practice Areas
Industries
Arts, Entertainment & Sports Construction Education Energy & Utilities Financial Services Government Ministries & Agencies (Federal and Provincial) Healthcare Hospitality & Gaming Long-Term Care and Home Care Manufacturing Media & Communications Membership Associations Mining & Natural Resources Municipalities & Municipal Agencies Non-profit Organizations Professional & Technical Services Retail & Wholesale Trade School Boards Social Services Transportation & Warehousing Universities
Awards & Recognition
Benefits and Pensions Monitor (2024)
Elite Women
The Best Lawyers in Canada™ (2022–2025)
Employee Benefits Law
Canadian Pension & Benefits Institute (2015)
Ontario Regional Volunteer of the Year
Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory (2021–2024)
Pensions & Employee Benefits (Repeatedly Recommended)
Chambers Canada – Band 5 (2025); Up and Coming (2024)
Pensions & Benefits, Nationwide – Canada
Who's Who Legal – Global Leader (2024)
Pensions & Benefits (Recommended)
Memberships & Affiliations
Canadian Bar Association – Member (National Pension & Benefits Law)
Canadian Pension & Benefits Institute – Member, Ontario Regional Council – Chair (2017–2019), Past Chair (2020–present), Vice-Chair (2024–present)
Canadian Pension & Benefits Institute – Member, National Board Director, Ontario Region (2020–present)
International Pension & Employee Benefits Lawyers Association – Member
Ontario Bar Association – Member (Pension & Benefits Law)
Select Publications & Presentations
Instructor, “Module 5 – Best Practices in Communications & Record Keeping” Human Resources Professionals Association: Canadian Pensions Certificate Program (October 30, 2023 and March 26, 2024)
“Module 5 – Best Practices in Communications & Record Keeping” Human Resources Professionals Association: Canadian Pensions Certificate Program (October 30, 2023)
“Reasonable and Customary Limits for Health Benefits” Law Society of Ontario: The Eight-Minute Labour Lawyer (June 22, 2023)
“Pensions in Collective Bargaining: Influences and Trends” Canadian Bar Association: Pensions and Benefits Law Online Symposium (June 14, 2023)
“Best Practices in Communications” Canadian Pension and Benefits Institute: Pension Certificate Program (April 4, 2022)
“Implications of Working Remotely” Human Resources Professionals Association, Durham Chapter: Labour and Employment Law Conference (June 4, 2021)
“Best Practices in Plan Administration & Communications” Canadian Pension and Benefits Institute: Pension Certificate Program (March 24, 2021)
“Canadian Pension Certificate Program” Canadian Pension and Benefits Institute (September 29–October 7, 2020)
Education
Osgoode Hall Law School, LL.B.
Mount Allison University, B.A. (Hons.)
