Tina Hobday

 Partner
Key practice areas
Pensions and Benefits, Public and Administrative Law, Constitutional Law, Professional Law
Québec Bar 1994
Montréal
+1 514 282 7816
tina.hobday@langlois.ca
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Tina Hobday mainly practises in the fields of pension litigation and governance. She advises sponsors and administrators of pension plans, including multi-employer and multi-jurisdictional plans, on a variety of pension issues. Tina is recognized as a seasoned litigator and represents clients before administrative tribunals and civil courts in pension-related litigation, including insolvency proceedings. In addition to being a sessional lecturer at the university level, she speaks regularly at conferences on current issues affecting pension plans.

Tina also practises in the area of public and administrative law, and has substantial experience in professional law and ethics. She provides strategic advice to professional colleges and represents these bodies before civil courts and administrative tribunals.

Tina is the immediate past Chair of the Québec Regional Council of the Association of Canadian Pension Management (ACPM) and a current member of the Pension Administration Committee of McGill University’s pension plan. She is also a past Chair of the National Pensions and Benefits Law Section of the Canadian Bar Association (2016-2017).

She has been involved as a volunteer with McGill University for many years in a number of capacities, including serving as President of the McGill Alumni Association and as a member of the Board of Governors of McGill University.

Tina’s expertise has been recognized by her peers for a number of years. She has been listed in Chambers Canada since 2020, as well as in The Best Lawyers in Canada and Benchmark Litigation Canada since 2017.

Legal directories

  • Chambers Canada –  Pensions & Benefits, 2020-2024
  • Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory:
    • Corporate Governance Practice, 2017-2024
    • Pensions & Employee Benefits, 2018-2024
    • Lawyer of the Year – Employee Benefits Law, 2022
    • Administrative and Public Law, 2022
  • Benchmark Litigation Canada:
    • Litigation Star, 2019-2024
    • Local Litigation Star, 2017-2018
  • Best Lawyers in Canada:
    • Corporate Governance Practice, 2017-2025
    • Employee Benefits Law, 2018-2025
    • Lawyer of the Year – Employee Benefits, 2022
    • Administrative and Public Law, 2022

Others

  • ACPM Volunteer Recognition Award, Association of Canadian Pension Management (ACPM), 2024
  • Distinguished Service Award, McGill Alumni Association, 2020
  • James A. Robb Award for Exemplary Volunteer Service to the Law Faculty, McGill University, 2012
  • President of the Year Award, McGill Alumni Association, 2002

Professional associations

Tina has served as a volunteer on numerous boards and committees in the areas of Pensions and professional law, including the following:

Pensions and benefits

  • Association of Canadian Pension Management (ACPM):
    • Chair of the Québec Regional Council, 2021 and 2022
    • Vice-chair of the Québec Regional Council, 2019 and 2020
    • Member of the Québec Regional Council, since 2015
  • Table d'expertise en retraite de Retraite Québec (Retraite Québec's Expert Panel on Pensions), ACPM Representative Member, since 2020
  • McGill University, Member of the Pension Administration Committee (PAC), since 2019
  • Canadian Bar Association, National Pensions and Benefits Law Section:
    • Chair, 2016-2017
    • Vice-Chair, 2015-2016
    • Co-Chair of the Advocacy and Government Relations Committee, 2011-2013
    • Member of the Executive Committee, since 2011

Professional and disciplinary law

  • Québec Bar, Member of the Committee on Discipline (a tribunal hearing cases), 2009-2015
  • Bar of Montréal:
    • Member of the Liaison Committee between the Bar of  Montréal and the Tribunal des professions, 2009-2012
    • Member of the Illegal Practice of Law Committee, 2001-2004

Teaching engagements

  • Université du Québec à Montréal, Legal Sciences Department, Co-lecturer of a course on Pension Law entitled “Droit de la sécurité de la vieillesse et de la retraite”, 2019, 2020, 2022 and 2024

Community involvement

Tina has served as a volunteer on numerous boards, committees, task forces and working groups, including the following:

  • McGill University, Member of the Board of Governors, 2014-2019
  • McGill University Alumni Association:
    • President, 2012-2014
    • Vice-President, 2010-2012
    • Member of the Executive Committee, 2007-2019
    • Director, 2004-2007
    • Ex officio Member of the Board, 2000-2004
  • McGill University Young Alumni:
    • President, 2000-2004
    • VP Programs, 1999-2000
  • McGill University Faculty of Law:
    • Founding Member, Young Alumni Advisory Board, 1998-2004

Professional activities

  • Practice group Leader of the firm’s Pension and Benefits law group, since 2009
  • Practice group Leader of the firm’s Professional and Disciplinary law group, 2004-2019
  • Member of the Board of Directors of the firm, 2011-2013
  • Practice Group Leader of the firm’s Montréal Litigation group, 2005-2006
  • Member of the Student Recruiting Committee, including head of the Committee and “maître de stage” for a number of years, 1997-2007

Over the course of her career, Tina has published numerous articles, mainly on pensions and professional law. Here is a sampling:

Pensions and benefits

Professional and disciplinary law

Over the course of her career, Tina has been a regular speaker at conferences and training courses, and has taken part in numerous panels. Here is a sampling:

Pensions and benefits

  • Speaker: La loi fédérale C-228 « Loi sur la protection des pensions » : enjeux, conséquences inattendues et solutions de rechange [Federal Bill C-228 “Pension Protection Act”: challenges, unintended consequences and alternatives], as part of the activities of Retraite Québec’s Expert Panel, Montréal, March 15, 2024.
  • Co-speaker: From Québec with D'Amours: How can changes in Québec affect national retirement programs?, as part of the Association of Canadian Pension Management (ACPM) National Conference, Ottawa, September 14, 2023.
  • Panelist: Développements juridiques récents au Québec et au Fédéral: ce que les promoteurs et administrateurs de régimes de retraite devraient savoir [Recent legal developments in Québec and at the federal level: what pension plan sponsors and administrators should know], presented as part of the 56th Annual Canadian Employee Benefits Conference of the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IFEBP), Montréal, September 12, 2023.
  • Speaker: What’s New in Pensions and Benefits? (covering Québec as part of a pan-Canadian panel), organized by the National Section of Pensions and Benefits Law of the Canadian Bar Association, webinar, June 14, 2023.
  • Moderator: Regard vers l’avenir des organisations [Employers’ views of the future of pension plans], as part of the Association of Canadian Pension Management (ACPM) Special Conference on The D’Amours Report, 10-year anniversary, Montréal, April 18, 2023.
  • Moderator: Décaissement 2.0 : Outil pour aider les Canadiens à cerner leurs besoins en matière de revenu de retraite? [Decumulation 2.0: A Prescription to Help Canadians Navigate their Retirement Income Need], as part of the Association of Canadian Pension Management (ACPM) National Session Event, Montréal, November 23, 2022.
  • Co-speaker : Développements juridiques – ce que les promoteurs et administrateurs de régimes de retraite devraient savoir [Update on Québec Pension law], organized by the Pensions and Benefits Association of Québec (ARASQ), webinar, June 14, 2022.
  • Moderator: Current and Developing Legal Issues for Pension Plan Sponsors and Administrators, as part of the 2021 Association of Canadian Pension Management (ACPM) National Conference: Optimism, Evolution & Reinvention – Finding the Road to Recovery and Retirement, webinar, September 14, 2021.
  • Speaker: Pensions Law Update (covering Québec as part of a pan-Canadian panel), organized by the National Section of Pensions and Benefits Law of the Canadian Bar Association, webinar, October 28, 2020.
  • Co-speaker: État des lieux sur la responsabilité fiduciaire [The current state of fiduciary duties], as part of the Conference on sustainable investing: Practical solutions for Québec pension funds, organized by the Pensions and Benefits Association of Québec (ARASQ), Montréal, October 30, 2019.
  • Speaker: What’s New for Quebec Employees in Ontario Registered Pension Plans, as part of the Pensions and Benefits 16th Annual Hot Spots, organized by the Ontario Bar Association, Toronto, October 15, 2018.
  • Moderator: Régimes de retraite – les chefs du CPQ et de la CSN partagent leurs visions respectives [The heads of Québec associations of employers (CPQ) and unions (CSN) share their respective views on pension plans], organized by the Québec Regional Council of the Association of Canadian Pension Management (ACPM), Montréal, April 4, 2018.
  • Speaker: What’s New in Pensions and Benefits: Case Law and Regulatory Update (covering Québec as part of a pan-Canadian panel), organized by the National Section of Pensions and Benefits Law of the Canadian Bar Association, webinar, June 6, 2017.
  • Speaker: A Primer on Quebec Pension Law, as part of the Osgoode Certificate in Pension Law of the Osgoode Hall Faculty of Law Professional Development, Toronto, March 29, 2017.
  • Speaker: What’s New in Pensions and Benefits: Case Law and Regulatory Update (covering Québec as part of a pan-Canadian panel), organized by the National Section of Pensions and Benefits Law of the Canadian Bar Association, webinar, June 15, 2016.
  • Speaker: What You Need to Know Now: Pensions and Benefits Case Law and Legislation (covering Québec as part of a pan-Canadian panel), organized by the National Section of Pensions and Benefits Law of the Canadian Bar Association, webinar, June 18, 2015.
  • Speaker: Outstanding Pension Deficits in Canadian Insolvencies, as part of the Benefits Without Borders – Global Pension and Employee Benefits Lawyers Conference, organized by the Canadian Bar Association in collaboration with the American Bar Association and the International Pension & Employee Benefits Lawyers Association, Chicago, Illinois, June 23, 2014.

Professional and disciplinary law

  • Co-speaker : Inspection professionnelle : les valeurs et la prise de décision [Professional inspection: values and decision-making], as part of the workshop Ordres professionnels : quelles valeurs encadrent vos décisions?, Langlois Knowledge, Montréal, October 10 and 16, 2024.
  • Co-speaker: Quels risques doivent surveiller les ordres professionnels en 2022-2023? Saurez-vous naviguer entre les écueils? [What risks should professional orders be watching out for in 2022-2023? Can you navigate through the pitfalls?], Langlois Knowledge, Montréal, October 5 and 12, 2022.
  • Co-speaker: L’inspection professionnelle : un outil pour bien encadrer ses membres et protéger le public [Professional inspection: a tool to regulate members and protect the public], as part of the Développements récents en déontologie, droit professionnel et disciplinaire, organized by the Québec Bar, webinar, May 7, 2021.

Certificate in Pension Law, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, Toronto, 2012

The Techniques of Trial Advocacy, Intensive Seminar, Sherbrooke, Québec, 1999

B.C.L., with Distinction, McGill University, 1993

LL.B., with Distinction, McGill University, 1993

MBA (in part), McGill University, 1988-1989

B.A., with great distinction, German Literature (Honours) Swiss Ambassador’s Prize, McGill University, 1988

French Baccalauréat, Health Sciences, Collège Marie de France, Montréal, 1985

Featured Articles

Publications
November 4th, 2024

Professional inspections: A decision of interest to professional orders
In Dargis v. Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec, the Superior Court reiterated that being a member of a profession is a privilege, not a right. This privilege is subject to a certain level of competency and the potential of being inspected. This decision describes the professional inspection process under review in this case, discusses the corrective measures imposed, and finds that all applicable legal rules and principles were followed. Other professional orders should take note.
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