Dean Hitesman

Dean Hitesman is a Partner in the Restructuring, Insolvency and Bankruptcy group in Dentons' Edmonton office. His practice focuses on Bankruptcy and Insolvency Law, with an emphasis on insolvency and related commercial litigation.

He is experienced in advising clients on a wide range of matters relating to debt recovery and security enforcement, bankruptcy, receivership, restructuring including proceedings pursuant to the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act and the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act, lease enforcement and mortgage foreclosure.

Dean is also experienced in representing clients in a broad array of commercial dispute and litigation matters.

His experience includes acting as counsel for a large Canadian bank, the primary secured creditor in the receivership proceedings of a large Alberta farm operation of over 15,000 acres, with liabilities to the bank at the time of receivership exceeding $16 million; acting as counsel for a large Canadian bank, the primary secured creditor in the ongoing receivership proceedings of a failed Alberta home builder and related companies with indebtedness exceeding $200 million; acting as counsel for a multinational professional service firm in its capacity as Court-appointed receiver of an Edmonton-based construction company and related companies with total liabilities at the time of receivership of nearly $20 million; acting as counsel for a chartered accountancy and business advisory firm in its capacity as Court-appointed receiver of a commercial masonry company; acting as counsel for a large Canadian bank in the receivership proceedings of an electrical contractor corporation and related companies; acting as counsel for a court-appointed receiver of an Alberta pork processing facility; and acting as counsel for a court-appointed receiver of a manufacturer of modular homes, camps and office buildings.

He also advised an oil and gas services company on the filing of a Notice of Intention to Make a Proposal under Part III, Division 1 of the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act and the formulation of a Proposal that was ultimately approved by the client's creditors and by the Court; advised a financial institution on the foreclosure and sale of a central Alberta hotel; and advised a group of owners on the sale of an Edmonton shopping centre.

He holds an LLB (2006) and a BComm (2002) from the University of Alberta. He is recognised by The Best Lawyers in Canada for Insolvency and Financial Restructuring Law, by The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory for Insolvency and Financial Restructuring, and by Thomson Reuters as a Stand-out Lawyer. He was named a finalist for the Lexpert Rising Stars: Leading Lawyers Under 40 (2019).

He is a member of the Canadian Bar Association Creditor and Debtor Law Subsection and an annual participant in the Glenrose Courage Classic golf tournament raising funds for the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital.