When the results came in, Canadian Lawyer analyzed the data several ways and arrived at the conclusion that the top three firms on the list were not only ahead of the pack in terms of size and votes, but the results among them were too close to call. So the top three firms, Stewart McKelvey, McInnes Cooper, and Cox & Palmer share this year’s top spot. 

These three large firms are part of a trend of consolidation in the region, which has led to several mergers aimed at serving the greater business opportunities in the region. “Atlantic Canada is burgeoning with opportunity,” says Stewart McKelvey CEO John MacL. Rogers. While Bernard F. Miller, McInnes Cooper’s managing partner, says the growth is “organic and also led by finding the right people in the right cities.” 

A trend mentioned by several of the managing partners on the top 10 list is that the practice of law has become more specialized and sophisticated and at the same time clients are increasingly cost-sensitive. “Given those two factors and the fact that you can’t compromise on quality or service, that puts a premium on increased productivity,” says Daniel Gallivan, CEO at Cox & Palmer. 

Following is the list of the top 10 full-service firms in the Atlantic region.

How we did it

Canadian Lawyer asked lawyers from across Canada to vote on the top full-service firms based in the Atlantic provinces. Voters were asked to rank 10 firms from a preliminary list, with a chance to nominate a firm that was not included on the list. Respondents’ rankings were based on firms’ regional service coverage, client base, notable mandates, service excellence, and legal expertise. To be considered in the vote, firms were required to have offices only in Atlantic Canada — in one or more provinces — and offer a wide range of legal services. The final rankings were determined through a points system, in which firms were rewarded on a sliding scale for the number of first- to 10th-place votes received.