Firms making announcements include BLG, Cain Lamarre, Gowling WLG, Harper Grey, Lavery, MLT Aikins
Welcome to this week’s roundup of movements among major law firms, in which we sum up significant hires, promotions, departures and other announcements.
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
Graham Walker will begin serving as the firm’s new group head for specialized disputes, effective Jan. 1, 2021. He will replace Cindy Clarke, who has been appointed to the newly created role of national group head for clients, sectors and new services.
Walker has served as the firm’s Vancouver managing partner and as insurance and tort liability national business leader. His practice centres on marine and terminals shipping, rail law, environmental law, insurance claim defence and general commercial litigation.
“His breadth of experience, combined with his current leadership roles within the firm, makes him a natural fit for the position and well placed to enrich BLG’s focus on client service,” said John Murphy, the firm’s national managing partner and chief executive officer, in the news release.
The firm has also announced the promotion of 18 senior associates to the partnership, effective Jan. 1, 2021:
- Kyle Denomme (Toronto) — corporate and capital markets
- Ben Keen (Toronto) — corporate and capital markets
- Andrew McLean (Toronto) — corporate and capital markets
- Krstina Skocic (Toronto) — corporate and capital markets
- Graeme Boocock (Ottawa) — specialized business law
- Michael Damiani (Vancouver) — specialized business law
- Andrew Hodhod (Montreal) — specialized business law
- Ryan Laity (Vancouver) — specialized business law
- Grace Pereira (Toronto) — specialized business law
- Jake Cabott (Vancouver) — disputes group, commercial and corporate
- Jessica Cameron (Calgary) — disputes group, commercial and corporate
- Erin Cutts (Calgary) — disputes group, commercial and corporate
- Karine Fahmy (Montreal) — disputes group, commercial and corporate
- Andrew Pozzobon (Calgary) — disputes group, commercial and corporate
- Ziad Yehia (Toronto) — disputes group, commercial and corporate
- Katherine Ayre (Toronto) — specialized disputes
- Josiane Brault (Montreal) — specialized disputes
- Edona Vila (Toronto) — specialized disputes
Cain Lamarre
Francis Vallières has joined the firm’s tax law team. Based in the firm’s Rouyn-Noranda office, his practice encompasses tax law for private companies and their shareholders, as well as business law and corporate reorganization.
Deloitte Legal Canada LLP and McInnes Cooper
Peter MacKay has joined both Deloitte and McInnes Cooper as strategic advisor. For more than 18 years, MacKay has served as a cabinet minister in the Parliament of Canada, including in roles in the departments of justice, national defense and foreign affairs.
At Deloitte, MacKay will offer advice in connection with the government and public services industry, defense modernization, justice reform, infrastructure and economic development, while at McInnes Cooper, he will assist the firm in bringing strategic value to business and public sector leaders within and beyond Atlantic Canada.
Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP
Wei Kiat Sun has joined as partner in the firm’s commercial litigation group in Vancouver. His practice includes commercial litigation, business risk management and insurance defence.
“From risk-mapping to courtroom strategy, Wei Kiat applies a full-lifecycle approach to the complex challenges – both current and ongoing – that his clients face,” said Brent Kerr, managing partner of the firm’s Vancouver office, in the news release.
The firm also announced that Kenneth Warren will commence serving as president-elect of the Law Society of Alberta on Feb. 25, 2021, and will take over as the law society’s president in late February 2022. Warren is a Calgary-based partner whose practice focuses on commercial litigation, shareholder disputes, professional liability defence and executive employment law.
Harper Grey LLP
The Vancouver-based firm has welcomed three lawyers to the partnership, beginning Jan. 1, 2021:
- Owais Ahmed — securities litigation and regulation
- Drew Lawrenson — business law
- Daniel Reid — defamation, privacy and media law, insurance and health law
“Owais, Drew and Daniel are all dynamic, top tier lawyers who will bring fresh ideas and new perspectives to our partnership,” said Jonathan Meadows, managing partner, in the news release.
Lavery de Billy, L.L.P.
Stéphane Martin has joined as partner in the firm’s business law group in its Quebec City office.
“His recognized expertise of commercial law, financing and banking law, and real estate law in the Quebec City market will add further quality to the Quebec City office’s service offering to private and institutional clients and give it greater depth," said Simon Clément, managing partner of the firm’s Quebec City office, in the news release.
MLT Aikins LLP
The firm congratulated Maurice Laprairie on his appointment to the board of directors of the Western Surety Company. A Regina-based senior litigation partner, his practice focuses on dispute resolution through the courts and on arbitration involving all kinds of disputes.
Stewart McKelvey
The firm announced that Geoffrey Connolly has been awarded an Engineers Canada Fellowship, which recognizes his service to the engineering profession. A Charlottetown-based partner, Connolly assists clients with corporate financing transactions, real estate transactions and construction-related work.
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