Sixteen law firms across Canada made new announcements
Welcome to this week’s roundup of movements among major law firms, in which we sum up significant hires, promotions, departures and other announcements.
Bennett Jones LLP
The firm announced the appointment of Ranjan Agarwal to the board of directors of the Samara Centre for Democracy Board of Directors − a non-partisan charity dedicated to strengthening democracy across Canada.
Agarwal is a partner and co-head of the firm’s class actions practice. He has extensive expertise in class actions, arbitration, public law, commercial litigation, and employment.
The firm also announced that the following partners received Queen’s counsel designation in Alberta:
- Patrick Maguire
- David Hawreluk
- Barbara Kimmitt
- Steven Major
- William Osler
Meanwhile, Laurie Wright joined the firm as a senior counsel in the Ottawa office.
With 30 years of experience in the federal government, Wright specializes in governmental affairs and public policy. She has advised clients on matters affecting administrative, constitutional, and international law, privacy and human rights, trade relations, national security, and criminal law.
Cain Lamarre
The firm announced the following moves:
- Geneviève Barsalou – notary (notary services)
- Daphnée Drouin – lawyer (personal and family law, aboriginal and constitutional law)
- Stéphanie Grondin – notary (real estate law, notary services)
- Mylène Geoffroy – lawyer (litigation, administrative law)
- Audrey Campbell – lawyer (labour and employment law, litigation)
Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP
The firm announced that Jason Holowachuk has been appointed Queen’s counsel in Alberta.
Holowachuk is a partner in the firm’s litigation group. He has broad experience handling commercial, financial, energy, manufacturing, real estate, and construction-related matters.
Clark Wilson LLP
Jessica Anderson is now a partner in the Vancouver-based firm.
Anderson’s practice focuses on energy and natural resources, general business law, and Indigenous law. She recently served as in-house counsel for two of the biggest forest products companies in North America.
Allison Sharkey joined the firm as an associate in the estates and trusts group.
Sharkey assists clients in preparing wills, powers of attorney, representation agreements and advance directives, establishing and administering trusts, and distributing estate assets to beneficiaries.
Сox & Palmer
The firm welcomed two new partners:
- Carolle Fernando (Halifax) – tax, corporate and commercial law, M&A
- Matthew M. Peyton (St. John’s) – tax, corporate and commercial law, M&A
The firm also welcomed Jenn Power as an associate in the litigation team.
Power has broad experience in commercial litigation, administrative law, professional responsibility, insurance, and commercial arbitration.
DLA Piper (Canada) LLP
The firm announced that Rachel Hamilton and Sharilyn Nagina have received Queen’s counsel designation in Alberta.
Hamilton is a partner in the firm’s Edmonton office. She specializes in M&A, construction law, commercial real estate, and pensions and benefits law.
Meanwhile, Nagina is a counsel in the firm’s Calgary office. She deals with general litigation matters involving employment, arbitration and investigations, regulatory and administrative law, and construction law.
The firm named Brian Wong as an associate in the corporate group in the Toronto office.
Wong’s practice includes representing clients from small business owners to venture capital funds, preparing transaction documentation, such as resolutions, shareholder agreements, and purchase agreements for M&A engagements, and leading due diligence and document review processes.
Lavery de Billy LLP
Mathias Rancourt joined the firm as a partner in the dispute resolution group in the Montreal office.
Practising for over 20 years, Rancourt has developed specific expertise in risk management and ethical issues in professional law. He has advised a wide range of clients, such as entrepreneurs, professionals, and institutions, on matters relating to commercial litigation, real estate, and construction law.
Maxime Chabot also joined the firm as an associate in the business law group in the Montreal office.
Before joining the firm, Chabot served as a tax associate at the Miller Thomson LLP. He also worked as a law clerk at the Tax Court of Canada.
Lawson Lundell LLP
The firm announced that Michael Donaldson has been appointed Queen’s counsel in Alberta.
For over 20 years, Donaldson has practised energy, commercial, and securities litigation and commercial arbitration in Calgary. He has appeared in over 100 reported cases before all levels of Alberta court, the Federal Court, the Federal Court of Appeal, the Supreme Court of Canada, the Alberta and B.C. Securities Commissions, and other regulatory tribunals.
Gillian Broadbent is now an associate in the firm’s corporate commercial and real estate groups in the Calgary office.
Broadbent has advised clients on a broad range of business and commercial real estate matters, including corporate governance, public offerings, M&A, corporate reorganizations, and asset purchase and sale transactions.
Lerners LLP
The firm welcomed three new associates:
- Carolyn McKeen and Joshua Lerner – health law, commercial litigation
- Andrew Johnson – business law
Mckeen’s practice focuses on employment and human rights law, privacy and litigation, and other regulatory issues, such as informed consent and data protection. Lerner has broad expertise in medical negligence, professional liability, professional regulation, employment, education, and civil and regulatory matters.
Johnson assists clients in dealing with commercial contracts, such as leases, purchase and sale, franchise, intellectual property licensing, and confidentiality agreements. He is also an experienced privacy officer.
McCarthy Tétrault LLP
The firm announced that Olivia Colic and Joseph Palin have received Queen’s counsel designation in Alberta.
Colic is a partner in the firm’s real property and planning group in the Calgary office. Her practice encompasses all aspects of commercial real estate, including acquisition and sale transactions, domestic and cross-border financing, development, and leasing.
Meanwhile, Palin is a partner in the firm’s banking and financial services group in the Calgary office. His practice consists of structuring domestic and international financing transactions and advising lenders and borrowers on matters concerning complex financing structures.
The firm named Jennifer Longhurst as a partner in the business law group in the Toronto office.
Longhurst’s practice focuses on M&A, shareholder activism, and private equity. She also advises many clients, such as business leaders, boards of directors, and special committees, on complex transactions, special situations, and corporate governance.
Minden Gross LLP
Seema Aggarwal joined the firm as a partner in the business law group.
Aggarwal advises clients from start-ups to multinational companies on a broad range of general corporate and commercial matters, such as complex commercial agreements, privacy, cybersecurity, and anti-spam law.
MLT Aikins LLP
The firm welcomed Krista Gibson as an associate in the Calgary office.
Gibson specializes in complex litigation, arbitration, and regulatory matters and regularly assists clients on issues relating to project approvals, financing and accounting, consultation, and contract interpretation.
Osler Hoskin & Harcourt LLP
The firm announced that Martin Ignasiak has been appointed Queen’s counsel in Alberta.
Ignasiak is a partner and the national co-chair of the firm’s regulatory, environmental, Indigenous and land group. He works on developing strategies to obtain regulatory approvals for large-scale industrial projects, such as coal mines, pipelines, and electric generation facilities.
Segev LLP
The firm admitted Aadam Tejpar and Marius Adomnica to its partnership, while Evie Sheppard was elevated to the role of counsel.
Stikeman Elliott LLP
The firm announced that Michael Mestinsek has received Queen’s counsel designation in Alberta.
Mestinsek is a partner and the head of the firm’s advocacy group in the Calgary office. His practice encompasses corporate governance, shareholder activism, product, D&O and professional liability, securities, commercial real estate, and insurance.
Thompson Dorfman Sweatman LLP
The firm welcomed Nikolas Nucci as an associate.
Nucci has broad expertise in commercial law, focusing on M&A. He also assists clients with general corporate matters and real estate purchase and sale transactions.
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