22 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.
Aird & Berlis LLP
The firm announced the appointment of Jennifer Bishop to the International Tennis Federation’s Davis Cup Committee for a one-year term. Bishop is the second woman in history to be appointed to the committee.
Babin Bessner Spry LLP
The firm promoted Michael Bookman to its partnership. Bookman joined the firm as an associate in 2018.
Bennett Jones LLP
Firm partners reappointed Hugh MacKinnon to another term as chairman and CEO. MacKinnon is now in his eighteenth year in the role.
“Under Hugh’s leadership, the firm has seen significant growth and expansion with a focus on client service, strategy and innovation that has been central to establishing Bennett Jones as a top-tier national business law firm,” said Linda Misetich Dann, lead director of the firm’s partnership board.
“I can think of no one better to take us into our 100th year and beyond than Hugh. He understands the history of the firm, but more importantly, has the vision and foresight to continue to move us forward.”
Blake Cassels & Graydon LLP
The firm promoted 21 lawyers to the role of partner:
- Chris Barker, Liam Churchill, Alex MacMillan and Jeremy Ozier (Toronto) − capital markets
- Sean Jackson, Jessica Lam and Elder Marques (Toronto) − litigation and dispute resolution
- Max Ettinger and Evan Herbert (Calgary) – energy
- David Dueck and Julia Potter (Toronto) − competition and antitrust
- Lindsay Balson (Toronto) − corporate and commercial
- Laura Blumenfeld (Toronto) employment and labour
- Monica Cheng (Calgary) – tax
- Emma Costante (Vancouver) − corporate and commercial
- Graham Fulton (Vancouver) − commercial real estate, infrastructure
- Adam Ngan (Toronto) − pensions, benefits and executive compensation
- Céline Poitras (Montréal) −technology and communications
- Lindsay Rowell (Calgary) − litigation and dispute resolution
- Evan Schmid (Toronto) − tax
- Cameron Siempelkamp (Calgary) − financial services
“Our new partners exemplify the skill and dedicated service that Blakes clients rely on to help them achieve their most ambitious business objectives,” said Brock Gibson, firm’s chair. “This group enhances the firm’s ability to deliver innovative and commercially practical solutions informed by diverse perspectives.”
Burnet Duckworth & Palmer LLP
Lauren Coles joined the firm as an associate in the employment and labour group.
Coles’ practice includes advising employees and employers across industries on employment and labour matters. She also has experience in workplace investigations, severance negotiations, wrongful dismissal claims and termination and lay-off strategies.
Cain Lamarre
The firm welcomed the following lawyers:
- Émélie Chalifoux − business law
- Julie Robert – taxation, transactional law, business law
- Dina Akram − business law, administrative law
- Olivier Lefebvre − labor and employment law, litigation
- Jacynthe Ledoux − aboriginal and constitutional law, environmental law, personal and family law
Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP
The firm welcomed Carey Veinotte and Jordanna Cytrynbaum as partners in the litigation group in the Vancouver office.
Veinotte has 30 years of litigation experience and represented clients in cases involving securities law, mining, theft of trade secrets, conspiracy, defamation and slander, fraud, professional liability claims and business torts.
Cytrynbaum’s practice focuses on complex multi-party litigation. She also has expertise in a broad range of practice areas, including class actions, construction, employment, real estate and securities litigation.
The firm also announced the appointment of Rachael Chadwick to the Ontario Bar Association’s Digital Evidence and E-Discovery Working Group (DEED) as vice-chair for 2022.
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP
Chanakya Sethi is now a partner in the firm’s dispute resolution practice group in the Toronto office.
Focused on complex civil litigation, Sethi has helped lead the defence of several cases involving competition and class action claims. His litigation experience also includes intellectual property disputes, international arbitration, and white-collar investigations.
Gowling WLG
The firm welcomed Mohammed Muraj as a counsel in the national corporate group in the Toronto office.
Muraj has an extensive background in corporate and business law with a focus in the technology and blockchain sectors. He has advised small and mid-sized tech companies on corporate, fundraising, regulatory, securities and compliance matters.
“Mohammed’s impressive practice and experience will enhance our ability to help clients navigate the industry's ever-changing governance and regulatory requirements,” said Kathleen Ritchie, partner and head of the firm’s business law department in Toronto.
Lavery de Billy LLP
The firm welcomed the following:
- Gabrielle Ahélo, Joseph Gualdieri and Catherine Méthot − associates in the business law group
- Lysa Laramée – paralegal in the business law group
- Belinda Rigon – paralegal in the litigation group
Lenczner Slaght LLP
The firm announced the departure of Shara Roy. Roy will join Ernst & Young LLP as a chief legal counsel and member in the executive committee.
“This is a remarkable opportunity for Shara to continue her leadership in the law. We are very proud of her,” said Tom Curry, firm’s managing partner. “She has been chosen to lead the legal function and be part of the executive team of the national office of one of the world's foremost professional services firms.”
McKenzie Lake Lawyers LLP
The firm named Emily Assini as partner, and Ryan Amez as member in the family law group.
The firm also welcomed four lawyers from London-based firm, Chinneck Law:
- Jed Chinneck
- Jillian Berry
- Nathan Hwee
- Todd Devitt
McCarthy Tétrault LLP
The firm admitted 37 new partners − 10 equity partners and 27 income partners – into its partnership, effective January 1. The new equity partners are:
- Daniel Bornstein, Heidi Gordon and D.J. Lynde (Toronto) − business law
- Chrystelle Chevalier-Gagnon, Marjolaine Hémond-Hotte and Mathieu Leblanc
(Québec) − business law
- Alexandra Cocks (Vancouver) – litigation
- Gillian Piggott (Vancouver) − real property
- Bryan West (Calgary) – litigation
- Vincent Yip (Vancouver) − intellectual property
The new income partners are:
- Louis-Charles Filiatrault, Laure Fouin and Vincent Laurin (Québec) − business law
- Gabriel Faure, Samuel Lepage and Jean-Philippe Mathieu (Québec) – litigation
- Adam Goldenberg, Richard Lizius and Christine Wadsworth (Toronto) – litigation
- Carly Caruso, James Kelsall and George Plummer (Toronto) − real property
- Gerald Gaunt and Maureen Gillis (Vancouver) − business law
- Mark McEwan and Mike Scherman (Toronto) − business law
- Audrey Bouffard-Nesbitt and Farhiyah Shariff (Calgary) − business law
- Liezl Behm (Vancouver) − business law
- Michael Caldecott (Toronto) – competition
- Lyndsey Delamont (Calgary) − litigation
- Carmen Francis Toronto – trade litigation
- Erica Hennessey (Calgary) – tax
- James Holtom (Toronto) – intellectual property litigation
- Anu Koshal (Toronto) – tax
- Justine Lindner (Toronto) – labour and employment litigation
- Matthew Pekofsky (Québec) − real property
“I am incredibly proud of all our new partners,” said Dave Leonard, firm’s CEO. “Their individual and collective strengths will bolster our firm’s and our clients’ competitive advantage and support our people as we look to the future.”
McMillan LLP
The firm announced a new leadership team, with managing partner, Tim Murphy, as the chief executive officer. Other members include:
- John Clifford − partner, chief operating officer
- Paul Davis − partner, chair of the board of partners
- Claire Duckworth − executive director, chief financial officer
- Brett Stewart − partner, chair of the risk management and finance committee
- Tushara Weerasooriya − partner, chair of the strategic planning committee
- Stephen Wortley − partner, chief client officer
“In a complex business environment, you need more from your law firm than just a legal brief,” Murphy said. “You deserve a partner that provides solutions to challenges facing your business and your industry and identifies opportunities to help you grow.”
The firm also welcomed three new associates: Melissa Spano (Toronto), Juliana Ho (Vancouver), and Jade Cassivi (Montréal).
Norton Rose Fulbright
The firm welcomed Mary Anne Aldred as a strategic advisor. Aldred worked as chief operating officer and general counsel at the Ontario Energy Board.
“Mary Anne’s in-depth industry knowledge and experience will enhance the firm’s capability to deliver exceptional client support and counsel, as Norton Rose Fulbright prepares for a rapidly changing energy landscape in Canada and globally,” the firm said.
O’Sullivan Estate Lawyers LLP
The firm promoted Stephanie Battista and Marly Peikes to partner.
Battista’s practice focuses on estate planning and estate administration. While Peikes’ practice includes estate and trust planning, estate administration and estate dispute resolution.
“Stephanie and Marly are key contributors to the firm’s present and future success,” said Margaret O’Sullivan, firm’s managing partner. “We congratulate Stephanie and Marly on this important career achievement.”
Pitblado Law
Three firm partners − Bruce King, Tracey Epp and Richard Buchwald – received Queen’s counsel designation on January 25.
Smart & Biggar
Audrey Berteau re-joined the firm as an associate and a member in the intellectual litigation practice group in the Montréal office.
Stikeman Elliott LLP
Alan D’Silva joined Arbitration Place as an arbitrator and mediator. D’Silva has served as an arbitrator and mediator in various corporate, insurance and reinsurance, international trade, securities dealer, professional negligence, estates, construction, and employment and human rights disputes, both in Canada and internationally.
The firm also welcomed two lawyers:
- Cindy Chung (Toronto) – associate in the banking and finance group
- Jennifer McBean (Calgary) – associate in the employment and labour group
Torys LLP
The firm promoted five lawyers to partner and three to counsel in the Toronto office.
The five new partners are: Zehra Sheerazi and Thomas Yeo (corporate), Saira Bhojani (tax), Molly Reynolds (privacy) and Tom Stevenson (pensions and employment). The firm promoted David Forrester (corporate), Melissa Prado (financial services) and Rebecca Wise (pensions and employment) to counsel.
Wagners
The firm appointed five new partners, effective January 1:
- Loreatha Boehner
- Kate Boyle
- Madeleine Carter
- Lyndsay Jardine
- Lisa Wagner
“This is a significant achievement and every one of these individuals has shown a deep dedication to the continuation of the firm and its motto to do good,” said Raymond Wagner, firm’s founder. “I am very proud to have each of these lawyers join me as partners in furthering these goals and doing this very important work.”
Wildeboer Dellelce LLP
The firm welcomed Katie Drury, Julian Lupo and Brendan Wu as associates.
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