Seventeen 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 named Rochelle Perera as partner and member in the corporate group.
Perera’s practice focuses on M&A, private equity, venture capital, and corporate finance. She has represented clients across the technology, cannabis, and commercial real estate sectors.
BCF LLP
Shaun Finn joined the International Association of Defense Counsel. Founded in 1920, IADC is a preeminent legal organization for advocates representing corporate and insurance interests worldwide.
“I am delighted to join the IADC, an amazing network of leading defence counsel from around the world which provides its members with a unique opportunity to learn from one another and contribute to the advancement of justice,” Finn said.
Finn is a partner and co-leader in the firm’s class action defence group in the Montreal office. He has broad experience in complex commercial litigation and class actions, such as product liability, consumer protection, privacy, securities, and mass torts.
Bennett Jones LLP
Roland Hurst is now a partner in the firm’s Vancouver and Toronto offices.
Hurst has extensive expertise in M&A, equity and debt financing, securities and corporate governance compliance, disclosure requirements, and other corporate matters. He also negotiates and drafts commercial agreements for clients across multiple industries, including mining, power generation, oil and gas, hospitality, technology, and media and communications.
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
The firm announced the induction of Gordon McKee as fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers. ACTL is a preeminent organization of trial lawyers in North America, dedicated to maintaining and improving the standards of trial practice, professionalism, ethics, and the administration of justice.
McKee is a partner and head in the firm’s class action group in the Toronto office. A litigator for 30 years, he has broad experience in defending class-action lawsuits and serious product liability claims.
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
The firm welcomed Christine Ferguson as a counsel in the firm’s infrastructure, project finance and corporate, and capital markets groups in the Toronto office.
Ferguson specializes in infrastructure, public and private M&A, debt and equity capital raisings, strategic acquisitions, and business integration. She also advises project developers on the commercial and financial aspects of public-private partnerships.
“Christine brings her broad experience to our infrastructure and project finance groups,” said Prema Thiele, firm’s corporate and capital markets national group head. “She is well-known and valued by clients for her balanced approach to risk issues and we look forward to our clients having the benefit of Christine’s expertise.”
Cozen O’Connor
Five lawyers joined the firm’s capital markets and securities group in the Vancouver office:
- Rory Godinho
- Kathy Tang
- Lucy Schilling
- Brian Fast
- Iain Mingo
“With the addition of this extremely strong capital markets and securities group with extensive experience in venture capital, cross-border public listings, corporate finance, regulatory compliance, and mergers and acquisitions, we are very confident in our ability to provide enhanced support for our clients,” said Michael Heller, firm’s executive chairman and CEO.
DLA Piper (Canada) LLP
The firm appointed Jamie Mills to the role of partner in the Toronto office.
Mills has broad experience in handling patents, trademarks, and copyrights cases for almost 30 years. He also advises clients on matters related to pharmaceutical pricing, pharmaceutical regulatory law, and government relations.
“Jamie’s impressive background in intellectual property litigation, combined with his knowledge of pharmaceutical and biotechnology related matters, will be welcomed not only by our intellectual property group but by the firm as a whole,” said Robert Seidel, firm’s managing partner.
Sunil Sharma is now an associate in the firm’s employment and labour group in the Toronto office.
Sharma has broad experience in providing business-critical advice on workplace law matters and representing employers in wrongful dismissal litigation, human rights cases, and labour relations board applications.
Farris LLP
The firm has announced the appointment of Karen Shirley-Paterson to the role of secretary at the International Academy of Family Lawyers (IAFL) – Canadian Chapter. IAFL is a worldwide network of practising lawyers recognized by their peers as experienced and skilled family law practitioners in their respective countries.
Shirley-Paterson is a partner in the firm’s Vancouver office. She specializes in family law matters, including child parenting, property division, child and spousal support, and divorce.
Gowling WLG
The firm welcomed Philip Augustine as a partner in the firm’s family law group in the Ottawa office.
A family law litigator for 40 years, Augustine has advised clients on numerous financial disputes related to property, income determination, and support. He was certified by the Law Society of Ontario as a family law specialist.
Aimee Halfyard returned to the firm as a partner in the business law group in the Vancouver office.
Halfyard has extensive expertise in private M&A, private equity, corporate commercial transactions, and corporate governance. She also advises multinational corporations, private equity funds, and technology start-ups on a wide range of complex domestic and cross-border corporate transactional matters.
Lenczner Slaght LLP
Tracie Crook joined the firm as the new chief operating officer and a member of the management committee.
In her new role, Crook will build on and nurture the firm’s high performing, innovative and inclusive culture. She will also be responsible for the day-to-day operations and operational strategy and implementation of the firm.
“We are so pleased to welcome Tracie to this team,” said Tom Curry, firm’s managing partner. “She is all about teamwork and has an incredible record of success in building teams that compete to win with excellence, skill, and confidence.”
Mark Andrews-Lee also joined the firm as an associate.
Andrews-Lee maintains a broad civil litigation and regulatory practice, specializing in complex disputes.
“We are excited that Mark has chosen to join our firm,” Curry said. “He brings a passion for advocacy, a commitment to teamwork and a strong work ethic.”
McKenzie Lake Lawyers LLP
The firm announced the following moves:
- David Foster – associate and member in the workplace and institutional investigations group
- Sam McColl – associate and member in the family law group
McCarthy Tétrault LLP
The firm named Philip Marcu as partner in the firm’s business law group in the Toronto office.
Marcu advises on all aspects of cross-border public and private M&A transactions, joint ventures, venture capital, corporate reorganizations, and corporate governance. He has represented clients across the technology, financial technology, financial services, infrastructure, and health care sectors.
“Philip’s in-house experience allows him to apply a client-focused lens to his practice,” said Éric Gosselin, firm’s business law group head. “His background advising on domestic and foreign transactions and his industry focus will be invaluable to clients.”
MLT Aikins LLP
Taylor Dignan returned to the firm as an associate in the Vancouver office.
Dignan’s practice focuses on securities law, corporate law, and corporate governance. He has dealt with clients across the mining and cryptocurrency sectors. Prior to his return, he served as the president and CEO of a Vancouver-based trust company and worked at a boutique securities firm in Toronto.
Smart & Biggar LLP
Hyun Woo Choi is now an associate in the firm’s Vancouver and Ottawa offices.
Choi’s practice focuses on drafting and prosecuting patent applications in a broad range of technical fields, such as communications, computer-automated systems, electronics, networking, and cloud computing.
Malcolm Harvey also joined the firm as an associate in the Toronto office.
Harvey has extensive experience in patent litigation and enforcement. He regularly provides strategic intellectual property services to clients in pharmaceutical and biologic industries.
Stewart McKelvey
The firm announced the appointment of Jason Woycheshyn as president of the Ukrainian Canadian Bar Association (UCBA). UCBA is a network of lawyers across Canada that aims to meet critical legal needs of the Ukrainian-Canadian community.
Woycheshyn is a partner in the firm’s Halifax office. He has broad experience in corporate, agribusiness, banking, and estates disputes, with a particular focus on injunction, fraud recovery, domestic and international arbitration, intellectual property, licensing, fiduciary duty, and professional negligence.
The firm also named Iselle Manuel as associate in the firm’s corporate group in the Moncton office.
Manuel specializes in commercial transactions, corporate formation and reorganization, estate and trusts, and real property.
WeirFoulds LLP
The firm welcomed two new associates:
- Kelsey Ivory – regulated professions and industries
- Vipal Jain – technology and privacy
Wildeboer Dellelce LLP
The firm appointed Lori-Ann Beausoleil to the role of strategic business advisor.
Lori-Ann is widely recognized for her expertise in regulatory compliance, ethics, governance, and risk management. She has worked with various finance and operational teams for over 35 years.
Beausoleil is a former partner at PwC Canada, where she held a variety of leadership positions, including compliance and ethics lead, national forensic services head, national real estate leader, and chief diversity and inclusion officer.
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