A word from the Official Ballot Accountants
Justin Kennedy Managing Director, APAC Key Media
Awards
Gallery
2022 Sponsors
Capital Markets Deal of the Year
You can tell lawyers were ready to party – after more than two years of COVID-19 lockdown – just by the way they entered Bay Street’s Arcadian Court venue in Toronto for the Canadian Law Awards. There they were at the May 19th gala, in all their finery, looking especially well-dressed, fitting the glamour of what is likely their first ballroom event since March 2020. Even the colours of the clothing seemed more vibrant – less black, more hot pink and gold. Hugs and handshakes were shared all around as lawyers met with colleagues they hadn’t seen in a long time. The gala was the CLA’s first in-person event, as the pandemic forced the awards to take place online it its inaugural year, 2020, and in 2021 as well. This year’s in-person event, attracting more than 500, was therefore a bit of coming out party for lawyers as Canada lurches into what looks like a post-pandemic future, though all of us ha ve come to understand that things can change on a dime.
Award Sponsors
Supported By
Organizer
Thank you to our esteemed judges for lending their time and expertise to help recognise and celebrate excellence in the legal profession
Alexa Abiscott General Counsel and Secretary, ApplyBoard Inc. And Co-Founder, President & Board Member Women General Counsel Canada
Jennifer Addison SVP, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, EPCOR Utilities Inc. And WGCC- Prairies Chapter Lead
Arif Ahmad Vice President, Corporate and Legal Affairs & General Counsel Re:Sound
Gerry Apostolatos Former Chair of the Board of Directors Langlois lawyers, LLP
Jacqueline Beckles General Counsel, Department of Justice Canada and CABL- Board Member
Stephen Beney Managing Partner Bereskin & Parr LLP
Mark T. Bennett Executive Chair Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP
Lilac Bosma Senior Vice President and General Counsel HSBC Bank Canada
Noralee Bradley QC Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer Nutrien
2022 Judging Panel
Methodology
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Commemorative Guide
Nominations The legal profession is invited to nominate online (this year it was between November 29, 2021, and February 4, 2022) by submitting nominations according to the specific category criteria outlined on the CLA website. Submissions are only accepted through the nomination portal.
Judging The Canadian Law Awards team will give submissions to an independent panel of judges who are instructed not to share information on the submissions with third parties. All information provided in a nomination may be used in Key Media publications, unless otherwise instructed or marked as “confidential” on the submission form. The independent judging panel assesses and scores each Excellence Awardee submission according to the category criteria.
Research The Canadian Law Awards team conducts research and draws on knowledge and information gained through Lexpert, Canadian Lawyer and Canadian Lawyer Inhouse to identify outstanding firms, teams, individuals, deals or cases in each category. The team then determines those that will receive an “Excellence Award.”
Find out more
Infrastructure & Projects Deal of the Year
Insolvency & Restructuring Deal of the Year
M&A Deal of the Year
Mid-Market Deal of the Year
Commercial Litigation Case of the Year
The Singleton Urquhart Reynolds Vogel LLP Award for Construction, Infrastructure and Transportation Law Department of the Year
Banking & Financial Institutions Law Department of the Year
Energy & Resources Law Department of the Year
Canadian Law Department of the Year
Law Department Leader of the Year
Law Department Innovation Award
The LexisNexis Canada Award for Best Use of Technology in a Law Firm
IP Boutique Law Firm of the Year
Litigation & Dispute Resolution Boutique Law Firm of the Year
Ontario Law Firm of the Year
Glitz, glamour and recognition at this year’s Canadian Law Awards
More than 500 gathered to celebrate the best in Canadian law - and a return to in-person gatherings
As the official ballot accountants for the 2022 Canadian Law Awards, PwC Canada is thrilled to welcome you to this year’s awards ceremony. With the worst of the COVID-19 quarantines seemingly behind us, 2022 promises to be a year of new beginnings. Life in the virtual realm has given us a renewed appreciation for the joy and connection we derive from each other’s company, as well as the importance of community. The Canadian Law Awards offers the special opportunity to recognize our peers and their drive to reimagine the possible in the legal industry, no matter the circumstances. Congratulations to all of the excellence awardees and winners!
Prairies Law Firm of the Year
Quebec Law Firm of the Year
Western Canada Law Firm of the Year
Litigator of the Year
Managing Partner of the Year
The Bereskin & Parr Award for Diversity Initiative of the Year
The Lincoln Alexander School of Law Award for Shaping the Future
The Gowling WLG Award for Female Trailblazer of the Year In-House Counsel
The Gowling WLG Award for Female Trailblazer of the Year Private Practice
Pro Bono Initiative of the Year
SP Search & Consulting Law Firm Leader of the Year (> 200 Employees)
State / Regional Firm of the Year
Law Firm of the Year (1-100 Lawyers)
Dye & Durham Law Firm of the Year (101-500 Lawyers)
Law Firm of the Year (>500 Lawyers)
Diversity Initiative of the Year
A time to reconnect “I think everybody was looking forward to this,” said Andrew Sunter, whose firm, Burnet Duckworth & Palmer LLP, was named Western Canada Law Firm of the Year. “It's just nice to see people out again and having fun. It's a blast. We flew out from Calgary for it.” “As a mom, I appreciate being at home and having that flexibility,” said Nadia Effendi, the Borden Ladner Gervais LLP partner who took home the Litigator of the Year award. “But nothing will ever replace building a relationship in person.” Once attendees reintroduced themselves to their peers and enjoyed pre-event cocktails and appetizers, things got down to business in the main ballroom, with awards handed out in 26 categories to honour Canada’s leading law firms, individual lawyers, in-house counsel, business deals and litigation. Award-Winning CBC News Anchor Suhana Meharchand hosted the festivities. “It’s amazing to be here in person,” said Donna Young, founding dean at the Lincoln Alexander School of Law at Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson). Young pointed out that she was a CLA winner last year (in the female trailblazer category) when the event was held virtually. “I was in my home by myself, literally all by myself,” she said, adding that she has not had the opportunity to go out much in person and meet members of the legal profession as the school started its inaugural year in September 2020. “So, this is really special,” Young said. This year she was able to present in person the Lincoln Alexander School of Law Award for Shaping the Future to McCarthy Tétrault LLP. Matthew Peters, partner and national innovation leader at McCarthy Tétrault, said “we really think that there are some bold moves that need to happen to really transform access to justice.” He added his firm is proud of its part in launching the law school out of Toronto Metropolitan. A time for recognition Andrea Campbell, of Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, accepted the LexisNexis Canada Award for Best Use of Technology in a Law Firm on behalf of her firm. She said she is most proud her firm’s development of three innovative technology-based products, all created in 2021. These include a regulatory compliance product for financial service clients, a proactive risk assessment product for the evolving security environment and legal framework in cyber and data breaches, and an automated and bespoke search and registration loan portal, The latter allows for the generation of a very complex contract package for business users who do not have legal backgrounds. Eric Wright, Chief Executive Officer of LexisNexis Canada, sponsor of the award, said his firm is “committed to helping legal professionals harness the power of technology to drive their success.” Another legal tech-related award - the Law Department Innovation Award - was given to the legal department at Enbridge. (It also won the Energy & Resources Law Department of the Year Award). Lindsay Amson, contract lifecycle management expert for the company, said one way of reaching performance optimization in the legal space is taking some of that “high volume, repeatable work that is burdening the legal profession” and trying to introduce automation and technology. “A lot of the heavy administrative tasks are important, but they don’t always allow us to focus on the added-value parts of our jobs,” Amson said. Innes Dey, senior vice-president of legal and strategy at Definity Financial Corp, spent a lot of time on stage, as he and his team took home awards for Banking & Financial Institutions Law Department of the Year and Law Department Leader of the Year. It also shared the award for Capital Markets Deal of the Year with private practice firms Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, Stikeman Elliot LLP, and Shearman & Sterling LLP Ten years ago, Definity (then called Economical) had zero lawyers, said Dey. “I was the first lawyer employed by the company, which at the time was a 140-year-old financial institution.” Now, the legal department has about 70 lawyers plus support staff. “That's really the backstory for a lot of what's happened tonight and a lot of this success,” he said. “It's been really gratifying to see professionals come in, make their own mark, and grow and be able to spread their wings.” A time for celebrating diversity Celebrating those who aim for better diversity in the legal profession, The Bereskin & Parr Award for Diversity Initiative of the Year was handed to Harper Grey LLP for its “Life in Law” portal. It is a free, confidential, service for lawyers in British Columbia who self-identify as women seeking help balancing life and law. Bereskin & Parr partner Bhupinder Randhawa said more firms are taking a more proactive stand on “making sure that every person - women, minorities, those with disabilities and LGBTQ members - is given an opportunity.” Jane Langford, Senior VP Legal at TD Bank, walked away with the Gowling WLG Award for Female Trailblazer of the Year (Inhouse). “I’ve benefitted from mentorship in my career from both men and women,” she said. “At some point you realize you're farther along in your career than you were aware of, and you notice those who follow in your footsteps. You want to set an example and open doors just like doors were opened for you.” Ena Chadha, of Ethical Associates Inc., won The Gowling WLG Award for Female Trailblazer of the Year, Private Practice, for her commitment to racial and gender equity. “COVID has highlighted how women have been a victim of the lack of social services,” said Chadha, a former Chief Commissioner with the Ontario Human Rights Commission. Hugh Meighen, partner and international arbitration lawyer at Borden Ladner Gervais, LLP, and his spouse, Warda Shazadi Meighen, partner at Landings LLP immigration law firm, are members of the teams at the two firms who won the Pro Bono Initiative Award for their work with Afghan refugees. “As the Taliban became increasingly prominent in all areas of the country, we realized that more legal resources were needed, so we decided to team up and try to provide as much assistance as broadly as possible to help Afghans,” said Shazadi Meighen. “It is so gratifying to see Canadians join in helping these Afghan refugees come to our country.” A time for acknowledging talent The Litigation & Dispute Resolution Boutique Law Firm of the Year Award was given to Toronto-based Lenczner Slaght. Partner Monique Jilesen, pointing to the firm’s growth from five lawyers 30 years ago to 80 lawyers today, said its mission is “to deliver the best advocacy imaginable – whether that is in a court room, in a boardroom, or through mediation or arbitration.” The award for the Commercial Litigation Case of the Year went to Cineplex v. Cineworld. An Ontario Superior Court ruling that Cineplex’s once-suitor Cineworld Group PLC pay $1.24 billion to the Canadian theatre chain after the UK firm backed out of a deal during the pandemic. That decision is now being appealed. “When the deal was signed, COVID wasn't on anybody's radar,” said Julie Rosenthal, partner in the litigation, class actions and competition law groups at Goodmans, which acted on behalf of movie theatre operator Cineplex Entertainment. “There was a six-month window until the deal was going to close, and about halfway through that window COVID hit, which closed theatres in Canada and around the world.” Cineplex won a CLA for Canadian Law Department of the Year. The movie theatre chain’s general counsel, Thomas Santram, said that he was “incredibly impressed” with how the legal team and all others at Cineplex worked together to get through tough times. “The fact we won this award is a testament to the company’s passion and tenacity.” The Intellectual Property Boutique of the Year award went to Smart & BIggar LLP. Urszula Wojtyra, IP lawyer and partner at the firm, said: “We have excellent clients. And we have an excellent team. We love complex matters and know how to apply them in a legal setting when it comes to IP.” Lavery Lawyers went home that evening with the Quebec Law Firm of the Year award. “After two years of pandemic, it is such an honour for our firm to win this award,” said Lavery CEO Anik Trudel. “It’s been a very intense period and we can be very proud of ourselves.” Wayne Egan managing partner at WeirFoulds LLP, accepted the award for Ontario Law Firm of the Year on behalf of his team. ‘It’s fantastic to win this,” Egan said. He pointed to the challenges for mid-market regional firms. “There is a feeling that they have to be a national or international firm to be relevant.” However, he added, “we made a decision that Ontario and Toronto is where we wanted to be, and we’ve created a great niche for ourselves,” he said, “and I believe the award is a testament to that.” The Singleton Urquhart Reynolds Vogel LLP Award for Construction, Infrastructure and Transportation Law Department of the Year went to construction and building services company EllisDon. “The work that our team does is remarkable,” said Andres Duran, Senior Vice President, Legal Services, at EllisDon. “Because of COVID-19, we’ve had to deal with a lot of new issues – safety, vaccinations, masking policies and work collaboratively in a virtual workplace.” Baker McKenzie’s Stephanie Vaccari, the 2022 Managing Partner of the Year, summed up the evening saying: “You can feel the energy here – even though people are making speeches, everybody is just chatting and so happy and excited to be in a room together.”
Bereskin & Parr LLP is a leading Canadian full service intellectual property law firm serving clients across all industries around the world. Founded in 1965, the firm has grown to be one of the largest IP firms in Canada with offices located in major economic and technology centres. Bereskin & Parr is made up of more than 75 lawyers, patent and trademark agents, many of whom are recognized as leading practitioners in their specialized fields. The firm has established a depth of legal talent and systems to service clients in every aspect of patent, trademark, copyright, advertising & marketing law and IP litigation. For more information, visit www.bereskinparr.com
Award Sponsor
Official Ballot Accountants
Photo Booth Sponsor
Supporting Organization
Presented By
Olivier Chouc Vice-President, Law CN - Law and Office of the Corporate Secretary Canadian National Railway Company
Lydia Bugden, QC CEO & Managing Partner Stewart McKelvey
Ren Bucholz Partner Paliare Roland Rosenberg Rothstein LLP
Bindu Cudjoe Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary Laurentian Bank of Canada
George Cooper, QC Chief Executive Officer and Partner Cox & Palmer
Jeffrey Cohen Managing Partner Torkin Manes LLP
Peter Feldberg Firm Managing Partner Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP
Jeff Davis Chief Legal & Corporate Affairs Officer Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan
Tom Curry Managing Partner Lenczner Slaght
Kath Hammond Vice President, General Counsel, Corporate Safety and Security Greater Toronto Airports Authority
Matthew Gottlieb Managing Partner Lax O'Sullivan Lisus Gottlieb LLP
Yonni Fushman Executive Vice President, CLO & Secretary, Aecon Group Inc. and Past Chair Ontario Bar Association’s Construction and Infrastructure Law section
Shari Hosaki Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary - Legal Affairs HarperCollins Canada and Harlequin
Sharon Haward-Laird General Counsel BMO Financial Group
Nizam Hasham General Counsel & Assistant Corporate Secretary Canadian Pacific Railway
Philippe Johnson Managing Partner, Montreal Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP
Dominique Hussey Vice Chair, Toronto Managing Partner Bennett Jones LLP
Charles E. Hurdon Managing Partner - Canada Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP
Lynn Korbak General Counsel and Corporate Secretary Toromont Industries Ltd.
Jeffrey Jay Kay, QC Managing Partner Farris LLP
Rustam Juma General Counsel, Corporate Secretary and Privacy Officer Eckler Ltd.
Justin Kutyan National Leader and Senior Partner KPMG Law LLP
Arun Krishnamurti Counsel, Google Canada and Director SABA
James Kosa Partner, Technology and IP WeirFoulds LLP
Jean-François Legault Consultant VIA Rail Canada
Dale H. Lastman, C.M. Chair Goodmans LLP
Michael Ladha Vice President, Chief Legal Officer & Corporate Secretary Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro
Blair McCreadie Managing Partner, Toronto Dentons Canada LLP
Indra Maharaj Legal Counsel MT>Align (LNG Canada)
Sunita Mahant Head of Global Initiatives, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion/Senior Director, Legal Affairs Ivanhoé Cambridge
Benjamin Na Partner and Head of the Advocacy Department, Toronto Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP
John G. Murphy National Managing Partner & CEO Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG)
Andrew McLaughlin Vice President – Legal Affairs & General Counsel Major Drilling Group International Inc.
Lorne O'Reilly, Q.C. Lead Counsel, Dow Chemical Canada ULC and VP & Treasurer and Member of the Board of Directors- Alberta Chapter, Association of Corporate Counsel
Angela Nikolakakos Vice President, Legal and Corporate Affairs Fiera Capital Corporation
Peter V. Nguyen SVP Legal, Associate General Counsel & Assistant Corporate Secretary Descartes Systems Group
Karrin A. Powys-Lybbe Partner Torys LLP
Robert Piasentin Partner, Technology McMillan LLP
Kerry O’Reilly Wilks Chief Officer, Legal, Regulatory & External Affairs TransAlta Corporation
Poonam Puri Professor of Law, Osgoode Hall Law School York University
Clifford G. Proudfoot, QC Managing Partner Lawson Lundell LLP
Emmanuel Pressman Chair, Corporate Department Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP
Melanie Schweizer Senior Vice-President Legal, General Counsel Bell Canada
Tanya Rothe General Counsel D-Wave Systems Inc.
Nathalie Rizcalla VP HR, Corporate and Legal Affairs Pelican International
Lisa Skakun Chief Legal, Regulatory & Corporate Affairs Officer Coast Capital Savings
Godyne N.L. Sibay Regional Managing Partner (Ontario) McCarthy Tétrault
Robert Seidel, QC Canada Managing Partner DLA Piper (Canada) LLP
Bryson A. Stokes Firm Managing Partner Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Margot Spence Executive Director, Legal, Destination Canada And Chairperson- Canadian Corporate Counsel Association
Michael S. Slan Managing Partner Fogler, Rubinoff LLP
Michael Williams SVP, Chief Risk Officer - RF Capital Group Richardson Wealth Limited
Yola Ventresca Managing Partner Lerners LLP
Abigail Turner Partner Harper Grey LLP
Steven Zakem Managing Partner Aird & Berlis LLP
Andrea Wood Chief Legal and Governance Officer TELUS
Excellence Awardees Once the research is completed, Excellence Awardees are notified via email or phone. The Excellence Awardees will also be announced on the CLA website.
Winners Judges’ scores are aggregated to produce a winner in each of the 26 categories – a process fully verified by the Official Ballot Accountants, PwC. Those with the top scores are announced as winners at the awards gala and promoted on the Canadian Law Awards website. Winners will also be featured in extensive profile-raising media coverage, including the annual Lexpert Canadian Law Awards commemorative guide.
Gowling WLG is an international law firm built on the belief that the best way to serve you is to be in tune with your world, aligned with your opportunity and ambitious for your success. With more than 1,500 legal professionals around the world, we provide our clients with in-depth knowledge in key global sectors and a suite of legal services at home and abroad. We see the world through our clients' eyes, and collaborate across countries, offices, service areas and sectors to help them succeed, no matter how challenging the circumstances. For more information, visit gowlingwlg.com/en/.
LexisNexis Legal & Professional® provides legal, regulatory, and business information and analytics that help customers increase their productivity, improve decision-making, achieve better outcomes, and advance the rule of law around the world. As a digital pioneer, the company was the first to bring legal and business information online with its Lexis® and Nexis® services. LexisNexis Legal & Professional, which serves customers in more than 150 countries with 10,500 employees worldwide, is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. For more information, visit lexisnexis.ca.
The Lincoln Alexander School of Law is shaping the lawyers of tomorrow and reimagining legal education in pursuit of a more just society. Lincoln Alexander Law students are gaining professional experience beyond traditional legal contexts, enabling them to navigate diverse paths to practice, better serve their clients, expand the reach of justice, and innovate the legal profession itself. For more information, visit ryerson.ca/law.
We are a preeminent Canadian construction and infrastructure law firm. Our peers and clients recognize our lawyers as the best in the construction industry. Over forty years of leadership in Canadian construction and infrastructure law is complemented by a broad offering of legal services in litigation and corporate transactions. For more information, visit www.singleton.com
We have a proud 110-year history of helping Canadian organizations thrive. Our 7,300+ partners and staff are located coast to coast and bring their expertise to provide quality services and products that help solve important problems. Our industry-focused professional services include audit and assurance, tax, deals and consulting targeting solutions for cybersecurity, privacy, financial crime, workforce of the future, finance transformation, value creation, strategic reassessment and cost optimization. We work as one firm to bring different perspectives and capabilities together to achieve what matters most. With offices in 155 countries and more than 284,000 people, we are among the leading professional services networks in the world. We deliver the best of our collective thinking, experience and solutions to build public trust and create value for our people, clients and communities. For more information, visit www.pwc.com/ca/en
Well known in the legal community of Québec, Les Rabat-Joies handmade accessories and court attire just for you, Canadian lawyers. To stand out, to be confident and to make you feel yourself at court: That's their mission. For more information, visit lesrabatjoies.com/
The South Asian Bar Association of Toronto is the GTA’s premier legal organization dedicated to promoting the objectives of South Asian members of the legal profession. Members of SABA include lawyers that self-identify as South Asian or are of South Asian
origin, and lawyers that advocate on issues of relevance to the South Asian community. Our membership is dynamic, ever-expanding and includes lawyers from large and small law firms, sole practitioners, government agencies and departments, non-profit organizations, and corporations. Members of the judiciary, academics and law students also form an integral part of SABA. The Toronto chapter of SABA was formed in 2005 by a small group of lawyers who felt the need for an organization to represent the interests of South Asian legal professionals in the Greater Toronto Area. Since its inception, SABA has grown impressively and now counts within the ranks of its members lawyers from all sections of the profession, including law firms, corporations, the government and non-profit organizations. SABA prides itself as being the premier voice of the South Asian legal profession in this city. SABA serves as a networking forum, an advocacy group and an employment resource. Among its achievements, SABA has funded a bursary at many Ontario Law Schools and hosts an annual gala to recognize the achievements of South Asian members of the legal community. SABA also undertakes a number of events throughout the course of the year other than the annual awards gala including advocating on relevant matters of interest to the membership and the broad community, hosting various social mixers for its members and sponsors, holding interview preparation workshops for law students, and organizing professional development seminars. For more information, visit sabatoronto.com
Bio to follow For more information, visit www.tlaonline.ca
Bio to follow For more information, visit womengc.ca
A word from our event partner
In memoriam Jean Cumming On a sadder note, Key Media and the Lexpert team would like to acknowledge the passing, in May, of Jean Cumming, the previous Editor-in-Chief of Lexpert. Jean led the Lexpert team for 13 years, providing unparalleled leadership to ensure the market-leading reputation for the Lexpert rankings and awards. Jean’s dedication to diversity and professionalism continue to inspire the Lexpert team.
AWARD CATEGORIES
SPONSORS
JUDGING PANEL
METHODOLOGY
Ernst & Young LLP
WINNER
Open to all capital markets deals that reached completion within 2021 for which the majority of the legal work was Canada-based. Each organization may nominate a maximum of three deals.
BACK
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Excellence Awardees
Definity Insurance IPO
Accountants:
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, Stikeman Elliot LLP, Shearman & Sterling LLP
Firms:
CAE purchase of L3Harris Technology Military Training Assets
Accountant:
Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP, DLA Piper, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP
Barclays, BMO Capital Markets, RBC Capital Markets, CIBC Capital Markets, National Bank Financial Inc., UBS Securities Canada Inc., Desjardins Securities Inc., Raymond James Ltd., Canaccord Genuity Corp., Cormark Securities Inc., Scotia Capital, TD Securities Inc.
Banks:
Goldman Sachs, RBC Capital Markets
Cormark Securities Inc.
Bank:
Stikeman Elliott LLP, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP, Goodmans LLP, Thorsteinssons LLP, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP
Launch of Sprott Physical Uranium Trust
Barclays, Citi, Cowen, INFOR Financial Inc., UBS Investment Bank
Deloitte, Withum Smith+Brown, PC
McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer US LLP, Kirkland & Ellis LLP, Maples and Calder (Cayman) LLP, Ogier
Li-Cycle Corp go-public SPAC Transaction
Goodmans LLP, Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, Covington & Burling LLP, Vinson & Elkins LLP, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP
Northern Private Capital purchase of MacDonald Dettwiler and IPO
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP
Telus International IPO
View profile
Burnaby Hospital Redevelopment
Canada Infrastructure Bank
Davies Ward Phillips and Vineberg LLP, Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP
Canada Infrastructure Bank Zero-Emission Buses Initiative
Stikeman Elliott LLP, Bennett Jones LLP, Miller Titerle Law Corporation, Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP
Pembina Pipeline Corp Acquisition of Stake in Cedar LNG Project
Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, DLA Piper (Canada) LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP
Scarborough Subway Extension P3 Advanced Tunnel Project
Bennett Jones LLP, Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, Reynolds Mirth Richards & Farmer LLP
St. Paul's Hospital and Health Campus Project
Torys LLP, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP
Henvey Inlet Wind LP Refinancing
Open to all infrastructure and projects deals that reached completion within 2021 for which the majority of the legal work was Canada-based. Each organization may nominate a maximum of three deals.
DLA Piper (Canada) LLP, McMillan LLP, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP
McCarthy Tétrault, Aird & Berlis LLP, Bennett Jones, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Crawley MacKewn Brush LLP, Dentons Canada LLP, Henein Hutchison LLP, Kalloghlian Myers LLP, Lax O’Sullivan Lisus Gottlieb LLP, Siskinds LLP, Stikeman Elliot LLP, Stockwoods, Strosberg Sasso Sutts, Torys LLP, Tyr LLP, Cleary Gottlieb, Paul Weiss, Skadden
CannTrust Group – CCAA Plan of Arrangement
Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP
FNX-INNOV Successful Opposition to City of Montreal's SCC appeal in SM Group Restructuring
Canaccord Genuity
Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP, Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, Kornfeld Shapray & Partners LLP, McMillan LLP, M. Singh Law, Skylaw Professional Corporation, Stikeman Elliott LLP, Duane Morris LLP
iAnthus Capital Holdings Restructuring
Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, Woods LLP
North American Lithium restructuring under CCAA
Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, Fishman Flanz Meland Paquin sencrl/LLP, Lavery de Billy LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Miller Thomson LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP, Dickinson Wright, FCA US LLC
Spectra Premium Group Insolvency
Deloitte Restructuring Inc.
National Bank of Canada, Bank of Montreal, The Toronto-Dominion Bank and Fédération des caisses Desjardins du Québec
McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Camelino Galessiere LLP, Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP, Minden Gross LLP, Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, Dentons, Kirkland & Ellis
Groupe Dynamite CCAA and Chapter 15 Restructuring
Open to all insolvency and restructuring deals that reached completion within 2021 for which the majority of the legal work was Canada-based. Each organization may nominate a maximum of three deals.
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, Cleary Gottlieb, Freshfields, Jones Day
Alstom acquisition of Bombardier Transportation
BofA Securities, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, BMO Capital Markets, Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Evercore
Davies Ward Phillips and Vineberg LLP, Bennett Jones LLP, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, Torys LLP, Baker & Miller PLLC, Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez, S.C., Freshfields LLP, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP, Law Office of David L. Meyer, Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, White & Case, S.C., Willkie Farr & Gallagher, WilmerHale
Canadian Pacific Railway - Kansas City Southern Merger
Bennett Jones LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, Stikeman Elliot LLP, Norton Rose Fulbright, Paul Weiss, Skaddens
Cenovus Energy - Husky Energy Merger
Goodmans LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP, Torys LLP, Mayer Brown LLP
IFM and Ontario Teachers Joint Acquisition of Enwave Canadian District Energy Operations
McMillan LLP, Davies Ward Phillips and Vineberg LLP
Synnex Corporation Acquisition of Tech Data
McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Burnet, Duckworth & Palmer LLP, Davies Ward Phillips and Vineberg LLP, Dentons Canada LLP, Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, Torys LLP, White & Case
Brookfield Acquisition and Privatization of Inter Pipeline
Open to all M&A deals, including those that fall within the private equity sector, that reached completion within 2021 for which the majority of the legal work was Canada-based. Each organization may nominate a maximum of three deals.
Jefferies LLC, Cowen, Imperial Capital
PwC, Deloitte
DLA Piper, Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Cooley LLP, Davies Ward Phillips and Vineberg LLP, Cooley LLP
Tilray - Aphria merger
PJT Partners
Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, White & Case
CVC Capital Partners and Caisse de Dépôt et Placement du Québec Acquisition of Majority Stake in BlueFocus Intelligent Communication Group’s international group of marketing, advertising, and communications agencies
Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, Stewart McKelvey, Stikeman Elliott LLP
Empire Company Acquisition of Longo's
BMO Capital Markets, Maxit Capital LP, Agentis Capital Mining Partners, Rothschild & Co.
Stikeman Elliott LLP, Davies Ward Phillips and Vineberg LLP, Goodmans LLP, Lawson Lundell LLP, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP
Newmont Purchase of GT Gold
Torys LLP, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
TMX acquisition of AST Investor Services
JP Morgan
KPMG
Torys LLP, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Clark Wilson LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Chapman & Cutler, Foley Lardner, Skaddens
WELL Health Technologies Acquisition of CRH Medical
Trinity Advisors Corporation, First Asia Group Ltd., Blair Franklin Capital Partners, BMO Capital Markets, CIBC Capital Markets
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP, DLA Piper (Canada) LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP, Torys LLP
Agnico Eagle Acquisition of TMAC Resources
Open to all deals with a value of CAD50-500m that reached completion within 2021 for which the majority of the legal work was Canada-based. Each organization may nominate a maximum of three deals.
Re Bison Acquisition Corp., 2021 ABASC 100 (Order) / Re Bison Acquisition Corp., 2021 ABASC 188
Alberta Securities Commission, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Burnet, Duckworth & Palmer LLP, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Dentons Canada LLP
Cineplex v. Cineworld
Goodmans LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP
Open to a commercial case rendered or settled in Canada's courts in 2021, including class actions.
Wastech Services Ltd. v. Greater Vancouver Sewerage and Drainage District, 2021 SCC 7
Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, Nathanson, Schachter & Thompson, Torys LLP, Attorney General of British Columbia
Pharmascience Inc. v. Pfizer Canada ULC
Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, Aitkin Klee LLP
Tataskweyak Cree Nation et al. v. Canada and Curve Lake First Nation et al. v. Canada
Olthuis Kleer Townshend LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Department of Justice Canada
Canada Post Corporation Greater Toronto Airports Authority Infrastructure Ontario Metrolinx
EllisDon
Open to all Canada-based law departments in construction, infrastructure or transportation organizations. Judged on the quantity, quality, importance and innovativeness of legal work performed during calendar year 2021.
Definity Financial Corporation
Open to all Canada-based law departments in banking or financial services (including banks, credit unions, lenders, insurance companies, pension funds, brokerage firms and investment funds). Judged on the quantity, quality, importance and innovativeness of legal work performed during calendar year 2021. The winner of this category will automatically progress to become a finalist in Canadian Law Department of the Year.
Intact Financial Corporation Novacap
Enbridge
Open to all Canada-based law departments in energy and resources (including mining) organizations. Judged on the quantity, quality, importance and innovativeness of legal work performed during calendar year 2021.
TransAlta Corporation
Celestica Inc. City of Vaughan Definity Financial Corporation EllisDon Enbridge Ivanhoé Cambridge
EllisDon Enbridge Ivanhoé Cambridge
Cineplex Entertainment
Open to all Canada-based law departments. Judged on the quantity, quality, importance and innovativeness of legal work performed during calendar year 2021. Winners of the three sector-specific law department awards will automatically progress to become finalists for this category; thus only law departments that do not fall within those three sector-specific categories need to be nominated.
Open to all Canada-based general counsels, chief legal officers, heads of legal etc in in-house positions. Judged on transactions and other initiatives spearheaded and leadership qualities demonstrated through 2021.
Innes Dey
Albert Lin, Brookfield Infrastructure Cecile Chung, Samuel, Son & Co. Denis Boulianne, Ivanhoé Cambridge Francis Lecomte, Airbus Canada Limited Partnership Heather Mullen, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Health Leola Pon, Toronto District School Board
Ivanhoé Cambridge Sun Life
Open to all projects or initiatives executed by Canada-based law departments in 2021. Judged on the significance, innovativeness and impact of the project or initiative.
Gluckstein Lawyers Mason PC McCarthy Tétrault LLP (MT>3)
Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP
Judged on the extent to which firms have pushed through technological innovation and implemented fresh approaches in creating and delivering legal products, including utilizing technology and new business models, through 2021.
Oyen Wiggs Green & Mutala LLP
Smart & Biggar
Open to all Canada-based law firms that derived at least 50% of their 2021 revenue from IP matters. Judged on the quantity, quality, importance and innovativeness of legal work performed during calendar year 2021.
Branch MacMaster LLP
Lenczner Slaght
Open to all Canada-based law firms that derived at least 50% of their 2021 revenue from litigation and dispute resolution. Judged on the quantity, quality, importance and innovativeness of legal work performed during calendar year 2021.
Crawley MacKewn Brush LLP
Jensen Shawa Solomon Duguid Hawkes LLP (JSS Barristers)
Nathanson, Schachter & Thompson LLP
Singleton Urquhart Reynolds Vogel LLP
Thomson Rogers
Blaney McMurtry LLP Gluckstein Lawyers PooranLaw Professional Corporation Torkin Manes LLP
Open to firms that have offices only in Ontario, and offer a wide range of legal services. Judged on the quantity, quality, importance and innovativeness of legal work performed during calendar year 2021.
WeirFoulds LLP
McDougall Gauley LLP McKercher LLP Pitblado LLP Taylor McCaffrey LLP
Thompson Dorfman Sweatman LLP
Open to firms that have offices only in Saskatchewan and/or Manitoba, and offer a wide range of legal services. Judged on the quantity, quality, importance and innovativeness of legal work performed during calendar year 2021.
Galileo Partners Lawyers Inc. Langlois Lawyers, LLP
Lavery Lawyers
Open to firms that have offices only in the province of Quebec (extending across the river to include Ottawa), and offer a wide range of legal services. Judged on the quantity, quality, importance and innovativeness of legal work performed during calendar year 2021.
Clark Wilson LLP Farris LLP Hakemi & Ridgedale LLP Harper Grey LLP Lawson Lundell LLP Roper Greyell LLP
Burnet, Duckworth & Palmer, LLP
Craig A.B. Ferris, QC, FCIArb., Lawson Lundell LLP
Open to all Canada-based litigators Judged on the quantity, quality, importance and innovativeness of litigation work performed during calendar year 2021.
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG)
Nadia Effendi
Laura Cooper, Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP
Peter Griffin, Lenczner Slaght
Philip J. Prowse, Prowse Chowne LLP
Sarit E. Batner, McCarthy Tétrault LLP
Charles Gluckstein, Gluckstein Lawyers
Baker McKenzie
Stephanie Vaccari
Open to all managing partners, CEOs or similar of Canada-based law firms. Judged on achievements, leadership and performance through 2021.
James Speakman, Clark Wilson LLP
John Murphy, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG)
Mia Hempey, Nelligan Law
Robert Seidel, Q.C., DLA Piper (Canada) LLP
Tom Curry, Lenczner Slaght
Aird & Berlis LLP - The ABDI Educational Curriculum Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG) - LGBTQ2s+ Firm Hop Dentons Canada LLP - Indigenous inclusion: Foundations for reconciliation TD Bank - TD Bank Diversity Initiatives 2021
Open to all Canada-based law firms and law departments. Judged on the concrete steps the law firm or law department took during 2021 to promote diversity and inclusion in the legal profession.
Life in Law (LiL)
Harper Grey LLP
McCarthy Tétrault LLP
Judged on the concrete steps taken by the law firm during 2021 to demonstrate a commitment to any or all of the following; EDI as a core organizational value, to strengthen access to justice for underrepresented communities, to advance legal services through innovation, and to invest in legal education through mentorship and beyond.
Gale Law Professional Corporation Jamieson Law Lenczner Slaght
Gowling WLG is an international law firm built on the belief that the best way to serve you is to be in tune with your world, aligned with your opportunity and ambitious for your success. With more than 1,500 legal professionals around the world, we provide our clients with in-depth knowledge in key global sectors and a suite of legal services at home and abroad. We see the world through our clients' eyes, and collaborate across countries, offices, service areas and sectors to help them succeed, no matter how challenging the circumstances. For more information, visit gowlingwlg.com/en
TD Bank
Jane Langford
Open to all Canada-based women lawyers. Judged on professional accomplishments, leadership, community involvement, and the extent to which the individual has either passively or actively contributed to gender equality in the legal profession in 2021.
Kate Salter, Ryerson University Lara Speirs, Randstad Canada Lilac Bosma, HSBC Bank Canada
Ethical Associates Inc.
Ena Chadha
Ashlee Froese, Froese Law Danielle Bisnar, Cavalluzzo LLP Karen Perron, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG) Kim Jakeman, QC, Harper Grey LLP Lindsay Charles, McLeish Orlando LLP Molly Reynolds, Torys LLP Sana Halwani, Lenczner Slaght Sherry Fitzsimmons, Q.C., McDougall Gauley LLP Yola Ventresca, Lerners LLP
Access Pro Bono BC - Virtual Family Mediation Project Dentons Canada LLP - Galloway v A.B, 2019 BCSC 395 DLA Piper (Canada) LLP - The Black and Indigenous Business Law Clinic
Initiative to support evacuations from Afghanistan
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG) / Landings LLP
Open to any single pro bono or not-for-profit initiative executed by a Canada-based law firm or law department in 2021. Judged on the impact of the initiative and its contribution to society and the community.
Heron Law Offices - Heron Law’s initiative to help Indigenous people reclaim their traditional names
Taylor McCaffrey LLP - Manitoba families challenge Family Maintenance Act for LGBTQ2S+ discrimination
