Norton Rose adds four Toronto partners with Gowlings hires

Gowlings mining and natural resources partners David McIntyre, Robert Mason and Janet Howard have joined Norton Rose in the Canadian hub alongside corporate and real estate partner Janet Lee.

McIntyre, a former deputy general counsel of Brazilian miner Vale, will take a role in the firm’s China-focused practice, while Mason and Howard both focus on M&A and corporate finance within the resources sector.

Lee, meanwhile, has a record advising Chinese clients on their operations in Canada.

The firm has also hired Gowlings consultant Yufei Luo, who focuses on Chinese investors in the Canadian resources industry, with the Ottawa-based corporate, corporate finance and banking specialist taking on the same title at the UK firm.

Meanwhile, Gowlings corporate consultant Lei Huang has moved to Norton Rose as a lawyer in Beijing, with the China and Canada specialist previously based in Ottawa.

Norton Rose Canada managing partner John Coleman said in a statement: “The mining sector and Asian markets are key areas of growth in Canada and globally, and our new members are highly seasoned and experienced in both.”

The hires come after Norton Rose expanded its Toronto offering by adding Calgary-based Macleod Dixon to its network at the start of this year (4 October 2011).