Freshfields ditches Vancouver legal services hub in favour of Toronto launch
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has abandoned plans to open a second legal services centre in Vancouver, The Lawyer has learned.
Gowling WLG announces international board as merger goes live
Gowling WLG has officially launched today (22 February), sealing the announcement by naming the firm’s international board. The merger between Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co and Canadian firm Gowlings was announced last July but senior management, up until now, have failed to reveal who will sit on the new firm’s six-member board. Wragges chief executive […]
IP a big winner as Gowling WLG reveals new global sector focus
Gowling WLG has revealed the new firm will focus its global offering across four major sectors following the merger between Canada’s Gowlings and Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co later this month. The four sectors will be: advanced manufacturing; energy and natural resources; technology; and life sciences. Wragges’ strategic development director Jenny Hardy said: “The sector […]
Why Canadian firms lead on gender balance
Canadian firms haven’t quite cracked gender equality at -partnership level but they are far ahead of those in other -countries, and are on track to improve even further
Gowlings CEO Joliffe steps down ahead of Wragges merger
Gowlings Scott Jolliffe is stepping down from his role as chair and CEO and will be replaced by the firm’s external managing partner Peter Lukasiewicz in the New Year. Jolliffe is stepping down prior to the Canadian firm’s merger with Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co, which is set to go live in January under the […]
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Fasken Martineau launches consultation to cut 70 roles in London
Fasken Martineau is in the midst of an internal consultation that could see it cut 70 positions from its London office to “refocus” its operation in the UK. Sources close to the firm said the 70 proposed exits could include as many as 20 partners. Its London partner numbers currently stand at 22, according to its […]
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A&O shuts Toronto office as regional head moves in-house
Allen & Overy (A&O) is closing its office in Toronto following the departure of office head François Duquette. Duquette, who led the office after moving to Canada last year, is taking on an in-house role at Canadian investor Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec. His departure, just one year after the office launched, means […]
Special report, Canada: merging to survive and thrive?
Competition among Canada’s independent law firms is getting fiercer. Will some choose to follow Gowlings into a merger rather than continue to go it alone?
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Wragges seals Gowlings tie-up to create Anglo-Canadian powerhouse
Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co has confirmed plans to merge with Canada’s Gowlings less than 18 months after the tie-up between Wragge & Co and Lawrence Graham. The merged firm, called Gowling WLG, will have more than 1,400 lawyers and legal professionals operating from 18 locations. The deal will go live in January 2016 and […]
Blake Cassels, Cravath and Weil Gotshal advise as GE sells fleet business for $6.9bn
Blake Cassels & Graydon, Cravath Swaine & Moore and Weil Gotshal & Manges have all won top roles as General Electric (GE) sells its fleet businesses in the US, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand to Element Financial Corporation for $6.9bn (£4.4bn). Weil Gotshal partner Jon-Paul Bernard represented longstanding client GE Capital from New York. He […]
Freshfields New York partner joins Royal Bank of Canada as GC
The Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) has hired Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer commercial litigation partner David Onorato as its new general counsel. Onorato joined the bank after almost six years in the magic circle firm’s New York office. He replaced David Allgood who retired on 1 May after 17 years at RBC. Before joining Freshfields, Onorato […]
Nabarro and Clifford Chance hired by Canadian investors on UK deals
Over the past week or so, there has been notable deal activity sprouting from one part of the world. Step forward, Canada – whose institutional investors have been on a spending spree on this side of the pond. Last week, Canada’s second-largest pensions fund Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) teamed up with […]