Gowlings is pleased to announce that Peter Lukasiewicz, who currently serves as the firm’s external managing partner, will succeed Scott Jolliffe as Gowlings’ chair and chief executive officer (CEO), effective Jan. 1, 2016.
As the chair and CEO of Gowlings, Lukasiewicz will also serve as a representative on the global board of Gowling WLG, the new international legal practice created by the combination of Gowlings and Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co (WLG), announced earlier this year and launching in January 2016.
Jolliffe, who has led Gowlings for the past two decades, will continue his practice and take on a new role as one of Gowlings’ three representatives on the global board of Gowling WLG
“The appointment of Peter to this role has been a long time in the making, and received overwhelming support from our partners across the firm when it was finalized earlier this year,” said Jolliffe. “Peter and I have worked side by side over the last 20 years. During this time, he has helped to shape Gowlings into the firm it is today, and has been a driving force in our combination with WLG. With the upcoming launch of Gowling WLG in January, I look forward to continuing to work closely with Peter in my new role on our global board.”
“I am honoured to have been elected by the partners as the next CEO of Gowlings,” said Lukasiewicz. “We have been tremendously well-served by Scott’s leadership over the past 20 years — a period in which we have become one of Canada’s leading law firms. We look forward to Scott’s continuing leadership contributions as we embark on the next phase of our evolution through Gowling WLG.”
For the past two years, Peter Lukasiewicz has served on Gowlings’ Executive Committee as one of the firm’s two managing partners, with primary responsibility for client relationships. He previously served as managing partner of the firm’s Toronto office for 15 years.
In addition to his management roles at Gowlings, Lukasiewicz practises as a senior commercial litigator, counselling and representing domestic and global clients in a wide range of complex commercial disputes. He has been repeatedly recognized as one of Canada’s leading commercial litigators by the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory and The Best Lawyers in Canada.
Lukasiewicz recently completed his term as president of The Advocates’ Society, Canada’s premier organization for advocates, and holds the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors. He has been actively involved as a member of numerous boards and community organizations, including chairing Ryerson University’s board of governors from 2006 to 2010, and serving on the board of directors of Indspire, an Indigenous-led charity that invests in the education of First Nation, Inuit and Métis students across Canada, and its predecessor organizations for the past 25 years.
Gowlings is a leading Canadian and international law firm, with over 700 legal professionals serving clients in 10 offices across Canada and around the world. Whether your needs relate to business law, high-stakes litigation or intellectual property matters, we provide a full range of legal services to meet your unique needs and rise to any challenge that comes your way.
In January 2016, Gowlings will be joining forces with Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co (WLG), a leading U.K. law firm, to launch a new international legal practice called Gowling WLG. With more than 1,500 legal professionals in 18 cities across Canada, the U.K., Europe, Asia and the Middle East, Gowling WLG will be a Global 100 legal practice from day one. It will also be the first international legal combination to be co-led by a Canadian firm.
Gowling WLG refers to Gowling WLG International Limited, an English Company Limited by Guarantee, and/or one or more of its members Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP, Gowling WLG (UK) LLP or any of their affiliated firms, each of which will remain a separate legal entity. Learn more about the Gowling WLG structure.