Gowling WLG achieves 394 rankings and two "Law Firm of the Year" honours in Best Lawyers™ in Canada 2021

27 August 2020

Gowling WLG has achieved its strongest showing to date in the Best Lawyersin Canada, with 237 lawyers earning a total of 394 rankings across 58 practice areas in the 2021 edition of the guide. The firm was also recognized with two "Law Firm of the Year" distinctions. These rankings are a strong testament to the firm's deep commitment to client service excellence and bold market leadership.

Law Firm of the Year

The firm was recognized as the 2021 Canadian "Law Firm of the Year" in the Corporate and Medical Negligence categories – prestigious honours that speak to the firm's ability to help its clients overcome a variety of complex legal obstacles.

Clients around the world continue to trust the firm's Corporate Group in Canada with their most challenging matters and high-stakes transactions – including with respect to corporate governance, M&A, private equity, reorganizations and restructurings, shareholder agreements, and general counsel services. Last month, Gowling WLG was ranked number one for Canadian M&A deals in the first half of 2020, according to league tables published by Refinitiv and Bloomberg. Additionally, Refinitiv ranked Gowling WLG among the top 25 law firms for global mid-market transactions.

Gowling WLG's Medical Defence & Health Law Group has more than a century of experience defending the rights, reputation and businesses of health care practitioners before self-regulating colleges and governmental regulatory bodies across Canada. The firm's professionals in this area – many of whom are trained in science, medicine and related technologies – pair their advanced legal skills with sophisticated sector experience to analyze potential risks and implement robust defence strategies tailored to their clients' unique circumstances.

Lawyer of the Year

Twelve Gowling WLG partners have been named "Lawyer of the Year," an increase of 33 per cent in the number of individuals recognized in last year's guide. This significant accolade is reserved for those lawyers who received the highest overall peer feedback rating in their region and practice area.

This is the fifth consecutive year in which Regina Corrigan has achieved the esteemed distinction, and the second consecutive year in which Domenic Crolla and Christopher Van Barr have attained it.

Individual Rankings

In Best Lawyers in Canada 2021, Gowling WLG saw an increase of 10 per cent in the number of professionals included in the guide since last year. Among the 237 lawyers ranked, 96 are ranked across multiple areas, and 33 are new additions to the list.

The following professionals from the firm's offices in Calgary, Hamilton, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver and Waterloo Region earned listings in the 2021 guide:

Administrative and public law

Brian Crane, QC
François Dandonneau
Mark Giavedoni
Laura B. Stewart
Wendy J. Wagner

Advertising and marketing law

Daniel Cole
Brian R. Fraser
Sébastien Gardère
Laura Gomez
Paule Hamelin
John G. Leckie
Lewis Retik
André Rivest
Susan Vogt

Alternative dispute resolution

Luc Deshaies, Ad. E.
Archie Rabinowitz
Kenneth J. Warren, QC
Michael S.F. Watson
D. Lynne Watt

Appellate practice

Brian A. Crane, QC
Louis A. Frapporti
Jeff Beedell

Asset-based lending practice

David B. Kierans
Frances K. Macklin
Robert Muncaster

Banking and finance law

Merie-Anne Beavis
David F.W. Cohen
Guy David
Amanda Jackson
David B. Kierans
Scott McLeman
Matthew E. Mitchell
Susan D. Rosen
Timothy Ross
Jean-François Vadeboncoeur
Derek Winnett
Lilly A. Wong

Bet-the-company litigation

Michael Bordin

Biotechnology law

Paul Armitage
Anthony G. Creber
Ronald E. Dimock
Brian G. Kingwell
Anita Nador
John Norman
Christopher C. Van Barr

Cannabis law

Robert G.S. Hull
Peter E. Simeon

Charities/Non-profit law

David. P. Stevens

Class action litigation

Sandra Barton
David C. Bishop
John E. Callaghan
Scott Kugler
Peter J. Lukasiewicz
Steven I. Sofer
Mary M. Thomson

Commercial leasing law

Joel A. Camley
Julie Desrochers
Stacey J. Handley
Manuel A. Martins
Susan D. Rosen
Laurie J. Sanderson
Darren J. Taylor
François Viau

Competition / Antitrust law

Ian Macdonald

Construction law

Neil S. Abbott
Edward (Ted) G. Betts
Darryl J. Brown
Stephen Carter-Edwards
Louis-Pierre Grégoire
Gary B. Laviolette
Brian G. Kapusianyk, QC
Kerry R. Powell
Alexandre Sami

Corporate and commercial litigation

Scott W. Beattie
Sandra Barton
David C. Bishop
Joëlle Boisvert
Michael Bordin
Todd J. Burke
John E. Callaghan
Clifford I. Cole
John S. Doherty
Benoit M. Duchesne
Alison Gray
Louis A. Frapporti
Scott Kugler
Peter J. Lukasiewicz
Martin L. Palleson
Guy Poitras
Malcolm N. Ruby
Steven I. Sofer
Anne Tardif
Kenneth J. Warren, QC
Michael S.F. Watson

Corporate law

Jonathan Behar
Edward (Ted) G. Betts
Todd Bissett
Guy David
Keith Desjardins
Robert Dorion
Viona M. Duncan
Cynthia L. Elderkin
Peter D. Fairey, QC
J. Scott Fletcher
Kenneth W. Hanbidge
Thomas K. Hunter
Derek S. Keay
A. Brent Kerr, QC
Peter Koch
Pierre Lissoir
Martin Mix
W. David Petras
Wayne B. Warren

Defamation and media law

Mark Bantey
Richard G. Dearden
Wendy J. Wagner

Director and officer liability practice

David C. Bishop
Kenneth J. Warren, QC

Education law

Mark Giavedoni

Energy law

Adam Chamberlain
Richard Gushue, QC
John Hurley
Pierre Legault
Ian A. Mondrow
James H. Smellie

Energy regulatory law

Adam Chamberlain
Paule Hamelin
John Hurley
Pierre Legault
Ian A. Mondrow
James H. Smellie

Entertainment law

Susan H. Abramovitch

Environmental law

Jessica Boily
Wally Braul
Adam Chamberlain
Harry Dahme
Jennifer Danahy
Jennifer King
Natalie Mullins
Rod Northey

Equipment finance law

David B. Kierans

Expropriation law

John S. Doherty

Family law

Carol A. Crawford

FinTech practice

Parna Sabet-Stephenson

Franchise law

Joëlle Boisvert
Martin L. Palleson
Peter VanVliet Snell
Debi M. Sutin

Health care law

Domenic A. Crolla
Donald J. Dow
Meredith Jones
Maureen Murphy
Robert Sheahan
Laura B. Stewart
Mary M. Thomson

Immigration law

Bill MacGregor

Indigenous law

Denis Blanchette
Wally Braul
Adam Chamberlain
Jean-Sébastien Clément
Brian A. Crane, QC
François Dandonneau
Maxime Faille
John Hurley
Joshua Jantzi
Jaimie Lickers

Information technology law

Paul Armitage
Regina M. Corrigan
Stephen Cross
Keith T. Desjardins
Peter D. Fairey, QC
Derek S. Keay
Brian Y. Lee
Parna Sabet-Stephenson
Marc A. Tremblay

Insolvency and financial restructuring law

Alexander Bayus
Andrew Bury, QC
Geneviève Cloutier
Virginie Gauthier
Clifton P. Prophet
Jonathan Ross
Lorne W. Segal
Leigh Ann Sheather
François Viau

Insurance law

Mike Adlem
Jacqueline Armstrong Gates
David C. Bishop
Todd J. Burke
Taryn C. Burnett
Mark O. Charron
David Hendricks
Brian G. Kapusianyk, QC
Megan L. McMahon
Philip W. Nykyforuk
Pasquale C. Peloso
Paul J. Stein, QC

Intellectual property law

Paul Armitage
Timothy C. Bailey
James H. Buchan
Shelagh Carnegie
Stéphane E. Caron
Regina M. Corrigan
Monique M. Couture
Anthony G. Creber
Michael Crichton
Ronald E. Dimock
Matthew Estabrooks
Scott E. Foster
Brian R. Fraser
Douglas G.H. Fyfe
Kelly Gill
Nelson Godfrey
Doak Horne
Jennifer Jannuska
Scott Jolliffe
Brian G. Kingwell
John G. Leckie
Brian Y. Lee
James E. Longwell
Robert A. MacDonald
Peter Milne
Frank Mulock
Anita Nador
Christopher J. Pibus
Marc Richard
Roch Ripley
Kevin Sartorio
Martha J. Savoy
Patrick Stewart Smith
Giovanna Spataro
Jane B.H. Steinberg
Lisa Thorne
Constance Too
Christopher C. Van Barr
Susan Vogt
D. Lynne Watt
Jennifer L. Wilkie

International trade and finance law

Richard G. Dearden
Wendy J. Wagner

Labour and employment law

Christopher M. Andree
Will Cascadden
David J. Corry, QC
Allen V. Craig
Luc Deshaies, Ad. E.
P.A. Neena Gupta
Mark Josselyn
John Peters
Pierre Pilote
Melanie Polowin
Elisa Scali
Michael Schalke
Craig J. Stehr

Legal malpractice law

Scott W. Beattie
Michael Bordin

Leveraged buyouts and private equity law

Luc Lissoir

Medical negligence

François Baril
Daniel Boivin
Taryn C. Burnett
Wayne Brynaert
Domenic A. Crolla
Donald J. Dow
Meredith Jones
Donna M. MacKenzie
Andrew W. McKenna
Megan L. McMahon
Jeffrey G. Mutter
Karen Pirie
Tim Ryan
Robert Sheahan
Laura B. Stewart
Katie Stys
Mary M. Thomson
Chantal Tourigny
Kenneth J. Warren, QC

Mergers & acquisitions law

Daniel Allen
Jonathan Behar
Todd Bissett
Robert Dorion
Viona M. Duncan
Peter D. Fairey, QC
Brett A. Kagetsu
Cyndi D. Laval
W. Ian Palm
Kathleen M. Ritchie
Tina M. Woodside-Shaw
Rafal Wrzesien

Mining law

Brett A. Kagetsu
Cyndi D. Laval
Stuart M. Olley
Kathleen M. Ritchie
France M. Tenaille
Tina M. Woodside-Shaw

Municipal law

Roberto Aburto
John S. Doherty
Peter Gross
Michael S. Polowin

Natural resources law

John Hurley
Jason A. Saltzman
James H. Smellie
Tina M. Woodside-Shaw

Oil & gas law

Richard Gushue, QC
Ian A. Mondrow
Lorne E. Rollheiser
James H. Smellie

Personal injury litigation

Mark O. Charron
Domenic A. Crolla
Donald J. Dow
Brian G. Kapusianyk, QC
Philip W. Nykyforuk
Pasquale C. Peloso
Paul J. Stein, QC
Mary M. Thomson

Privacy and data security law

Paul Armitage
Christopher Oates

Private funds law

Robert Dorion
Edward Johnston
Luc Lissoir
W. Ian Palm

Product liability law

David C. Bishop
Domenic A. Crolla
Brian G. Kapusianyk, QC
Pierre Legault
Guy Poitras
Malcolm N. Ruby
Paul J. Stein, QC
Mary M. Thomson
Alan West

Professional malpractice law

Scott W. Beattie
Todd J. Burke
Domenic A. Crolla
Donald J. Dow
Karen Pirie
Mary M. Thomson

Project finance law

Merie-Anne Beavis
Darryl J. Brown
Faithe H. Holder
David B. Kierans

Public procurement law

Harry Dahme
John Hurley
Luc Lissoir
Phuong T.V. Ngo

Real estate law

Murray Braaten
Darryl J. Brown
Julie Desrochers
John S. Doherty
Stacey J. Handley
Wayne A. Kerrick
Alain Lalonde
Mark A. McHughan
Andrew L. Oppenheim, QC
Michael S. Polowin
Laurie J. Sanderson
Darren J. Taylor

Securities law

Daniel M. Allen
Guy David
Robert G.S. Hull
Brett A. Kagetsu
Cyndi D. Laval
Luc Lissoir
Stuart M. Olley
W. Ian Palm
Kathleen M. Ritchie
Jason A. Saltzman
Steven I. Sofer
Tina M. Woodside-Shaw

Tax law

Brian Cohen
Daniel Lacelle
Stevan Novoselac
Yves Ouellette
John Sorensen
David P. Stevens
Ted Thiessen

Technology law

Paul Armitage
Regina M. Corrigan
Stephen Cross
Keith Desjardins
Peter D. Fairey, QC
Thomas K. Hunter
Derek S. Keay
Brian Y. Lee
W. Ian Palm
W. David Petras
Roch Ripley
Parna Sabet-Stephenson
Marc A. Tremblay

Trusts and estates

Douglas D. Buchmayer
Carole Chouinard
Brian Cohen
Robert R. Hagerman
David Lobl
Archie Rabinowitz
Sandra R. Stephenson, LSM
David P. Stevens

Venture capital law

Robert Dorion

Earlier this year, Best Lawyers recognized Gowling WLG professionals across the firm's offices in the UK, France, Germany and Russia. In the 2021 Best Lawyers guides for these respective countries, a combined total of 47 lawyers were distinguished as leaders.

Best Lawyers is an international series of guides that publishes annual listings of the leading lawyers in over 70 countries. Recognition is based entirely on an extensive peer-review process, with lawyers rating the professional abilities of colleagues within their area of practice.

Click here to view the complete list of Best Lawyers in Canada 2021.

People mentioned