Chambers Canada Awards 2023

The awards are based on the research for the 2024 edition of Chambers Canada. These awards reflect a law firms pre-eminence in key practice areas.

They also reflect notable achievements over the past 12 months including outstanding work, impressive strategic growth and excellence in client service.

Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg
Dentons
Fasken
Gowling WLG (Canada)
Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt

Winner - Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg

In this renamed award, which considers firm strength across our Banking & Finance and Capital Markets tables, Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg were the firm that stood out most prominently, when all feedback and work evidence was assessed.

Promotion to band 1 as an overall department in the Banking & Finance table was a significant achievement, as was retaining band 2 recognition in Capital Markets. A particular theme this year was the progression of individuals of all levels up the table, with Scott Hyman, Derek Vesey and Carol  Pennycook promoted to bands 3, 2 and 1 respectively.

Fasken
Goodmans
McCarthy Tétrault
Norton Rose Fulbright
Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt

Winner - Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt

During research for the 2024 Canada Guide, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt evidenced strong work and generated excellent client feedback across our Corporate/Commercial tables, which contributed to their securing the Corporate Law Firm of the Year Award.

In Quebec, the firm was promoted to band 2, fortifying its strong presence in corporate tables for all provinces, as evidenced by its band 1 and 2 rankings in Ontario and Alberta respectively.

This success continued on the individual level too – not only was Jeremy Fraiberg promoted to band 1 in the Ontario table, but three individuals achieved Up-and-Coming recognition: Sophie Amyot, Kelsey Armstrong and Justin Sherman.

Blake, Cassels & Graydon
Fasken
McCarthy Tétrault
Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt
Roper Greyell

Winner - Fasken

Fasken remains a powerhouse firm for employment & labour matters, with the firm retaining band 1 department rankings in the provinces of Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia.

A huge number of clients responded to verify the firm’s expertise in this area, resulting in a number of lawyers being promoted further up the tables, particularly in the British Columbia section, where Lorene Novakowski, Clayton Jones and Stephanie Gutierrez all rose in the rankings.

Baker McKenzie
Blake, Cassels & Graydon
Goodmans
Stikeman Elliott
Torys

Winner - Torys

Torys has long held significant ability in both the Intellectual property and life sciences arenas, and this once again is reflected in their recognition in the 2024 Canada Guide, with the firm retaining band 1 and band 2 department rankings in both tables.

Most significantly this year, client feedback evidenced a strength of team that expands beyond powerhouse lawyers like Eileen McMahon and Andrew Shaughnessy. Nicole Mantini achieved Up-and-Coming recognition in our Intellectual Property: Litigation table this year, while 3 associates were also recognised: Denise Ramsden, Melanie Rowand and Tasha De Freitas.

Blake, Cassels & Graydon
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg
McCarthy Tétrault
Orr Taylor
Rochon Genova

Winner - McCarthy Tétrault

McCarthy received copious amounts of strong feedback from client referees and lawyers alike in contentious sections this year, supporting their strong department rankings in an array of sections, including band 1 designation in Class Action: Defence and Ontario: Litigation: General Commercial.

Furthermore, the firm also had lawyers promoted to band 1 in the Commercial Litigation tables for 3 different provinces: Michael Feder in British Columbia, Mason Poplaw in Quebec and Sarit Batner in Ontario. 

Bennett Jones
Blake, Cassels & Graydon
Cassels Brock & Blackwell  
McCarthy Tétrault
Torys

Winner - Blake, Cassels & Graydon

Blake, Cassels & Graydon continues to demonstrate exceptional ability across all Energy and Projects sections in the Canada Guide. The firm supplemented its band 1 department rankings in Energy & Natural Resources: Oil & Gas and Projects: PPP with a promotion to band 2 in the Power section.

Furthermore, the firm saw a raft of lawyers promoted higher in the rankings this year, with the most notable being Keith Byblow, Lars Olthafer and Terri-Lee Oleniuk, who all secured band 2 recognition in our Oil & Gas tables.

Bennett Jones
Blake, Cassels & Graydon
Borden Ladner Gervais
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg
Richards Buell Sutton

Winner - Bennett Jones

Bennett Jones evidenced strength in Real Estate matters across the entire breadth of Canada this year, making the decision to award the firm Real Estate Law Firm of the Year a straight forward one. Alongside retaining band 1 and band 2 recognition in Alberta and British Columbia respectively, the firm was promoted to band 2 in the Ontario section.

Given this strength in multiple provinces, is therefore no surprise that the firm also achieved band 1 recognition in the Nationwide Real Estate section for the first time.

BCF
Conlin Bedard 
Kornfeld, Shapray & Partners
Lax O'Sullivan Lisus Gottlieb
Stewart McKelvey

Winner - BCF

BCF cemented its place as a firm with a significant presence in the Quebec market by achieving department rankings in 4 areas this year:

Litigation: General Commercial Quebec
Real Estate: Zoning & Land-Use Quebec
Life Sciences – Nationwide
Immigration – Nationwide

The firm achieved this recognition due to an outpouring of support from impressed clients, which also contributed to Elsa Agostinho gaining first time recognition in our Immigration table.