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Canada’s biggest law firms based on attorney numbers have certain things in common. They service major companies frequently listed on the Fortune 500 list, the Fortune 100 list, and sometimes even consult for governments. They are mostly based in Toronto where the overwhelming majority of business law is conducted but have their offices spread across the globe, as most of their companies operate in more than one country.
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
With thousands of attorneys under their employment, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, or BLG, is one of the foremost law firms in Canada. This limited liability partnership (LLP) provides a variety of services, aiming to offer optimum results for every client. The firm’s staff is almost entirely bilingual. For its efforts, BLG has been featured in many national and international legal publications.
BLG offers advice and direction in legal matters to national and multinational corporations. It also represents a number of public institutions, including governmental agencies, health care facilities and universities. The firm also serves clients operating private businesses and charities. Along with these clients, BLG takes on a great many pro bono cases each year. Its attorneys work together with intellectual property agents, additional legal professionals, and extensive support staff. These workers operate out of five principal offices in Canada, serving a large number of national and international clients.
Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP
Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP, or Gowling WLG, is another leading law firm in Canada, employing more than 1,500 legal professionals. The WLG in their name is stylized from their founding firm, Gowlings and Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co. Their many professionals operate in over 10 offices in Canada and around the world, providing clients with a full range of legal services, including high-stakes litigation and intellectual property matters.
Gowlings prides itself on being fully knowledgeable of each client’s situation. The firm has a global outreach utilizing its international offices, located in Moscow, Beijing, London, Brazil, Belgium, and other countries and cities. Gowlings is noted for having developed Gowlings Practical, an innovative legal approach designed to help keep clients’ legal matters moving in the right direction, on budget and on time.
Fasken LLP
One of the top international litigation and business law firms in Canada, Fasken LLP has over 800 lawyers spread across ten offices on four continents. Offices for this firm are located all across Canada, including Toronto, Calgary, Ottawa, and Quebec. The firm has international offices located in Paris and London, as well as a branch office in South Africa and China.
This firm is noted for providing legal advice and services to a majority of the companies on the Fortune 100 list. It also works with government agencies and non-profit organizations.
Norton Rose Fulbright LLP
Norton Rose Fulbright LLP operates a global practice and serves some of the world’s most distinguished companies and financial institutions. The firm has extensive legal support staff working with its 4,000 attorneys based in 50+ cities throughout Canada, Europe, Australia, and the Middle East.
The firm’s operations in Canada offer legal services in areas such as employment and labor, intellectual property, general business law, and litigation. The firm is noted for its strength in advising on banking decisions, corporate disputes, business method patents, international arbitration, and real estate.
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, or Blakes, is another international legal firm and a frequent winner of awards. The firm was established in 1856 and has grown almost exponentially over the space of a century and a half. Blakes has principal offices in Ottawa, Vancouver, and Montreal. Internationally, the firm maintains offices in the United Kingdom, mainland China, and the United States.
Blakes also serves as a member of the advisory board for TechLaw Group, a global network of law firms operating in more than 30 countries to advance the legal interests of clients engaged in technology-related business areas.