Tax boutique Felesky Flynn LLP has enjoyed a strong year on the back of its broad practice focus. Well weighted between corporate tax planning and tax disputes, the firm is noted for its strong skill sets in resource taxation and butterfly spin-off transactions. A leader in Alberta, with strong platforms in Calgary and Edmonton, the group also leans on teams in Toronto and Saskatchewan. The national department is co-led by Calgary partners Craig McDougall KC and Anthony Strawson KC, who both handle a wide scope of contentious and non-contentious work, together with Edmonton-based Jeremy Herbert.

Thorsteinssons LLP focuses exclusively on tax law from its offices in Vancouver and Toronto. The firm’s boutique model makes it a popular choice for law firm referrals, and it frequently links up with national firms to provide specialist support on complex matters. In Vancouver, managing partner David Christian is noted for his expertise in corporate reorganizations and the taxation of owner-managed businesses. In Toronto, tax planning partner Michael Colborne and tax litigator Matthew Williams are key contacts.

Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP‘s premier tax practice is particularly recognized for its strength in cross-border transactions, complex securities matters and commodity tax. Paul Stepak leads the national team and is noted for his niche expertise in acting for foreign private equity players on the tax aspects of their Canadian investments. Mark Tonkovich spearheads the tax litigation and controversy group and routinely represents clients in proceedings against the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and the Department of Justice. Up-and-coming partner Jeffrey Shafer continues to handle a mix of transactional tax, litigation and transfer pricing matters; he recently led the tax advice to Penn National Gaming on its $2bn acquisition of Score Media and Gaming. Other key contacts include high-profile senior counsel Jeffrey Trossman, Zvi Halpern-Shavim, who has an emphasis on indirect tax, and Andrew Spiro, who is noted for real estate investment-related matters. All named practitioners are based in Toronto.

McCarthy Tétrault‘s tax practice has grown extensively in recent years, and the firm continues to invest in its national offering. Among its recent hires, in July 2021 it added new department co-head Brett Anderson in Calgary who he joined from Felesky Flynn LLP. The team also welcomed Stefanie Dewey from Baker McKenzie in January 2022 who joins in Toronto. Transactional specialist Raj Juneja spearheads the group and recently acted alongside Anderson to advise Newcrest Mining on the tax aspects of its agreement to acquire Pretium Resources for C$3.5bn. Other recommended names on the transactional tax side include Gabrielle Richards, counsel Douglas Cannon and increasingly prominent ‘technical superstar‘ Jeff Oldewening, all of whom are in Toronto. Additionally, the team draws on seasoned tax litigators Robert Kopstein, who splits his practice between Calgary and Vancouver, and senior counsel Chia-Yi Chua in Toronto.

Among Bennett Jones LLP‘s key attributes, the tax team demonstrates strength in cross-border transactions and energy and natural resources-related work. In terms of the former, it is distinguished by its ability to team up with its New York office to advise on multi-jurisdictional matters. Names to note include Calgary-based partner Darcy Moch, who is sought after for his extensive transactional tax experience, with notable expertise in M&A, corporate reorganizations and cross-border financings. On the contentious side, the group draws on the experience of tax litigation head Edwin Kroft KC, who splits his time between Vancouver and Toronto, and Calgary-based Jehad Haymour. The national group is led jointly by Toronto-based Thomas Bauer, whose practice takes in both contentious and non-contentious tax, and Calgary-based tax planning specialist Anu Nijhawan.

Torys‘ institutional relationships with major private equity players, banks, pension funds and corporations translates into a thriving transactional tax practice, which excels in complex M&A, capital markets and finance-related matters. Cross-border work is another sweet spot, with the firm routinely pairing up with its New York office to provide multi-jurisdictional advice. Jerald Wortsman leads the group and is highly regarded for his record in domestic and international corporate tax planning. Other key contacts for transactional tax include Corrado Cardarelli, Gwen Watson and Calgary-based Craig Maurice, who specializes in energy and natural resources tax. The department also houses robust contentious expertise, with Martha MacDonald a key contact for tax litigation involving transfer pricing, tax avoidance and foreign tax credits, among other issues. Named practitioners are based in Toronto unless otherwise stated.

Borden Ladner Gervais LLP‘s comprehensive group advises on the full gamut of tax matters, from corporate tax and estate planning, through to commodity tax and transactional matters. Additionally, the department houses a capable disputes unit, which is well versed in all stages of tax litigation. Craig Webster steers the group from Toronto and has an emphasis on investment funds-related matters. Toronto-based Steve Suarez is recommended for his broad tax practice, which spans transactional and contentious issues. Calgary-based Laurie Goldbach fronts the tax litigation team.

Distinguished by its broad national footprint, Dentons‘ Canadian tax team is split between five offices across the country; its ability to plug into the wider firm’s global group is also a significant differentiator. In Toronto, department head Mark Jadd has a focus on the tax aspects of M&A transactions and internal reorganizations. Also in Toronto, impressive up-and-coming partner Larry Nevsky is recommended for his adept handling of a range of transactional, advisory and contentious tax matters. Vancouver-based tax litigator Joel Nitikman is another key contact.

Among its sweet spots, Fasken‘s tax team stands out for its experience in cross-border tax, where it leans on its international platforms in London and Johannesburg. The firm’s signature mining practice also marks it as a popular choice to handle energy and natural resources-related issues. Toronto-based Christopher Steeves steers the group and routinely advises on the tax aspects of corporate restructurings and acquisitions; he additionally has experience in transfer pricing and tax disputes. Alain Ranger and Michael Coburn are also recommended in Montreal and Vancouver respectively.

Gowling WLG‘s tax team was recently bolstered by a pair of lateral hires into Calgary: in September 2021 Lesley Kim joined from Miller Thomson, while tax litigator Dan Misutka joined in January 2022 from Felesky Flynn LLP. Led from Toronto by Paul Carenza, the national group is experienced across a range of contentious and non-contentious matters, including transactional tax, indirect tax, international tax and transfer pricing-related issues. Other key contacts include Ash Gupta, who is noted for corporate tax planning, and tax disputes specialist John Sorensen, both are based in Toronto.

Tax lawyers at McMillan LLP demonstrate ‘top-notch technical knowledge combined with the ability to provide practical business advice’, according to clients. The national group is noted for its standalone offerings in advisory and transactional work, and tax dispute resolution; with almost half of its contentious work involving transfer pricing matters. Michael Friedman heads the team from Toronto and brings to bear strong all-round experience in tax planning, transactional tax and transfer pricing. Other key contacts include Todd Miller in Toronto, Steven Sitcoff in Montreal and Calgary-based Ted Thiessen.

Drawing strength from its extensive national and global platform, Norton Rose Fulbright’s tax practice acts for a mix of public and private companies, private equity players and individuals on contentious and non-contentious tax matters. The national group includes well-staffed teams in Canada’s four key commercial centres and is led jointly by Montreal-based litigator Dominic Belley, who has argued over 200 cases, and Dion Legge, who has a focus on transactional tax matters. Other key contacts include Toronto-based Adrienne Oliver and Jules Charette in Montreal, both have an emphasis on corporate tax planning.

Deloitte Legal Canada LLP handles a significant volume of contentious tax cases, with strong skill sets in domestic and international income tax, the goods and services tax (GST) and the harmonized sales tax (HST), as well as customs-related matters. Up-and-coming tax litigator Olivier Fournier splits his practice between Toronto and Montreal and co-heads the group together with Vancouver-based tax planning partner Joyce Lee, and litigators Joel Scheuerman and Mike Collinge, who are based in Calgary and Toronto respectively.

Lawson Lundell LLP enjoys a strong reputation for its experience in representing Canada-based institutional investors, including pension plans, on tax matters. The group also frequently advises on the tax structuring of M&A, corporate restructurings, securities offerings and finance transactions, and is additionally equipped to advise on contentious tax issues. Leonard Glass and Reinhold Krahn jointly lead the team from Vancouver. Calgary-based Nancy Diep is noted for her resource tax expertise.