Gowling WLG > Ottawa, Canada > Firm Profile

Gowling WLG > The Legal 500 Rankings

Canada > Indigenous law Tier 1

Gowling WLG's practice group specializes in advising First Nations, Métis and Inuit governments on self-government agreements, resource development projects, tax matters, environmental assessments and mining resource agreements. The team has additional experience in litigation. Practice lead Paul Seaman splits his time between the firm’s Toronto and Vancouver offices and majors on assisting Indigenous clients with high-profile resource development projects, including those involving mining, oil & gas pipelines, LNG, forestry and electricity generation.

Canada > Intellectual property Tier 1

IP powerhouse Gowling WLG stands out for its unrivalled national platform — which takes in seven offices across the country — as well as for its ability to leverage on-the-ground teams in the UK, Europe, the UAE and China. The group’s global coverage and comprehensive service offering marks it as a first port of call for major companies looking for support on domestic and multinational IP issues, with its strong suits encompassing the full range of patents, trademarks, designs, trade secrets, copyrights, advertising and IP litigation matters. The department is led jointly by Canadian IP head Shelagh Carnegie (Toronto), who stands out for her premier trademark prosecution practice; John Harris (Ottawa), who spearheads the patents area; Will Boyer (Ottawa), who serves as head of IP litigation and strategy; and Nelson Godfrey (Vancouver), who fronts the trademark group. The firm’s formidably deep bench additionally benefits from the senior expertise of seasoned IP litigators Christopher Van Barr (Ottawa), Michael Crichton (Ottawa) and Laurent Massam (Toronto). Also highly recommended are: Ottawa-based trademark specialists Martha Savoy and Paula Clancy; Toronto-based Natalie Rizkalla-Kamel, who focuses on contentious work involving patents, trademarks and copyrights; and Ottawa-based patent partner Jay Zakaïb. An impressive pool of younger lawyers includes next generation partner Charlotte McDonald, who specializes in IP litigation and trademarks, as well as talented associate Jasleen Chahal — both are in Toronto.

Canada > Business immigration Tier 2

The business immigration offering at Gowling WLG encompasses applications for corporate employee transfers, temporary work permits, permanent residency and citizenship, as well as the development of immigration and international mobility policies for multinationals and startups alike. Leadership of the department is shared between Kitchener-based Bill MacGregor, who has focused his practice exclusively on corporate and business immigration mandates; and Toronto-based Andrew Bratt. Krista Schofer heads up the firm’s western Canadian immigration practice and is well-versed in assisting corporate clients with hiring foreign nationals in Canada and the United States.

Canada > Cannabis Tier 2

Gowling WLG’s cannabis practice impresses with its ‘unparalleled ability to navigate complex legal landscapes’. The multidisciplinary group combines strength in transactional and regulatory work, with the wider firm’s intellectual property prowess reflected in a client list that is dominated by life sciences companies. Alongside its work for producers, it also acts for investors and retailers, among others. Key highlights included corporate and securities partner Peter Simeon advising Khiron Life Sciences on the $3m sale of its European subsidiaries to 2518542 Alberta. Toronto-based Simeon jointly leads the team together with Ottawa-based regulatory and commercial law specialist Lewis Retik. IP-focused Natalie Rizkalla-Kamel is also recommended in Toronto.

Canada > Construction Tier 2

Fielding one of the largest construction groups in the country, Gowling WLG’s generous national platform ensures that it can draw on sector specialists from across its seven Canadian offices. The practice is well weighted between front-end and back-end work, where it acts for an impressive roster of leading domestic and multinational construction companies, governmental authorities and private-sector owners, among other clients. Toronto-based Ted Betts spearheads the department and specializes in non-contentious construction, with an emphasis on the infrastructure and energy spheres; he is representing McMaster Innovation Park on the development of a C$1bn research facility. Names to note on the contentious side include Brian Kapusianyk (Calgary), next-generation partner Sahil Shoor (Kitchener) and associate Tristan Neill (Kitchener).

Energy and natural resources > Power Tier 2

Gowling WLG fields a comprehensive power practice that draws on transactional and regulatory specialists in the renewables, energy transition and nuclear spheres. The team additionally benefits from its ability to lean on the wider firm’s prominent offerings in Indigenous, environmental and infrastructure law. Ahab Abdel-Aziz serves as global director of nuclear power generation and recently advised Atomic Energy of Canada on its memorandum of understanding with AtkinsRéalis to deploy CANDU reactors in Canada and internationally. Thomas Timmins heads the Canadian energy group and is recommended for projects work. Also noted are energy regulation partner Ian Mondrow and nuclear law associate Magdalena Hanebach. Named lawyers are based in Toronto.

Canada > Environment Tier 2

During 2023/24, Gowling WLG’s environmental law team handled a slew of high-stakes litigation cases. Among its recent highlights in this space, Toronto-based Jennifer Danahy represented the Responsible Plastic Use Coalition on its successful challenge of the decision to add ‘plastic-manufactured items’ to the toxic substances list in the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. Toronto-based Adam Chamberlain steers the climate change and environmental law practice and is admitted in all three of Canada’s territories as well as in Ontario, positioning him well to advise on environmental and Indigenous law issues. Toronto-based Rodney Northey is a seasoned environmental law expert and is highly regarded for his regulatory expertise.

Canada > Infrastructure projects Tier 2

Gowling WLG’s construction offering is reflected in its in infrastructure work and it handles a significant volume of matters on behalf of project developers and subcontractors, including litigation. The team is additionally well versed in representing project owners, particularly public sector authorities. Mark Platteel (Toronto) maintains a thriving projects practice and recently paired up with next-generation partner Natasha Rana (Toronto) to advise Dragados Canada, Acciona Infrastructure Canada and Aecon Infrastructure Management on their joint bid for Phase One of the Calgary Green Line Light Rail Transit Project. Ted Betts (Toronto) and Luc Lissoir (Montreal) co-head the team together with Platteel.

Canada > Dispute resolution: Alberta Tier 3

Canada > Dispute resolution: Ontario Tier 3

The Ontario disputes group at Gowling WLG group is known for its activity in aviation, insolvency and restructuring, banking, procurement, white-collar crime and competition-related disputes. The firm boasts four Ontario offices, located in Hamilton, Ottawa, Toronto and Kitchener. Key contacts include Sandra Barton (commercial litigation matters, class action defence, professional liability defence); Scott Kugler (commercial disputes, including class actions, and shareholder disputes); and Sahil Shoor (construction, infrastructure and real estate disputes).

Canada > Dispute resolution: Quebec Tier 3

Gowling WLG's Quebec disputes practice is well-placed to represent clients in shareholder and partnership disputes, derivatives litigation, securities litigation and class actions, as well as breach of contract and product liability matters. Real estate, commercial, environmental, insolvency and construction litigation are additional key areas of focus for the group. Charles Daviault acts as practice head. Additional contacts of note include Guy Poitras, who has experience acting for manufacturers in individual and class actions for damages pertaining to defective products; Mathieu Lévesque, who specializes in contentious insolvency and restructuring mandates; and Alexandre Sami, who handles product liability matters and commercial litigation.

Canada > Insurance Tier 3

Gowling WLG maintains a diverse interdisciplinary insurance offering that intersects the insurance and professional liability, financial institutions and services and financial services regulation teams. From Toronto, litigator Belinda Bain heads the practice and is equipped to advise on insurance, insurtech, municipal liability and professional liability, among other areas. In Calgary, Paul Stein KC is noted for insurance litigation. Filomena Frisina recently retired from the firm, while Rachel Runge joined Intact Financial Corporation.

Canada > International trade Tier 3

A particularly active team on the customs side, Gowling WLG’s international trade practice has also recently undertaken work concerning economic sanctions, and Canadian export controls and permits, among other matters. Administrative law specialist Wendy Wagner steers the practice from Ottawa and brings to bear strong experience in both regulation and litigation. Ottawa-based associate Hunter Fox provides support.

Canada > Media and entertainment Tier 3

Lawyers in Gowling WLG’s media and entertainment team are ‘smart, practical, responsive and strategic’. The group intersects with the firm’s IP and corporate practices to provide full-service support to clients across a mix of industry spheres, with strong recent showings in the music publishing, online gaming and book publishing segments. The department is driven out of Toronto by Susan Abramovitch, who handles contract drafting and negotiation, dispute resolution and regulatory work.

Canada > Public procurement Tier 3

The practice group at Gowling WLG is equipped to assist both bidders and procuring entities with a range of federal, provincial and municipal-level mandates. The team’s has particular expertise in procurement disputes, including challenges before the CITT and the Federal Court of Appeal. Leadership of the department is shared between Graham Ragan, who specializes in Indigenous law and procurement matters; and procurement specialist Stephanie Pearce, who routinely represents clients in judicial review of government and tribunal decisions. Christina Kaminski is the key associate-level contact.

Canada > Real estate Tier 3

Gowling WLG channels the global bench strength of its 7 national locations to advise multinational development companies, financial institutions, national retailers, Canadian and international pension funds, First Nations, Crown corporations, REITs, private utilities and health care institutions, on a diverse spectrum of matters across the practice area. They range from real estate acquisitions and dispositions, master planned community developments (an area in which the firm shows particular expertise), joint ventures and construction to land-use planning and large-scale industrial, airport and shopping centre redevelopments and the leasing of commercial, retail, industrial and hotel properties. The practice is led by Mark Giavedoni in Hamilton, Ontario, who brings extensive experience to condominium structures and developments, commercial leases and purchase and sale transactions. In Vancouver, Murray Braaten provides expertise to developers and lending institutions in major commercial, real estate and resort investment and development matters, along with Paulina Kam, who, additionally, advises on site acquisition, land assemblies rezoning and subdivision and servicing requirements.

Canada > Restructuring and insolvency Tier 3

Gowling WLG's practice group is frequently called upon by debtors, creditors and court appointed officers seeking support with multi-jurisdictional restructuring and insolvency mandates. Montreal-based Geneviève Cloutier heads up the national department and specializes in insolvency and restructuring, distressed acquisitions and commercial litigation. Also noted are Toronto-based David Cohen, who majors on corporate and commercial law and restructuring and insolvency mandates; and Calgary-based Sam Gabor, who focuses on court-appointed receivership and interim receivership proceedings, CCAA restructurings and out-of-court restructurings.

Canada > Tax Tier 3

Canada > Technology Tier 3

The group at Gowling WLG takes care of a range of technology mandates, from M&A transactions, technology agreements (including cloud services, systems integration, and collaboration agreements) to privacy and cybersecurity matters. Aimee Halfyard heads up the department. Additional key contacts include Ottawa-based national cybersecurity & data protection co-lead Wendy Wagner, who specializes in data processing agreements and privacy impact assessments; and Toronto-based Parna Sabet-Stephenson, who focuses on outsourcing, technology law and e-commerce.

Transport > Aviation Tier 3

The practice group at Gowling WLG handles a range of aviation mandates, among them customer and supply agreements, M&A, procurement agreements, lease agreements, financing, regulatory matters and litigation. The department is directed by Toronto-based Thomas Timmins, who specializes in energy project development and finance. Other names to note include Ottawa-based Cynthia Elderkin, who regularly advises on the licensing, regulation, leasing, sale, purchase and financing of commercial, business and personal aircraft; and Montreal-based David Kierans, who majors on secured lending, project finance and aviation finance.

Canada > Corporate and M&A Tier 4

Canada > Dispute resolution: British Columbia Tier 4

Energy and natural resources > Mining Tier 4

Powered by 7 national locations and a presence spanning the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Asia, the mining practice at Gowling WLG delivers expertise in mid-market matters, assisting domestic and multinational mining operations on a wide range of matters, from mineral exploration and project finance to joint ventures, environmental issues and high-value, cross-border M&A. The team is headed by R. Ian Mitchell, an expert in securities and corporate finance, who advises on M&A, public offerings, private placements and regulatory compliance. Other figures of note include Erik Goldsilver, who brings over 20 years of experience guiding projects throughout their entire lifecycle; France Tenaille, who brings expertise in Latin America, having practiced in both Ontario and Venezuela; and, in Vancouver, business department head Brett Kagetsu and Cyndi Laval, who specialises in advising publicly-listed companies in the resources industry. Key support is provided by associate James Stewart (also Vancouver). Unless noted, all lawyers identified work in the Toronto office.

Energy and natural resources > Oil and gas Tier 4

The oil and gas group at Gowling WLG forms a key part of the firm’s wider energy offering and it draws on its sizeable national — and international — platform to handle a range of corporate, finance, construction, litigation and regulatory law matters. Calgary-based Andrew Lamb heads the practice and specializes in transactional work, with a focus on projects and infrastructure-related matters. Calgary-based associate Adriana da Silva Bellini provides support on both regulatory and transactional issues.

Canada > Labour and employment Tier 4

The practice group at Gowling WLG regularly assists financial services, manufacturing, tech, life sciences, retail and public sector clients with a range of advisory and contentious labour and employment matters. Leadership is shared between Toronto-based Andrew Bratt, Maxwell Brunette, who splits his time between Calgary and Vancouver, and Montreal-based Josée Gervais. Bettina Burgess of the Kitchener office is an additional key contact.

Canada > Banking and finance

Gowling WLG’s banking and finance practice garners a significant volume of real estate-related transactions, with Toronto-based based lending head, Christopher Alam, additionally leading the real estate team in Toronto. The national group also includes Calgary-based Elizabeth Burton, who specializes in energy, real estate and agribusiness-related financings; Toronto-based Kelby Carter, who advises on transactional and regulatory matters; and Toronto’s Robert Farmer, who — like Alam — also demonstrates a strong record in real estate-related work.