2022 Winners and Excellence Awardees
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Award Categories
Capital Markets Deal of the Year
Infrastructure & Projects Deal of the Year
Insolvency & Restructuring Deal of the Year
M&A Deal of the Year
Mid-Market Deal of the Year
Commercial Litigation Team of the Year
The Singleton Urquhart Reynolds Vogel LLP Award for Construction, Infrastructure and Transportation Law Department of the Year
Banking & Financial Institutions Law Department of the Year
Energy & Resources Law Department of the Year
Canadian Law Department of the Year
Law Department Leader of the Year
Law Department Innovation Award
The LexisNexis Canada Award for Best Use of Technology in a Law Firm
IP Boutique Law Firm of the Year
Litigation & Dispute Resolution Boutique Law Firm of the Year
Ontario Law Firm of the Year
Prairies Law Firm of the Year
Quebec Law Firm of the Year
Western Canada Law Firm of the Year
Litigator of the Year
Managing Partner of the Year
The Bereskin & Parr Award for Diversity Initiative of the Year
The Lincoln Alexander School of Law Award for Shaping the Future
The Gowling WLG Award for Female Trailblazer of the Year (In-House Counsel)
The Gowling WLG Award for Female Trailblazer of the Year (Private Practice)
Pro Bono Initiative of the Year
CAPITAL MARKETS DEAL OF THE YEAR
Winner: Definity Insurance IPO

Firms:
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, Stikeman Elliot LLP, Shearman & Sterling LLP
Accountants:
Ernst & Young LLP
Banks:
Barclays, BMO Capital Markets, RBC Capital Markets, CIBC Capital Markets, National Bank Financial Inc., UBS Securities Canada Inc., Desjardins Securities Inc., Raymond James Ltd., Canaccord Genuity Corp., Cormark Securities Inc., Scotia Capital, TD Securities Inc.
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
CAE purchase of L3Harris Technology Military Training Assets
Firms:
Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP, DLA Piper, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP
Accountants:
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Banks:
Goldman Sachs, RBC Capital Markets
Launch of Sprott Physical Uranium Trust
Firms:
Stikeman Elliott LLP, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP, Goodmans LLP, Thorsteinssons LLP, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP
Banks:
Cormark Securities Inc.
Li-Cycle Corp go-public SPAC Transaction
Firms:
McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer US LLP, Kirkland & Ellis LLP, Maples and Calder (Cayman) LLP, Ogier
Accountants:
Deloitte, Withum Smith+Brown, PC
Banks:
Barclays, Citi, Cowen, INFOR Financial Inc., UBS Investment Bank
Northern Private Capital purchase of MacDonald Dettwiler and IPO
Firms:
Goodmans LLP, Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, Covington & Burling LLP, Vinson & Elkins LLP, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP
Telus International IPO
Firms:
Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP
Accountants:
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
INFRASTRUCTURE & PROJECTS DEAL OF THE YEAR
Winner: Henvey Inlet Wind LP Refinancing
Firms:
Torys LLP, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
Burnaby Hospital Redevelopment
Firms:
DLA Piper (Canada) LLP, McMillan LLP, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP
Banks:
Canada Infrastructure Bank
Pembina Pipeline Corp Acquisition of Stake in Cedar LNG Project
Firms:
Stikeman Elliott LLP, Bennett Jones LLP, Miller Titerle Law Corporation, Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP
Scarborough Subway Extension P3 Advanced Tunnel Project
Firms:
Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, DLA Piper (Canada) LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP
St. Paul’s Hospital and Health Campus Project
Firms:
Bennett Jones LLP, Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, Reynolds Mirth Richards & Farmer LLP
INSOLVENCY & RESTRUCTURING DEAL OF THE YEAR
Winner: Groupe Dynamite CCAA and Chapter 15 Restructuring

Firms:
McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Camelino Galessiere LLP, Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP, Minden Gross LLP, Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, Dentons, Kirkland & Ellis
Accountants:
Deloitte Restructuring Inc.
Banks:
National Bank of Canada, Bank of Montreal, The Toronto-Dominion Bank and Fédération des caisses Desjardins du Québec
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
CannTrust Group – CCAA Plan of Arrangement
Firms:
McCarthy Tétrault, Aird & Berlis LLP, Bennett Jones, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Crawley MacKewn Brush LLP, Dentons Canada LLP, Henein Hutchison LLP, Kalloghlian Myers LLP, Lax O’Sullivan Lisus Gottlieb LLP, Siskinds LLP, Stikeman Elliot LLP, Stockwoods, Strosberg Sasso Sutts, Torys LLP, Tyr LLP, Cleary Gottlieb, Paul Weiss, Skadden
FNX-INNOV Successful Opposition to City of Montreal’s SCC appeal in SM Group Restructuring
Firms:
Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP
iAnthus Capital Holdings Restructuring
Firms:
Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP, Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, Kornfeld Shapray & Partners LLP, McMillan LLP, M. Singh Law, Skylaw Professional Corporation, Stikeman Elliott LLP, Duane Morris LLP
Banks:
Canaccord Genuity
North American Lithium restructuring under CCAA
Firms:
Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, Woods LLP
Spectra Premium Group Insolvency
Firms:
Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, Fishman Flanz Meland Paquin sencrl/LLP, Lavery de Billy LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Miller Thomson LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP, Dickinson Wright, FCA US LLC
M&A DEAL OF THE YEAR
Winner: Brookfield Acquisition and Privatization of Inter Pipeline
Firms:
McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Burnet, Duckworth & Palmer LLP, Davies Ward Phillips and Vineberg LLP, Dentons Canada LLP, Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, Torys LLP, White & Case
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
Alstom acquisition of Bombardier Transportation
Firms:
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, Cleary Gottlieb, Freshfields, Jones Day
Canadian Pacific Railway – Kansas City Southern Merger
Firms:
Davies Ward Phillips and Vineberg LLP, Bennett Jones LLP, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, Torys LLP, Baker & Miller PLLC, Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez, S.C., Freshfields LLP, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP, Law Office of David L. Meyer, Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, White & Case, S.C., Willkie Farr & Gallagher, WilmerHale
Banks:
BofA Securities, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, BMO Capital Markets, Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Evercore
Cenovus Energy – Husky Energy Merger
Firms:
Bennett Jones LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, Stikeman Elliot LLP, Norton Rose Fulbright, Paul Weiss, Skaddens
IFM and Ontario Teachers Joint Acquisition of Enwave Canadian District Energy Operations
Firms:
Goodmans LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP, Torys LLP, Mayer Brown LLP
Synnex Corporation Acquisition of Tech Data
Firms:
DLA Piper, Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Cooley LLP, Davies Ward Phillips and Vineberg LLP, Cooley LLP
Tilray – Aphria merger
Firms:
DLA Piper, Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Cooley LLP, Davies Ward Phillips and Vineberg LLP, Cooley LLP
Accountants:
PwC, Deloitte
Banks:
Jefferies LLC, Cowen, Imperial Capital
MID-MARKET DEAL OF THE YEAR
Winner: Agnico Eagle Acquisition of TMAC Resources
Firms:
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP, DLA Piper (Canada) LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP, Torys LLP
Banks:
Trinity Advisors Corporation, First Asia Group Ltd., Blair Franklin Capital Partners, BMO Capital Markets, CIBC Capital Markets
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
CVC Capital Partners and Caisse de Dépôt et Placement du Québec Acquisition of Majority Stake in BlueFocus Intelligent Communication Group’s international group of marketing, advertising, and communications agencies
Firms:
Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, White & Case
Accountants:
PJT Partners
Empire Company Acquisition of Longo’s
Firms:
Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, Stewart McKelvey, Stikeman Elliott LLP
Newmont Purchase of GT Gold
Firms:
Stikeman Elliott LLP, Davies Ward Phillips and Vineberg LLP, Goodmans LLP, Lawson Lundell LLP, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP
Banks:
BMO Capital Markets, Maxit Capital LP, Agentis Capital Mining Partners, Rothschild & Co.
TMX acquisition of AST Investor Services
Firms:
Torys LLP, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
WELL Health Technologies Acquisition of CRH Medical
Firms:
Torys LLP, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Clark Wilson LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Chapman & Cutler, Foley Lardner, Skaddens
Accountants:
KPMG
Banks:
JP Morgan
COMMERCIAL LITIGATION TEAM OF THE YEAR
Winner: Goodmans LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP – Cineplex v. Cineworld

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
Alberta Securities Commission, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Burnet, Duckworth & Palmer LLP, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Dentons Canada LLP – Re Bison Acquisition Corp., 2021 ABASC 100 (Order) / Re Bison Acquisition Corp., 2021 ABASC 188
Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, Nathanson, Schachter & Thompson, Torys LLP, Attorney General of British Columbia – Wastech Services Ltd. v. Greater Vancouver Sewerage and Drainage District, 2021 SCC 7
Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, Aitkin Klee LLP – Pharmascience Inc. v. Pfizer Canada ULC
Olthuis Kleer Townshend LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Department of Justice Canada – Tataskweyak Cree Nation et al. v. Canada and Curve Lake First Nation et al. v. Canada
THE SINGLETON URQUHART REYNOLDS VOGEL LLP AWARD FOR CONSTRUCTION, INRASTRUCTURE AND TRANSPORTATION
LAW DEPARTMENT OF THE YEAR
Winner: EllisDon

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
Canada Post Corporation
Greater Toronto Airports Authority
Infrastructure Ontario
Metrolinx
BANKING & FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS LAW DEPARTMENT OF THE YEAR
Winner: Definity Financial Corporation

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
Intact Financial Corporation
Novacap
ENERGY & RESOURCES LAW DEPARTMENT OF THE YEAR
Winner: Enbridge

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
TransAlta Corporation
CANADIAN LAW DEPARTMENT OF THE YEAR
Winner: Cineplex Entertainment

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
Celestica Inc.
City of Vaughan
Definity Financial Corporation
EllisDon
Enbridge
Ivanhoé Cambridge
LAW DEPARTMENT LEADER OF THE YEAR
Winner: Innes Dey – Definity Financial Corporation

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
Albert Lin – Brookfield Infrastructure
Cecile Chung – Samuel, Son & Co.
Denis Boulianne – Ivanhoé Cambridge
Francis Lecomte – Airbus Canada Limited Partnership
Heather Mullen – Johnson & Johnson Consumer Health
Leola Pon – Toronto District School Board
LAW DEPARTMENT INNOVATION AWARD
Winner: Enbridge

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
Excellence Awardees
Ivanhoé Cambridge
Sun Life
THE LEXISNEXIS CANADA AWARD FOR BEST USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN A LAW FIRM
Winner: Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
Gluckstein Lawyers
Mason PC
McCarthy Tétrault LLP (MT>3)
IP BOUTIQUE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR
Winner: Smart & Biggar LLP

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
Oyen Wiggs Green & Mutala LLP
LITIGATION & DISPUTE RESOLUTION BOUTIQUE LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR
Winner: Lenczner Slaght

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
Branch MacMaster LLP
Crawley MacKewn Brush LLP
Jensen Shawa Solomon Duguid Hawkes LLP (JSS Barristers)
Nathanson, Schachter & Thompson LLP
Singleton Urquhart Reynolds Vogel LLP
Thomson Rogers
ONTARIO LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR
Winner: WeirFoulds LLP

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
Blaney McMurtry LLP
Gluckstein Lawyers
PooranLaw Professional Corporation
Torkin Manes LLP
PRAIRIES LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR
Winner: Thompson Dorfman Sweatman LLP
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
McDougall Gauley LLP
McKercher LLP
Pitblado LLP
Taylor McCaffrey LLP
QUEBEC LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR
Winner: Lavery Lawyers

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
Galileo Partners Lawyers Inc.
Langlois Lawyers, LLP
WESTERN CANADA LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR
Winner: Burnet, Duckworth & Palmer, LLP

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
Clark Wilson LLP
Farris LLP
Hakemi & Ridgedale LLP
Harper Grey LLP
Lawson Lundell LLP
Roper Greyell LLP
LITIGATOR OF THE YEAR
Winner: Nadia Effendi – Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG)

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
Craig A.B. Ferris, QC, FCIArb. – Lawson Lundell LLP
Laura Cooper – Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP
Peter Griffin – Lenczner Slaght
Philip J. Prowse – Prowse Chowne LLP
Sarit E. Batner – McCarthy Tétrault LLP
MANAGING PARTNER OF THE YEAR
Winner: Stephanie Vaccari – Baker McKenzie

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
Charles Gluckstein – Gluckstein Lawyers
James Speakman – Clark Wilson LLP
John Murphy – Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG)
Mia Hempey – Nelligan Law
Robert Seidel, Q.C. – DLA Piper (Canada) LLP
Tom Curry – Lenczner Slaght
LAW DEPARTMENT INNOVATION AWARD
Winner: Teck Resources Ltd.’s business transformation program – RACE21TM
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
CPP Investments’ deal risk rating frameworks and app
IBI Group’s process automation tools
Royal Bank of Canada’s contest rules compliance and global brand portfolio management
Siemens’ Healthineers in Canada app
THE BERESKIN & PARR AWARD FOR DIVERSITY INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR
Winner: Harper Grey LLP – Life in Law (LiL)
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
Aird & Berlis LLP – The ABDI Educational Curriculum
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG) – LGBTQ2s+ Firm Hop
Dentons Canada LLP – Indigenous inclusion: Foundations for reconciliation
TD Bank – TD Bank Diversity Initiatives 2021
THE LINCOLN ALEXANDER SCHOOL OF LAW AWARD FOR SHAPING THE FUTURE
Winner: McCarthy Tétrault LLP

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
Gale Law Professional Corporation
Jamieson Law
Lenczner Slaght
THE GOWLING WLG AWARD FOR FEMALE TRAILBLAZER OF THE YEAR (IN-HOUSE COUNSEL)
Winner: Jane Langford – TD Bank

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
Kate Salter – Ryerson University
Lara Speirs – Randstad Canada
Lilac Bosma – HSBC Bank Canada
THE GOWLING WLG AWARD FOR FEMALE TRAILBLAZER OF THE YEAR (PRIVATE PRACTICE)
Winner: Ena Chadha – Ethical Associates Inc.

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
Ashlee Froese – Froese Law
Danielle Bisnar – Cavalluzzo LLP
Karen Perron – Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG)
Kim Jakeman, QC – Harper Grey LLP
Lindsay Charles – McLeish Orlando LLP
Molly Reynolds – Torys LLP
Sana Halwani – Lenczner Slaght
Sherry Fitzsimmons, Q.C. – McDougall Gauley LLP
Yola Ventresca – Lerners LLP
PRO BONO INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR
Winner: Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG) / Landings LLP – Initiative to support evacuations from Afghanistan

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
Access Pro Bono BC – Virtual Family Mediation Project
Dentons Canada LLP – Galloway v A.B, 2019 BCSC 395
DLA Piper (Canada) LLP – The Black and Indigenous Business Law Clinic
Heron Law Offices – Heron Law’s initiative to help Indigenous people reclaim their traditional names
Taylor McCaffrey LLP – Manitoba families challenge Family Maintenance Act for LGBTQ2S+ discrimination