2023 Excellence Awardees
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- Hundreds of nominations were received from firms and legal departments across the nation.
- The Awards research team reviewed all nominations, applying its own knowledge and some third-
party information, to identify the outstanding firms, teams, individuals, deals or cases in each category that receive an ‘’Excellence Award’’. - The second phase of the research process involves the ‘’Excellence Awards’’ nominations material being forwarded to the extensive independent judging panel for scoring against strict criteria.
- Judges’ scores are aggregated to produce a Winner in each category.
- The Winners of each category will be announced during the Canadian Law Awards event on May 11, 2023.
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DEAL AWARDS
Excellence Awardees for the Deal Awards categories will be announced on April 19 in the Lexpert Special Edition on Finance and M&A and on the event website.
CASE AWARD
Commercial Litigation Team of the Year
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG); Gilbert Séguin Guilbeault - Lamoureux v. Organisme canadien de réglementation du commerce des valeurs mobilières (OCRCVM), 2022 QCCA 685
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP; Lax O'Sullivan Lisus Gottlieb LLP; Bennett Jones LLP - Commissioner of Competition v Rogers Communications, Inc. and Shaw Communications, Inc.
Fasken - Owsianik v. Equifax Canada Co., 2022 ONCA 813
Lawson Lundell LLP- Remington Development Corporation v. Canadian Pacific Railway Company, 2022 ABKB 692
Lenczner Slaght - Annapolis Group Inc v Halifax Regional Municipality, 2022 SCC 3
Stikeman Elliott LLP; Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP - Centerra Gold Inc. v. Bolturuk, 2022 ONSC 1040
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP; Lax O'Sullivan Lisus Gottlieb LLP; Bennett Jones LLP - Commissioner of Competition v Rogers Communications, Inc. and Shaw Communications, Inc.
Fasken - Owsianik v. Equifax Canada Co., 2022 ONCA 813
Lawson Lundell LLP- Remington Development Corporation v. Canadian Pacific Railway Company, 2022 ABKB 692
Lenczner Slaght - Annapolis Group Inc v Halifax Regional Municipality, 2022 SCC 3
Stikeman Elliott LLP; Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP - Centerra Gold Inc. v. Bolturuk, 2022 ONSC 1040
IN-HOUSE AWARDS
Law Department Innovation Award
EY Canada
Ivanhoé Cambridge
Lightspeed Commerce
Mila - Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute
Wattpad Corp.
Ivanhoé Cambridge
Lightspeed Commerce
Mila - Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute
Wattpad Corp.
The Lawson Lundell LLP Award for Law Department Leader of the Year
Marisa Muchnik - Ferrero Canada Limited
Erin Eizenman - MaRS Discovery District
Eric Tilley - Ontario Infrastructure and Lands Corporation (Infrastructure Ontario)
Jay Vaghela - Propel Holdings Inc.
Roger Chouinard - QuadReal Property Group
Patti Chan - Sunwing Travel Group
Erin Eizenman - MaRS Discovery District
Eric Tilley - Ontario Infrastructure and Lands Corporation (Infrastructure Ontario)
Jay Vaghela - Propel Holdings Inc.
Roger Chouinard - QuadReal Property Group
Patti Chan - Sunwing Travel Group
Banking & Financial Services Law Department of the Year
The winner of this category will automatically progress to become an excellence awardee in Canadian Law Department of the Year
HSBC Bank Canada
Otéra Capital
Scotiabank
Otéra Capital
Scotiabank
The Singleton Urquhart Reynolds Vogel LLP Award for Construction, Infrastructure and Transportation Law Department of the Year
The winner of this category will automatically progress to become an excellence awardee in Canadian Law Department of the Year.
Alstom Group
BC Hydro
Brivia Group
Metrolinx
Pomerleau
TransAlta Corporation
VIA Rail Canada Inc.
BC Hydro
Brivia Group
Metrolinx
Pomerleau
TransAlta Corporation
VIA Rail Canada Inc.
The LexisNexis Canada Award for Canadian Law Department of the Year
Winners of the two-sector-specific law department awards will automatically progress to become excellence awardees for this category
QuadReal Property Group
Sunwing Travel Group
Valsoft Corporation Inc.
Wattpad Corp.
Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF)
Sunwing Travel Group
Valsoft Corporation Inc.
Wattpad Corp.
Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF)
FIRM AWARDS
Boutique Law Firm of the Year
BH Legal
Glaholt Bowles LLP
Green and Spiegel LLP
Hicks Morley Hamilton Stewart Storie LLP
Landings LLP
McLeish Orlando
Glaholt Bowles LLP
Green and Spiegel LLP
Hicks Morley Hamilton Stewart Storie LLP
Landings LLP
McLeish Orlando
IP Boutique Law Firm of the Year
Gilbert's LLP
ROBIC LLP
Smart & Biggar
ROBIC LLP
Smart & Biggar
Litigation & Dispute Resolution Boutique Law Firm of the Year
Adair Goldblatt Bieber LLP
Crawley MacKewn Brush LLP
Jensen Shawa Solomon Duguid Hawkes LLP (JSS Barristers)
Lax O'Sullivan Lisus Gottlieb LLP
Lenczner Slaght
Singleton Urquhart Reynolds Vogel LLP
Crawley MacKewn Brush LLP
Jensen Shawa Solomon Duguid Hawkes LLP (JSS Barristers)
Lax O'Sullivan Lisus Gottlieb LLP
Lenczner Slaght
Singleton Urquhart Reynolds Vogel LLP
Litigator of the Year
François Grondin - Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG)
Peter Aprile - Counter Tax Litigators LLP
Grant Vogeli, KC - Lawson Lundell LLP
Crawford Smith - Lax O'Sullivan Lisus Gottlieb LLP
Monique Jilesen - Lenczner Slaght
Sarit Batner - McCarthy Tétrault LLP
Peter Aprile - Counter Tax Litigators LLP
Grant Vogeli, KC - Lawson Lundell LLP
Crawford Smith - Lax O'Sullivan Lisus Gottlieb LLP
Monique Jilesen - Lenczner Slaght
Sarit Batner - McCarthy Tétrault LLP
Managing Partner of the Year
Stuart Wood - Caravel Law LLP
Kristin Taylor - Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP
James Speakman - Clark Wilson LLP
Tim Haney - Dentons Canada LLP
Morgyn Chandler - Hammerco Lawyers LLP
Kevin Kiley - McInnes Cooper
Brendon Pooran - PooranLaw
Kristin Taylor - Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP
James Speakman - Clark Wilson LLP
Tim Haney - Dentons Canada LLP
Morgyn Chandler - Hammerco Lawyers LLP
Kevin Kiley - McInnes Cooper
Brendon Pooran - PooranLaw
Regional Law Firm of the Year – Atlantic Canada
McInnes Cooper
Stewart McKelvey
Stewart McKelvey
Regional Law Firm of the Year – Ontario
Blaney McMurtry LLP
Torkin Manes LLP
WeirFoulds LLP
Torkin Manes LLP
WeirFoulds LLP
Regional Law Firm of the Year – Prairies
McDougall Gauley LLP
McKercher LLP
Thompson Dorfman Sweatman LLP
McKercher LLP
Thompson Dorfman Sweatman LLP
Regional Law Firm of the Year – Quebec
Langlois Lawyers, LLP
Lavery
Lavery
Regional Law Firm of the Year – Western Canada
Burnet, Duckworth & Palmer LLP
Farris LLP
Lawson Lundell LLP
Farris LLP
Lawson Lundell LLP
The LEAP Legal Software Award for Family Law Firm of the Year
Benmor Family Law Group
Burrison Hudani Doris LLP
Crossroads Law
Epstein Cole LLP
MacLean Law
McCarthy Hansen & Company LLP
Russell Alexander Collaborative Family Lawyers
Burrison Hudani Doris LLP
Crossroads Law
Epstein Cole LLP
MacLean Law
McCarthy Hansen & Company LLP
Russell Alexander Collaborative Family Lawyers
The LexisNexis Canada Award for Best Use of Technology in a Law Firm
Caravel Law LLP
Counter Tax Litigators LLP
Fasken
Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP
Torys LLP
Counter Tax Litigators LLP
Fasken
Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP
Torys LLP
LEGAL PROFESSION AWARDS
Diversity Initiative of the Year
Access Pro Bono Society of BC - Everyone Legal Clinic
Aird & Berlis LLP - Indigenous Community Initiatives and Support
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG) - The PRISME Conference
Fasken - Fasken's Commitment to Reconciliation
Gale Law Professional Corporation - NCA Network
McCarthy Tétrault LLP - Mentorship Plus Program
TransAlta Corporation - Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I) Program
Aird & Berlis LLP - Indigenous Community Initiatives and Support
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG) - The PRISME Conference
Fasken - Fasken's Commitment to Reconciliation
Gale Law Professional Corporation - NCA Network
McCarthy Tétrault LLP - Mentorship Plus Program
TransAlta Corporation - Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I) Program
Female Trailblazer of the Year (In-House Counsel)
Terrie-Lynne Devonish - Altus Group Limited
Ashley Butts - BASF Canada Inc.
Shara Roy - EY Canada
Patricia Callon - Sun Life
Noren Howg - TransAlta Corporation
Ashley Butts - BASF Canada Inc.
Shara Roy - EY Canada
Patricia Callon - Sun Life
Noren Howg - TransAlta Corporation
Female Trailblazer of the Year (Private Practice)
Cherie Brant - Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG)
Alicia Quesnel - Burnet, Duckworth & Palmer LLP
Corina S. Weigl - Fasken
Sania Chaudhry - Forte Workplace Law
Ivanna Iwaykiw - Jellinek Ellis Gluckstein Lawyers
Yola Ventresca - Lerners LLP
Alison Babbitt - Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP
Charmaine Panko - Panko Collaborative Law & Mediation
Janice Rubin - Rubin Thomlinson LLP
Alicia Quesnel - Burnet, Duckworth & Palmer LLP
Corina S. Weigl - Fasken
Sania Chaudhry - Forte Workplace Law
Ivanna Iwaykiw - Jellinek Ellis Gluckstein Lawyers
Yola Ventresca - Lerners LLP
Alison Babbitt - Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP
Charmaine Panko - Panko Collaborative Law & Mediation
Janice Rubin - Rubin Thomlinson LLP
Pro Bono Initiative of the Year
Dentons Canada LLP - 30 Birds Foundation
DLA Piper (Canada) LLP - The Clinic (The Black and Indigenous Business Law Clinic)
McCarthy Tétrault LLP - British Columbia (Attorney General) v. Council of Canadians with Disabilities, 2022 SCC 27
Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP - Obtaining relief for taxpayers from financial loss
PooranLaw - I Decide Law Program
Waterloo Region Community Legal Services - Representation of Residents of Homeless Encampment at Superior Court in Municipal/Constitutional case
WeirFoulds LLP - Five-Country Eastern Caribbean Constitutional Challenge
DLA Piper (Canada) LLP - The Clinic (The Black and Indigenous Business Law Clinic)
McCarthy Tétrault LLP - British Columbia (Attorney General) v. Council of Canadians with Disabilities, 2022 SCC 27
Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP - Obtaining relief for taxpayers from financial loss
PooranLaw - I Decide Law Program
Waterloo Region Community Legal Services - Representation of Residents of Homeless Encampment at Superior Court in Municipal/Constitutional case
WeirFoulds LLP - Five-Country Eastern Caribbean Constitutional Challenge
The Lincoln Alexander School of Law Award for Shaping the Future
Access Pro Bono Society of BC
Caravel Law LLP
Community Justice Collective
Counter Tax Litigators LLP
Fasken
Suresh Law
Caravel Law LLP
Community Justice Collective
Counter Tax Litigators LLP
Fasken
Suresh Law