2025 WINNERS & EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Award Categories

Capital Markets Deal of the Year

2025 CAPITAL MARKETS DEAL OF THE YEAR

Winner: TC Energy Corporation’s C$7.9 billion notes offering for Liquids Pipelines business spinoff

Canadian Law Firms
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP (counsel to TC Energy)

Non-Canadian Law Firms
White & Case LLP

Organizations
RBC Capital Markets
TC Energy Corporation

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Alimentation Couche-Tard’s concurrent US$1.5 billion and €1.35 billion notes offerings Canadian Law Firms

  • Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP (for the placing agents)
  • Stikeman Elliott LLP (for Alimentation Couche-Tard)

Non-Canadian Law Firms

  • Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP (for Alimentation Couche-Tard)
  • Simpson Thacher & Barlett LLP (for the placing agents)

Organizations

  • Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.
  • J.P. Morgan
  • PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
  • Wells Fargo

Browning West’s victory in Gildan Activewear proxy campaign
Canadian Law Firms

  • Goodmans LLP (lead counsel to Browning West, LP)

Non-Canadian Law Firms

  • Olshan Frome Wolosky LLP (US counsel to Browning West)

Canada’s C$4 billion 10-year Green Bond and additional C$2 billion reopening
Canadian Law Firms

  • BCF LLP (Government of Canada’s Translation Counsel)
  • Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP (acted for the syndicate of underwriters)
  • Field Law (Government of Canada’s Local Counsel (Initial Issuance and Re-Opening) – NWT and Nunavut)
  • Macdonald and Company (Government of Canada’s Local Counsel (Initial Issuance and Re-Opening) – Yukon)
  • McMillan LLP (lead law firm – acted as sole outside legal advisor to the Government of Canada)
  • MLT Aikins (Government of Canada’s Local Counsel (Initial Issuance and Re-Opening) – Saskatchewan and Manitoba)
  • Stewart McKelvey (Government of Canada’s Local Counsel (Initial Issuance and Re-Opening) – Atlantic Provinces)

Organizations

  • BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc. (underwriter)
  • Casgrain & Company Limited (underwriter)
  • CIBC World Markets Inc. (underwriter)
  • Desjardins Securities Inc. (underwriter)
  • Laurentian Bank Securities Inc.
  • Merrill Lynch Canada Inc. (underwriter)
  • National Bank Financial Inc. (underwriter)
  • RBC Dominion Securities Inc. (underwriter)
  • Scotia Capital Inc. (underwriter)
  • The Toronto-Dominion Bank (underwriter)

Infrastructure & Projects Deal of the Year

2025 Infrastructure & Projects Deal of the Year

Winner: Royal Bank of Canada’s C$13.5 billion acquisition of HSBC Bank Canada

Canadian Law Firms
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP (counsel to Royal Bank of Canada)
RBC Law Group (lead counsel to Royal Bank of Canada)
Miller Thomson LLP (counsel to HSBC Bank Canada board of directors)
Stikeman Elliott LLP (counsel to HSBC Global)

Non-Canadian Law Firms
A&O Sherman
Allen & Overy LLP (UK counsel to RBC)
Linklaters LLP (UK counsel to HSBC Global)
Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz (US counsel to RBC

Organizations
HSBC Global
Royal Bank of Canada

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Advent International, Philip Fayer, Novacap, and CDPQ’s US$6.3 billion joint acquisition of Nuvei Corporation
Canadian Law Firms

  • Bennett Jones (for BMO Capital Markets)
  • Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP (for Advent International)
  • Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP (for Novacap)
  • Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP (for Novacap)
  • Goodmans LLP (for TD Securities)
  • McCarthy Tétrault LLP (for CDPQ)
  • Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP (for Special Committee of Nuvei Corporation)
  • Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP (for Philip Fayer)
  • Stikeman Elliott LLP (for Nuvei)

Non-Canadian Law Firms

  • Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP
  • Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP
  • Kirkland & Ellis LLP
  • Mayer Brown LLP
  • Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP
  • Ropes & Gray LLP
  • Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP
  • Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP

Organizations

  • Advent International
  • Nuvei Corporation

Blackstone Real Estate’s C$5 billion acquisition of Tricon Residential
Canadian Law Firms

  • Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP (counsel to Blackstone)
  • Goodmans LLP (lead counsel to Tricon Residential Inc.)
  • Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP (Canadian counsel to the Special Committee of Tricon Residential (“Tricon”))

Non-Canadian Law Firms

  • Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP (US counsel to Tricon)
  • Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP (counsel to Blackstone)

Canadian Natural Resources Limited’s US$6.5 billion acquisition of Chevron’s Alberta assets
Canadian Law Firms

  • Bennett Jones LLP (lead counsel to Canadian Natural Resources)
  • Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP (counsel to Chevron)

Chord Energy and Enerplus C$11 billion merger
Canadian Law Firms

  • Goodmans LLP (counsel to Chord Energy Corporation)
  • Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP (counsel to Enerplus)

Non-Canadian Law Firms

  • Latham & Watkins LLP
  • Vinson & Elkins LLP (co-lead counsel to Chord Energy)
  • Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz (co-lead counsel to Chord Energy)

Glencore’s C$9.93 billion acquisition of Teck Resources Limited
Canadian Law Firms

  • Bennett Jones LLP (for Nippon Steel)
  • Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP (counsel to the Special Committee of the Board of Directors of Teck Resources Limited)
  • Borden Ladner Gervais (BLG) LLP
  • Felesky Flynn LLP (counsel to Teck Resources Limited)
  • McCarthy Tétrault LLP (counsel to Glencore plc)
  • Stikeman Elliott LLP (counsel to Teck Resources Limited)

Non-Canadian Law Firms

  • Covington & Burling LLP
  • Linklaters LLP
  • Norton Rose Fulbright
  • Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP (for Teck)
  • Sullivan & Cromwell LLP (for the Special Committee of the Board of Directors of Teck)

Organizations

  • Teck Resources Limited
  • Ardea Partners LP (financial advisor to Teck)
  • Barclays Capital Canada Inc. (financial advisor to Teck)
  • CIBC World Markets Inc. (financial advisor to Teck)
  • TD Securities Inc. (financial advisor to Teck)
  • BMO Capital Markets (financial advisors to the special committee of the Board of Directors of Teck)
  • Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC (financial advisors to the special committee of the Board of Directors of Teck)
  • Origin Merchant Partners (financial advisors to the special committee of the Board of Directors of Teck)

Insolvency & Restructuring Deal of the Year

Winner: Tacora Resources Inc.’s restructuring under CCAA

Canadian Law Firms
Bennett Jones LLP (acted for the primary creditor group)
Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP (FTI Consulting Canada Inc.)
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP (CrossingBridge Advisors, LLC)
Goodmans LLP (counsel to Cargill, Incorporated and Cargill International Trading Pte Ltd.)
McCarthy Tétrault LLP (for the controlling shareholder on the Tacora CCAA process)
Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP (lead counsel for Millstreet and OSP)
Stikeman Elliott LLP (counsel to the debtor, Tacora)

Organizations
Cargill, Incorporated
FTI Consulting Canada Inc.
GLC Advisors and Co. LLC
Greenhill Co & Canada Ltd
Jefferies LLC
Tacora

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Ayr Wellness cross-border cannabis restructuring
Canadian Law Firms

  • Goodmans LLP (Canadian counsel to the Plan Sponsors and Ad Hoc Committee)
  • Stikeman Elliott LLP (lead counsel to Ayr Wellness)

Non-Canadian Law Firms

  • Paul Hastings LLP (US counsel to the Ad Hoc committee of senior noteholders)
  • Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP (US counsel to Ayr Wellness)

Organizations

  • Ducera (financial advisor to the Ad Hoc committee)
  • Moelis (financial advisor to Ayr Wellness)

Taiga Motors Corp Inc.’s insolvency process
Canadian Law Firms

  • Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP (counsel for Deloitte Restructuring)
  • Lavery de Billy LLP (counsel for the acquirer – Stewart Wilkinson)
  • Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP (acted for Taiga Motors)
  • Stikeman Elliott LLP (counsel for Export Development Canada)

Organizations

  • Ernst & Young Inc.
  • Deloitte Restructuring

Xplore’s C$1.8 billion recapitalization
Canadian Law Firms

  • Bennett Jones LLP (for primary creditor group)
  • Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP (counsel to Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners)
  • Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
  • Chaitons LLP (lead counsel to Amynta Surety Solutions)
  • Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP (for Xplore)
  • Goodmans LLP (lead counsel to Xplore Inc.)
  • McCarthy Tetrault LLP

Non-Canadian Law Firms

  • Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP (ad hoc committee counsel to the term lenders)
  • Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP LLP (lead US counsel to Xplore)
  • Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP (for Stonepeak)

Organizations

  • Perella Weinberg Partners (as lead financial advisor to Xplore)
  • FTI (as financial advisor to Xplore)
  • Greenhill (as financial advisor to the committee of ad hoc term lenders)

M&A Deal of the Year

2025 M&A Deal of the Year

Winner: Royal Bank of Canada’s C$13.5 billion acquisition of HSBC Bank Canada

Canadian Law Firms
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP (counsel to Royal Bank of Canada)
RBC Law Group (lead counsel to Royal Bank of Canada)
Miller Thomson LLP (counsel to HSBC Bank Canada board of directors)
Stikeman Elliott LLP (counsel to HSBC Global)

Non-Canadian Law Firms
A&O Sherman
Allen & Overy LLP (UK counsel to RBC)
Linklaters LLP (UK counsel to HSBC Global)
Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz (US counsel to RBC

Organizations
HSBC Global
Royal Bank of Canada

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Advent International, Philip Fayer, Novacap, and CDPQ’s US$6.3 billion joint acquisition of Nuvei Corporation
Canadian Law Firms

  • Bennett Jones (for BMO Capital Markets)
  • Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP (for Advent International)
  • Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP (for Novacap)
  • Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP (for Novacap)
  • Goodmans LLP (for TD Securities)
  • McCarthy Tétrault LLP (for CDPQ)
  • Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP (for Special Committee of Nuvei Corporation)
  • Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP (for Philip Fayer)
  • Stikeman Elliott LLP (for Nuvei)

Non-Canadian Law Firms

  • Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP
  • Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP
  • Kirkland & Ellis LLP
  • Mayer Brown LLP
  • Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP
  • Ropes & Gray LLP
  • Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP
  • Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP

Organizations

  • Advent International
  • Nuvei Corporation

Blackstone Real Estate’s C$5 billion acquisition of Tricon Residential
Canadian Law Firms

  • Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP (counsel to Blackstone)
  • Goodmans LLP (lead counsel to Tricon Residential Inc.)
  • Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP (Canadian counsel to the Special Committee of Tricon Residential (“Tricon”))

Non-Canadian Law Firms

  • Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP (US counsel to Tricon)
  • Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP (counsel to Blackstone)

Canadian Natural Resources Limited’s US$6.5 billion acquisition of Chevron’s Alberta assets
Canadian Law Firms

  • Bennett Jones LLP (lead counsel to Canadian Natural Resources)
  • Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP (counsel to Chevron)

Chord Energy and Enerplus C$11 billion merger
Canadian Law Firms

  • Goodmans LLP (counsel to Chord Energy Corporation)
  • Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP (counsel to Enerplus)

Non-Canadian Law Firms

  • Latham & Watkins LLP
  • Vinson & Elkins LLP (co-lead counsel to Chord Energy)
  • Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz (co-lead counsel to Chord Energy)

Glencore’s C$9.93 billion acquisition of Teck Resources Limited
Canadian Law Firms

  • Bennett Jones LLP (for Nippon Steel)
  • Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP (counsel to the Special Committee of the Board of Directors of Teck Resources Limited)
  • Borden Ladner Gervais (BLG) LLP
  • Felesky Flynn LLP (counsel to Teck Resources Limited)
  • McCarthy Tétrault LLP (counsel to Glencore plc)
  • Stikeman Elliott LLP (counsel to Teck Resources Limited)

Non-Canadian Law Firms

  • Covington & Burling LLP
  • Linklaters LLP
  • Norton Rose Fulbright
  • Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP (for Teck)
  • Sullivan & Cromwell LLP (for the Special Committee of the Board of Directors of Teck)

Organizations

  • Teck Resources Limited
  • Ardea Partners LP (financial advisor to Teck)
  • Barclays Capital Canada Inc. (financial advisor to Teck)
  • CIBC World Markets Inc. (financial advisor to Teck)
  • TD Securities Inc. (financial advisor to Teck)
  • BMO Capital Markets (financial advisors to the special committee of the Board of Directors of Teck)
  • Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC (financial advisors to the special committee of the Board of Directors of Teck)
  • Origin Merchant Partners (financial advisors to the special committee of the Board of Directors of Teck)

Mid-Market Deal of the Year

2025 Mid-Market Deal of the Year

Winner: Trans Mountain Corporation, Lower Nicola Indian Band, and EPCOR’s C$200 million sale of Kingsvale Transmission Line

Canadian Law Firms
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
Dentons Canada LLP (for EPCOR)
Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP (legal advisor for Trans Mountain)

Organizations
EPCOR
Lower Nicola Indian Band Development Corporation
Trans Mountain Corporation

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

Canada Growth Fund’s C$200 million strategic investment in Entropy and carbon credit offtake agreement
Canadian Law Firms

  • Burnet, Duckworth & Palmer LLP (counsel for Entropy and Advantage)
  • Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP (legal advisor for Canada Growth Fund)
  • Torys LLP (counsel for Brookfield Renewable)

Organizations

  • BMO (financial advisor for CGF)

Nations Royalty Corp. and Nisga’a Nation’s C$100 million royalty agreement
Canadian Law Firms

  • Aldridge and Rosling LLP (co-lead firm for Nisga’a Nation)
  • DuMoulin Black LLP (co-lead firm for Nisga’a Nation)
  • Farris LLP (lead firm for Nations Royalty Corp.)

Organizations

  • Canaccord Genuity Corp.
  • Deloitte LLP
  • Fiore Management & Advisory Corp.
  • Nations Royalty Corp.
  • Nisga’a Nation

OpenGate Capital’s C$155 million acquisition of Cineplex Inc.’s Player One Amusement Group
Canadian Law Firms

  • Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP (counsel to OpenGate Capital)
  • Goodmans LLP (counsel to Cineplex Inc.)

Non-Canadian Law Firms

  • Baker McKenzie (US counsel to Cineplex)
  • Paul Hastings LLP (US counsel to OpenGate)

Organizations

  • OpenGate Capital

Commercial Ligitation Team of the Year

2025 Commercial Ligitation Team of the Year

Winner: Torys LLP; Law Office of Terry Corsianos; Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP; Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP; Ministry of the Attorney General- Crown Law Office; Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP – Aquino v. Bondfield Construction Co., 2024 SCC 31

Canadian Law Firms
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
Dentons Canada LLP (for EPCOR)
Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP (legal advisor for Trans Mountain)

Organizations
EPCOR
Lower Nicola Indian Band Development Corporation
Trans Mountain Corporation

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP; Field LLP; Glaholt Bowles LLP – Pacific Atlantic Pipeline Construction Ltd v. Coastal Gaslink Pipeline Ltd, 2024 ABCA 74
  • Borden Ladner Gervais; Stikeman Elliott; Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP; Woods LLP; Dentons Canada LLP – Republic of India v. CCDM Holdings, 2024 QCCA 1620
  • Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP; Orr Taylor LLP; Stikeman Elliott LLP; WeirFoulds LLP; McCarthy Tétrault LLP – Lilleyman v. Bumble Bee Foods LLC, 2024 ONCA 606
  • Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP; Gardiner Roberts; Cambridge LLP; Scher Law; Supreme Advocacy LLP; Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP – Rina Del Giudice and Daniel Wood v. Paige Thompson, et al., 2024 CanLII 88330 (SCC)
  • Lenczner Slaght; O’Donnell, Robertson & Partners; Stikeman Elliott LLP; Thomson Blackburn Lane Lefebvre LLP; Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP; Clyde & Co LLP; Blaney McMurtry LLP; Theall Group LLP – Loblaw Companies Limited V. Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Company of Canada, 2024 ONCA 145

Banking & Financial Services Law Department of the Year

2025 Banking & Financial Services Law Department of the Year

Winner: Royal Bank of Canada

The winner of this category automatically progressed to become an excellence awardee in Canadian Law Department of the Year

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • British Columbia Investment Management Corporation (“BCI”)
  • CI Financial
  • Dawson Partners
  • Fairstone Bank
  • Fengate Asset Management
  • goeasy Ltd
  • TMX Group
  • TransUnion
  • University Pension Plan

Canadian Law Department of the Year

2025 Canadian Law Department of the Year

Winner: Royal Bank of Canada

Winners of the two sector-specific law department awards automatically progressed to become excellence awardees for this category

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Banyan Software
  • BDO Canada
  • Dow Canada
  • Geotab Inc.
  • Mercedes-Benz Canada and Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Canada Corporation (together “MBCan”)
  • TC Energy Corporation
  • WSP

Law Department Innovation

2025 Law Department Innovation

Winner: Sagard Holdings

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • CPP Investments
  • OLG Governance, Legal & Compliance Division
  • SE Health
  • Siemens Canada
  • Staples Canada
  • TELUS
  • The University of British Columbia, Allard School and Law and Emerging Media Lab
  • Waste Connections of Canada

The Dye & Durham Award for Lifetime Achievement in The Legal Profession – In-House

2025 The Dye & Durham Award for Lifetime Achievement in The Legal Profession – In-House

Winner: Martin Turcotte

The Lawson Lundell LLP Award for Law Department Leader of the Year

2025 The Lawson Lundell LLP Award for Law Department Leader of the Year

Winner: Cheryl Graden – TMX Group

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Corey MacKinnon – Cooke Inc.
  • Gaurav Manhas – OpenRoad Group
  • Heather Mullen – Kenvue Canada Inc.
  • Hina Latif – Mercedes-Benz Canada and Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Canada Corporation (together, “MBCan”)
  • Lorne O’Reilly – Dow Canada
  • Matthew Kuchinsky – Dawson Partners
  • Patricia Caza – The Regional Municipality of Peel
  • Sarah Jacklin – Stryker Canada

The Singleton Urquhart Reynolds Vogell LLP Award for Construction, Infrastructure and Transportation Law Department of the Year

2025 The Singleton Urquhart Reynolds Vogell LLP Award for Construction, Infrastructure and Transportation Law Department of the Year

Winner: TC Energy Corporation

The winner of this category automatically progressed to become an excellence awardee in Canadian Law Department of the Year

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Boralex Inc.
  • Canada Infrastructure Bank
  • Canadian National Railway Company
  • CDPQ Infra
  • Graham Group Ltd.
  • Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority

Boutique Law Firm of the Year

2025 Boutique Law Firm of the Year

Winner: Hicks Morley Hamilton Stewart Storie LLP

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Bergeron Clifford Injury Lawyers
  • Neinstein
  • ROBIC
  • Roper Greyell LLP
  • Singleton Urquhart Reynolds Vogel LLP
  • Smart & Biggar

Litigation & Dispute Resolution Boutique Law Firm of the Year

2025 Litigation & Dispute Resolution Boutique Law Firm of the Year

Winner: Lenczner Slaght

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Adair Goldblatt Bieber LLP
  • Lax O’Sullivan Lisus Gottlieb LLP
  • Paliare Roland Rosenberg Rothstein LLP
  • Stockwoods LLP
  • Thomson Rogers LLP
  • Wagners Law Firm

Litigator of the Year

2025 LITIGATOR OF THE YEAR

Winner: Sandra A. Forbes – Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Bevin Shores – Gowling WLG
  • Duncan Embury – Neinstein
  • Lincoln Caylor – Bennett Jones LLP
  • Mason Poplaw – McCarthy Tétrault LLP
  • Nader Hasan – Stockwoods LLP
  • Peter J. Pliszka – Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP

Managing Partner of the Year

2025 Managing Partner of the Year

Winner: Danielle Robitaille – Henein Hutchison Robitaille LLP

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Brendon Pooran – PooranLaw
  • Jacqueline Dinsmore – Caravel Law
  • Luca Citton – Boughton Law
  • Matthew Zischka – Smart & Biggar
  • Mitch Frazer – Mintz
  • Natasa Karambatsos – KRB Avocats | Lawyers

Regional Law Firm of the Year - Atlantic Canada

2025 Regional Law Firm of the Year - Atlantic Canada

Winner: McInnes Cooper

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Curtis Dawe

Regional Law Firm of the Year - Ontario

2025 Regional Law Firm of the Year - Ontario

Winner: Torkin Manes LLP

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Blaney McMurtry LLP
  • Lerners LLP
  • Loopstra Nixon LLP
  • WeirFoulds

Regional Law Firm of the Year - Praries

2025 Regional Law Firm of the Year - Praries

Winner: McKercher LLP

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • McDougall Gauley LLP

Regional Law Firm of the Year - Quebec

2025 Regional Law Firm of the Year - Quebec

Winner: Langlois Lawyers

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Delegatus
  • KRB Avocats | Lawyers
  • Lavery

Regional Law Firm of the Year - Western Canada

2025 Regional Law Firm of the Year - Western Canada

Winner: Burnet, Duckworth and Palmer LLP

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Clark Wilson LLP
  • Farris LLP
  • Lawson Lundell LLP
  • McLennan Ross LLP

The Dye & Durham Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Legal Profession - Private Practice

2025 The Dye & Durham Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Legal Profession - Private Practice

Winner: Carol D. Pennycook – Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP

The Leap Legal Software Award for Best Use of Technology in a Law Firm

2025 The Leap Legal Software Award for Best Use of Technology in a Law Firm

Winner: Torys LLP

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Caravel Law
  • KMSC LAW
  • PMP Law Professional Corporation
  • Procido LLP
  • Virani Law

The Leap Legal Software Award for Family Law Firm of the Year

2025 The Leap Legal Software Award for Family Law Firm of the Year

Winner: McCarthy Hansen & Company

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Benmor Family Law Group
  • Crossroads Law
  • MacLean Law
  • Panko Collaborative Law and Mediation
  • Resolve Legal Group

Diversity Initiative of the Year

2025 Diversity Initiative of the Year

Winner: Enbridge – Canadian Legal Mentorship Program

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Aird & Berlis LLP – The New Aird & Berlis Indigenous Practice Group and Indigenous Education Program
  • Dentons – Dentons’ Reconciliation Roadmap
  • Fasken – Empower Network
  • Level Justice – Black Youth Justice Program
  • Miller Thomson LLP – Strengthening Inclusive Leadership to Strengthen our Workplace of Belonging
  • PooranLaw Professional Corporation – PooranLaw: Achieving Equity for People with Disabilities

Female Trailblazer of the Year (Academia & In-House)

2025 Female Trailblazer of the Year (Academia & In-House)

Winner: Kathryn (Katie) Daniels – CPP Investments

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Andrea Cotroneo – Loblaw Companies Limited
  • Ashley Butts – BDO Canada
  • Jane Murdoch – Finning International Inc.
  • Lara Speirs – Women General Counsel Canada
  • Oyeyinka Oyelowo
  • Pam Hrick – Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF)

Female Trailblazer of the Year (Private Practice)

2025 Female Trailblazer of the Year (Private Practice)

Winner: Karen Sargeant – Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • Melissa Cattini – MLT Aikins LLP
  • Nancy Hamzo – Baker McKenzie
  • Natalie Worsfold – Counter Tax Litigators LLP
  • Rachel Howie – Dentons
  • Sarit Batner – McCarthy Tétrault LLP
  • Sharon Vogel – Singleton Urquhart Reynolds Vogel LLP
  • Zeynab Ziaie Moayyed – Visa Law Group PC

Pro Bono Initiative of the Year

2025 Pro Bono Initiative of the Year

Winner: Gowling WLG – Operation Abraham

EXCELLENCE AWARDEES

  • DMZ, Toronto Metropolitan University – DMZ Counsel
  • McCarthy Tétrault LLP – McCarthy Tétrault aids Egale Canada and Skipping Stone in protecting transgender youth’s access to care
  • McInnes Cooper – Immigration Initiative
  • Norton Rose Fulbright – Pro bono initiative to support Black-led small businesses and Black entrepreneurs in our local communities
  • PooranLaw Professional Corporation – I Decide Law Program
  • Torys LLP – Protecting the Charter rights of thalidomide survivors in Lianne Powell et al. v. Attorney General of Canada