Canadian Lawyer

May 2021

The most widely read magazine for Canadian lawyers

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www.canadianlawyermag.com 23 T he key to a successful law practice, says Samantha Prasad, a member of the executive committee at Minden Gross LLP, is transparency. Why? Because it "opens the door" to communications with colleagues, staff and clients. "We aren't who we are without each unique part of our firm," says Prasad, who joined the firm as an articling student in 1998. So, communicating and being transparent is vital, she adds, noting that Minden Gross, one of the firms picked as a Top 10 Ontario Regional Law Firm, allows her to have the voice and tools to help build her practice and guide the firm's course. Prasad says that when she was named to the firm's executive committee in 2020, the first thing she did was send out an email asking those at the firm to tell her what was important and where Minden Gross could improve. What came out of that were important discussions on performance review, inclusion and diversity training, and hiring practices. Prasad says those changes had already been in the works but that hearing from members of the Minden Gross family helped clarify that discussion. Prasad is a partner in the tax law prac- tice at Minden Gross. (Having started in corporate law as a student, she realized after a rotation in tax how much she loved being a "tax nerd.") The firm was founded in 1950 as a real estate boutique. It has grown to a business-focused firm with 10 formal prac- tice areas, including litigation, corporate- commercial, employment and labour, leasing, financial services and tax law. Prasad says the firm recently added a securities and capital markets practice, which has become increasingly busy. It's an excellent example of how Minden Gross has grown business as its clients' needs grow. "We see [our clients] transitioning into the next phase of corporate life," she says, "and they want us along for the ride." Still, Prasad says the firm acknowledges that investing in the firm's "greatest resource" — its people — is top of mind. COVID-19 makes clear the importance of ensuring staff are mentally and physically healthy. She says the firm's leadership understands the need to reach out and "make sure that everyone is OK," whether through regular meetings or weekly emails with tips on mental wellness. And that's one of the advantages of being a mid-size firm in Ontario, says Prasad, pointing out that, a decade or so ago, large firms were gobbling up smaller practices. "We've grown, and this is something I really love to say, we've grown organically. I think that's truly key and says a lot about who we are as a firm." Partner and member of executive committee MINDEN GROSS LLP SAMANTHA PRASAD www.canadianlawyermag.com 23 Minden Gross LLP Email: info@mindengross.com Telephone: (416) 362-3711 Toll-free 1-866-9-MINDEN Website: mindengross.com 65 Number of lawyers 108 Number of support staff 30 Number of partners 1950 When firm was founded MINDEN GROSS LLP AT A GLANCE Main areas of practice: real estate, corporate and commercial, financial services, litigation, securities and capital markets, employment and labour law, tax and estate planning

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