The most widely read magazine for Canadian lawyers
Issue link: https://digital.canadianlawyermag.com/i/50829
Topsfi eldin the Part two of our series looks at the top boutiques in labour and employment, environmental, and maritime law. By robert todd I n the second of our stories this year on the top boutique law firms in the country, Canadian Lawyer turns its attention to those specializing in labour and employment, environmental, and maritime law. While each of these firms has a different approach to standing out from the crowd to attract business, each group of firms face similar challenges and opportunities in their respective markets. Geoffrey Litherland, a partner at Vancouver's Harris & Co. LLP, suggests labour and employment boutiques have largely managed to weather the recent economic storm. "We're in a position to deal with changes in the economy," he says. "When times are difficult, employers are looking for ways to reduce labour costs, and sometimes they're looking at downsizing," which brings work to his firm in the form of dismissals and contract changes. Conversely, when the economy expands, labour and employment firms are more often called in to help manage squabbles between management and unions, and to help draw up employ- ment contracts as hiring increases, he adds. But that is not to suggest success is guaranteed, says Litherland. Boutique shops hoping to attract work from large employers must offer a wide range of advice in order to exceed services offered by large national firms, he says. Hicks Morley Hamilton Stewart Storie LLP Toronto managing partner Stephen Shamie maintains that clients are becoming more sophisticated, and more demanding. He believes that is increasingly leading them to specialized firms. "What we're really seeing is the one-size-fits-all type of firm is not really what the clients want anymore," he says. "I think that's to the advantage of labour and employ- ment boutiques generally." But the boutiques still need to find a way to stand out. For John Willms, senior partner at Willms & Shier Environmental Lawyers LLP in Toronto, marketing is the best way to gain visibility. "A lot of our clients are one-shot clients," he says. "In other words, they've got a big environ- mental problem, we work with them, we help them clean up their act, fix the problem, normalize their relationships with their neighbours and the Ministry of Environment . . . then they don't need us anymore, and they don't want us." He adds that most companies tighten their approach to environmental regulations after going through a lengthy www. C ANADIAN Law ye rmag.com M AY 2010 37