Canadian Lawyer - sample

w w w . c a n a d i a n l a w y e r m a g . c o m M A R C H 2 0 1 9 13 R E G I O N A L W R A P Lundell team in Vancouver and Calgary, but he is able to work remotely. "We're very integrated to those markets. And for clients on the ground, the difference is we're right in the innova- tion centre in Kelowna, and I tend to have more walk-in traffic than I would have in our office on Georgia Street. I'm not used to clients arriv- ing unannounced, so that's been a bit of an adjustment," he joked. When he worked in Van- couver, Aujla was mainly a securities lawyer dealing with CFOs and CEOs. In Surrey, the business people he deals with have a different under- standing of legal issues. "There is a lot more hand holding, especially in complex transactions and when deal- ing with larger companies with sophisticated parties on the other side. There is a lot more oversight, but they are doing great things and understanding their business, and how they work and think is important," he said. "They appreciate when I prep them for a meeting with a CEO of another company. It's because of people like that that the economy of the valley is run- ning so well. They understand the end goal and, as counsel, we have to walk them through the process to get to the end goal and understand the legal risks and ramifications." Alexander Hoburn has been growing steadily over the last two years and is up to 87 lawyers from 74 lawyers two years ago. "We're renovating one of our floors to make better use of it and accommodate the growth," Hirst says. The two practice areas that have seen the most growth are wills and estates and corpo- rate commercial clients. "There is a huge transfer of a significant amount of wealth happening as the baby boomer generation ages. This is magnified in Metro Van- couver, where property values have increased exponentially over the last 25 years or so," he says. "What we are finding is more and more people are looking for advice on how best to protect that wealth as it passes to the next generation and that's a complicated area of law. Our wills and practice group has been growing as a result." The firm has also been doing work in the canna- bis space and Hirst says it involves a lot of entrepreneurs who are making the work fun. "It's amazing how much work there is in a brand new sector of the economy," he says. When it comes to invest- ing in technology to better enable the firm to keep up with the demands of legal work, Hirst says, the pres- sure to do so is coming more from competitors than clients. Alexander Holburn is in the research and "just- about-to-purchase" stage with artificial intelligence. "I don't think [clients] quite understand yet where it is going to make an impact on lawyer efficiency and cost effectiveness." — Jennifer Brown © 2019 Thomson Reuters Canada Limited 00256CN-95903-NP Print + ProView Order # L96090-65203 $478 4 volume looseleaf supplemented book + eBook Anticipated upkeep cost – $344 per supplement 3-5 supplements per year L96090 Supplements invoiced separately ProView only Order # L96091-65203 $478 Shipping and handling are extra. Price(s) subject to change without notice and subject to applicable taxes. When faced with franchise law issues, whether in day-to-day operations or in a bet- the-business transaction or dispute, consult the Canadian Franchise Guide by Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP. With more than 2,000 pages of value-added and easily digestible content from one of Canada's market-leading franchise law firms, the Guide covers the key legal and business issues that lawyers need to know to effectively run or advise a franchised business in Canada. The Canadian Franchise Guide provides practical tools to help guide franchisors and their legal and business advisors through the continually evolving and complex legal landscape that regulates franchising across Canada. Updated quarterly with new case law, industry developments, and legislative changes, the Canadian Franchise Guide provides current and reliable insight. Now also available as an eBook on Thomson Reuters ProView®. Discover the complete collection of ProView eBooks at store.thomsonreuters.ca/proview Find a complimentary training session at cpdcentre.ca Canadian Franchise Guide, Second Edition Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP Managing Editors: Andraya Frith, Dominic Mochrie, and Gillian Scott Available risk-free for 30 days Online: store.thomsonreuters.ca | Call Toll-Free: 1-800-387-5164 | In Toronto: 416-609-3800

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