Canadian Lawyer

46 www.canadianlawyermag.com TOP ONTARIO REGIONAL FIRMS 2025–26 their goals, and are invested in achieving the right outcomes," says managing partner Shawn Wolfson. The firm doesn' t measure response time in hours; sometimes, it's a matter of minutes. That approach supports a simple policy: if you're at your desk and the phone rings, you pick it up even if you don't have the answer yet. "Lawyers actively ask clients about their businesses, genuinely listen to their needs, and tailor their advice accord- ingly," Wolfson explains. " This has been a defining characteristic of our firm's approach for decades." On the culture side, this same mindset permeates firm-wide events, practice group gatherings, and even casual lunch conversa- tions, as personal connections and collabo- ration naturally develop. The dynamic has shaped the firm's success over its 70-year history, reinforcing a culture in which relationships with clients and colleagues come first. As a two-time top law firm in Ontario, Loopstra Nixon LLP has undergone remarkable growth, expanding its offices, practice areas, and lawyers. This has been driven by the acquisition of Macdonald Sager LLP and Feige Nawrocki LLP in 2023, along with several lateral hires, positioning Loopstra Nixon in Toronto's 100-plus-lawyers market. "One of our strengths is being a new entrant, notwithstanding the fact that we've been around for over 50 years, but in some ways we're a very new firm," chair Allan Ritchie says. "That allows us the freedom to reimagine what a law firm looks like at that size and create our own version." Because the firm's culture and identity are evolving, lawyers can have an immediate impact as everything is open to questioning and improvement. "The people who succeed at our firm are those who want to be on the firing line. They want to get the phone call when the chips are down," Ritchie says. He points out that the rapid adoption of virtual legal services enables the firm to instantly bring its entire team to a busi- ness community in a way it couldn't before. This is a growth area due to the ability to base back-office operations in one location while extending service delivery across the province or anywhere clients operate. Unlike firms that previously had to build a full-service presence in each loca- tion, Loopstra Nixon focuses on cultural alignment with new partners, access to a broad client base, and minimizing over- head costs. "I think our success was a product of where we were in our evolution when the service delivery and consumption models changed dramatically," adds Ritchie. McKenzie Lake Lawyers LLP, a four- time top law firm in Ontario, has maintained high standards while expanding across Southwestern Ontario. Managing partner Matthew Villeneuve attributes its success to hiring and retaining the right people who share the firm's client-first mentality and commitment to community connection. The firm invests in legal talent early, bringing in first- and second-year summer students to ultimately develop them into future partners. "We spend a lot of time investing in the community and ensuring that when we bring people in to represent McKenzie Lake and provide our services, they share that goal of putting clients first in everything we do," Villeneuve says. This approach means understanding clients, which requires staying connected to the communities where the firm operates. It also means continuously adapting and evolving. t SELECTION OF REASONS WHY CLIENTS PREFER THE TOP 10 ONTARIO REGIONAL FIRMS Excellent lawyers, sound advice, work efficiency, cost effectiveness, great results Deep bench, entrepreneurial spirit, first-class service delivery Expertise and geographical presence (London, Kitchener, Windsor, Stratford) Excellence in all areas of barrister and solicitor work; exceptional work at a relatively lower price compared to other Bay Street firms Being patient and caring; taking the time to explain the client's options SPECIAL REPORT

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