Canadian Lawyer

w w w . C A N A D I A N L a w y e r m a g . c o m A p r I L 2 0 1 5 35 St.John's city report practice of law here. "Thirty years ago to say you were doing work for an oil company was unheard of," says Steve Marshall, a partner with Roebothan McKay Marshall, one of the province's largest per- sonal injury firms. "Today everyone has a finger in that oil field. You'd be hard pressed to find a law firm that didn't have a lawyer doing some work for an oil company and the spinoffs." The impact of the oil industry is felt in boardrooms and courtrooms. Law offices have responded by enhancing their skills and building an expertise in offshore oil. The opportunities for lawyers in St. John's have grown outside the trad- itional practice areas, with corporate opportunities rising to an ever-greater degree, says Benson, a for- mer president of the Law Society of Newfoundland and Labrador. "Practice specialization is becoming a bit more common," he notes. "For instance, my practice is primarily in the business law area, and I am seeing a definite trend away from generalists and towards specialists in this area." The nature of the work is also changing. "We're now servicing larger clients with larger-value deals," says Jacobs, who was called to the bar of Newfoundland in 1986. "Having the opportunity to work on these world-class projects sets us apart. You need to develop skills that are on the cutting edge. You're get- ting experience in Newfoundland now that you used to be able to get only in the larger centres." For the bigger firms in the city, which has a population of just over 210,000, the expertise that has been acquired is attracting clients from across the country. "We are competing more and more with larger firms across Canada," says Jacobs. It's a much different reality from what lawyers in the province have traditionally experienced. When Marshall started his career, he joined a new firm established by a young up and comer — Danny Williams, who would go on to become one of the prov- ince's most beloved premiers. Marshall had just graduated with his LLB from the University of New Brunswick (Newfoundland has no law school) and looking to land an articling job back home. Williams had been Marshall's hockey coach, and the two knew each other on and off the ice, as is often the way in smaller cities and close-knit communities. Williams' fledgling enterprise started as a small boutique office with five lawyers and three support staff. Today, there are 65 staff, including 20 lawyers who turn up for work each day in their own six-storey office building. "Our firm has expanded exponentially," says Marshall. "The legal community has mir- rored that growth to some extent." More work, of course, means a need for more lawyers, and that need is evident in St. John's. "The Newfoundland legal community is small, but growing," notes Benson. "In the 10-year period between 2004 and 2014, it has grown by 175, an approximate 20-per-cent increase." Younger lawyers are also finding the legal landscape in St. John's attractive. There is the possibility of work in an exciting and lucrative area, and in a community that has the energy and vibrancy that accompanies prosperity. But the flow of oil money doesn't mean it is easy street for lawyers. Marshall cautions young lawyers to prepare for a demanding career. "There's always room for lawyers that are willing to work hard, but if you come in thinking the money will roll in and you'll golf on Mondays and Fridays, you need to think again." He adds that the way of working in St. John's will also be dif- ferent. Marshall has 600 clients, and he can run into any one of them at the grocery store. "You'll have to update them. That's part of the process." In addition to increased pressure for new legal tal- ent, the demands on established lawyers are growing. The work day for most is noticeably longer than it has traditionally been. In terms, of work/life balance, notes Jacobs, "we think we have a leg up on the rest of the country, but that may be changing." Newfoundlanders have been fiercely protective and understandably proud of that work/life balance. It has historically Number of law society members in St. John's with active practising status 536 Information from Brenda Grimes, executive director of the Law Society of Newfoundland & Labrador (unless otherwise noted). All statistics are current as of Feb. 17, 2015 St. John's by the numbers 138 94 Number of law firms in Newfoundland and Labrador (including sole practitioners) Percentage of firms in the province with 10 or fewer lawyers 0 76 31 $338,877 39 69 Number of firms with 50 or more lawyers Percentage of members in St. John's who practise within the city Percentage of lawyers in private practice who are female Average price of a home in St. John's (May 2013-May 2014, from stjohnsrealestateonline.com/category/market-trends) Percentage of lawyers in active practice in Newfoundland and Labrador who are female Percentage of lawyers in private practice who are male

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