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Dickinson Wright had a small Toronto presence for some time, with three Canadian-licensed lawyers, but the firm wanted to "expand its footprint." The new firm will be known as Dickinson Wright LLP and operate as a separate entity from the U.S. firm. The expanded Toronto affiliate will have about 25 law- yers. "Aylesworth and Dickinson Wright in Toronto entered into a practice com- bination agreement. It's not an acquisi- tion per se, it's a combination of the practices," said chief marketing officer Michelle Murad on the day of the official announcement. I t's clear that each of these deals made sense for reasons unique to each firm involved. Yet experts say outside forces are converging to force the hand of some Canadian firms' strategic plans. Ed Wesemann, a consultant based in Savannah, Ga., who has helped law firms across the globe shape their stra- tegic plans, believes the Ogilvy-Norton Rose merger marks the start of a trend that will see a series of U.K.-based firms link up with North American shops. With Wesemann estimating the U.S. legal market's yearly value at approxi- mately US$260 billion (he pegs the Canadian market at about Cdn$13 bil- lion, and the U.K. market around £25 billion) it's no wonder the British are emphasizing an enhanced presence in this part of the world. Wesemann suggests the British see alignment with Canadian firms as an entry point to U.S. legal work, as many firms here have strong ties to American companies. "When it comes to transac- tions, things are going back and forth across the border, most of the major firms have offices in New York, and a number of firms have offices or close 'best friends' relationships with Canadian firms," he explains, pointing out that major U.S. legal publications are chockablock with ads touting the services of Canadian firms. Meanwhile, the similarity between Canadian and U.K. legal education and legal traditions make for further syner- gies. In light of all this, Wesemann says he would be "shocked" not to soon see a few more significant mergers between U.K. and Canadian firms. He points out that the few large U.K. firms that weren't already kicking the tires on such a move will certainly get into the act in response to the Norton Rose-Ogilvy deal. While many commentators have emphasized Canada's strong resource economy as the major draw for global firms seeking a presence here, Wesemann believes there's more to it than that. "Canadians are the most humble people in the world; or self-effacing I guess is the right word," he says. "Canada has, probably, one of the most rigid legal edu- cation systems in the world, and pro- duces very good lawyers. In Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal, you have three extraordinarily sophisticated interna- tional cities that do business around the world routinely. So Canada is not at all an unnatural place for [global firms] to be." At the same time, Canadian firms may be feeling pressure to link up with FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE: A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO CANADIAN EMPLOYMENT LAW, THIRD EDITION The Honourable Mr. Justice Randall Scott Echlin, Superior Court of Justice (Ontario) and Christine Thomlinson FULLY REVISED AND UPDATED! FROM START TO FINISH, A COMPREHENSIVE AND PRACTICAL GUIDE TO THE COMPLETE EMPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIP This text is an easy-to-read reference on employment law issues across Canada. It can be read cover to cover to get the full scope of the employment relationship, or it can be referenced by topic so you can quickly find the information you are looking for. Hardbound • Approx. 450 pp. March 2011 • Approx. $115 P/C 0977010003 ISBN 978-0-88804-517-1 Prices subject to change without notice, to applicable taxes and shipping & handling. CANADA LAW BOOK® CL0211 www.CANADIAN Lawyermag.com FEBRUA R Y 2011 31 Written by two leading authorities on the subject who share their knowledge, tips and techniques with you on the law and how to apply it, you can get answers to your most pressing employment questions efficiently. This new edition provides up-to-date guidance on key topics such as: • • • • • • • • • • • • the end of mandatory retirement inducing breach of contract enforceability of restrictive covenants dependent contractors privacy issues in the workplace employment standards duty to accommodate the new human rights regime in Ontario occupational health and safety offences legislation addressing workplace violence and harassment constructive dismissal, just cause, reasonable notice calculating dismissal damages post Visit canadalawbook.ca or call 1.800.565.6967 for a 30-day no-risk evaluation Keays