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and costly dispute. Many environmental law firms like Willms & Shier aim to maintain those relationships, and develop new ones, by offering conferences and events that raise their firm's prominence. Maritime law boutiques face their own unique challenge of staying afloat in a market that shows no sign of picking up in volume. Christopher Giaschi, a partner at Vancouver's Giaschi & Margolis, says the focus for these boutiques is to hold on to existing clients. That places a premium on the provision of top-notch service with a "lean and mean" operation where costs and overhead are kept to a minimum. "It's a small market, and to a large degree [the businesses] know one another and talk to one another," he says. "If you're not giving good service, that's going to be known." Whatever challenges they face, each of No one expects you to know everything about Labour and Employment Law. That's our job. the firms listed below has been recognized for exceptional provision of legal service in its respective area of law. As with our ear- lier top boutique lists, Canadian Lawyer's editorial team compiled these choices by first creating a short list of the most notable firms in each area of expertise. We then called on in-house counsel and lawyers from larger firms with experience in these areas of practice for their views on which boutiques — defined as stand- alone firms with a major concentration in the respective legal specialty — they believe are the best at what they do. That input was used to compile the following lists, ordered alphabetically, of Canada's top 10 labour and employment law, top five environmental law boutiques, and top six (we couldn't break the tie for just five) maritime law boutiques. Emond Harnden LLP (Ottawa) Toronto 150 King Street West, Suite 2601 tel 416.408.3221 London 620A Richmond Street, Suite 621 tel 519.433.7270 www.filion.on.ca This Ottawa management-side firm sprouted in 1987 thanks to the efforts of founding partners Lynn Harnden and Jacques Emond, who continue to practise. Now with 25 lawyers, it has followed a gradual growth path that has seen most associates first gain experience as articling students, with many later moving into partnership. Public sector clients include hospitals, school boards, municipalities, and colleges and universities. The firm also represents large national and international corporations. It boasts a research department, a resource few lawyers at firms this size benefit from. www.emondharnden.com 38 M AY 2010 www. C ANADIAN Law ye rmag.com ionWakely_CL_May_10.indd 1 4/13/10 8:26:13 AM Top LABOUR & EMPLOYMENT 10 BOUTIQUES