The most widely read magazine for Canadian lawyers
Issue link: https://digital.canadianlawyermag.com/i/50830
Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP Total Lawyers: 206 Office: Toronto Core Practice Areas: corporate finance and securities; mergers and acquisitions; corporate and regulatory insur- ance; class action defence Key Clients: Canadian Tire Corp. Ltd., Goldcorp Inc., Toyota Canada, Lundin Mining Corp., Silver Wheaton Corp., Yamana Gold Inc. Notable Mandates: Lundin Mining Corp. in a $4.8-billion hostile takeover bid by Equinox Minerals Ltd.; Goldcorp Inc. in its $3.6-billion acquisition of Australian-based Andean Resources Ltd.; AUX Canada Acquisitions Inc. in its $1.5-billion all-cash offer to acquire Ventana Gold Corp.; Yamana Gold Inc. in its US$4.4-billion takeover bid for Meridian Gold Inc.; Toyota Canada in relation to class actions over allegations involving electronic control systems and recalls Star Alumni: Peter Marrone, chairman and CEO of Yamana Gold Inc.; Robyn Collver, general counsel of Canadian Tire; Superior Court justices Julie Thorburn, John Murray, David 3 Pallett Valo LLP Total Lawyers: 29 Office: Mississauga Core Practice Areas: business law; commercial litigation; commercial real estate; construction law; insolvency and corporate restructuring Key Clients: Parmalat Canada Inc., GE Commercial Distribution Finance Canada, Peel District School Board, Zurich Insurance Company Ltd., Stewart Title Guaranty Company Notable Mandate: represented Robert Murphy Architect Inc. and Gray Wave Resources Inc. in the Ontario Court of Appeal's May 2010 ruling in Murphy v. Sally Creek Environs Corp., a leading case on the duties and conduct of trustees in bankruptcy, helping largely overturn a Commercial Court ruling Star Alumni: John Pallett, a member of Parliament from 1954 to 1962; Sidney Valo, a founding director and CEO of the Greater Toronto Airports Authority; Thomas Santram, vice president, legal, at Cineplex Entertainment LP; Robert Wasserman, director of legal services for Canada and Latin America at Starbucks Coffee Co.; Suzanne Michaud, senior advisory counsel at RBC law group; Maria Tassou, vice chairwoman of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board Affiliations: close relationships with firms in other juris- dictions The Firm: Established as Pallett & Pallett in 1948, this firm merged with Milman Valo in 1980 and changed its name to Pallett Valo. It started out with a focus on residential real estate before shifting to an emphasis on commercial real estate. That move made way for expansion in other business-related practice areas. The firm has embraced an organic growth strategy over the past decade, adding strength by holding on to top articling students and junior associates. It's also recently benefited from several key lateral hires, many of them alumni returning to the Pallett Valo fold. Managing partner Anne Kennedy suggests her firm punches above its weight due to a simple formula: compile a stable of lawyers that offers services on par with those at large firms. "That allows us to provide a very high level of service to our clients, and as a result we have some very sophisticated clients," says Kennedy. Voters praised Pallett Valo's construction law and insol- vency groups in particular. One said the firm deserves to be high on the list due to its "breadth and depth of experi- ence, practical approach, and unparalleled commitment to client service." www.CANADIAN Lawyermag.com M AY 2011 37 2 Price; Ontario Court of Appeal Justice Paul Rouleau Affiliations: World Services Group The Firm: Cassels Brock & Blackwell, now one of Canada's largest business law firms, was formed in 1888 by broth- ers Hamilton and Richard Cassels. The firm has evolved through several mergers and now represents multinational, national, and mid-market organizations across the globe. The firm's ability to attract plenty of high-value files is demonstrated by its addition of 20 lawyers to its offices at Scotia Plaza since the 2006 central Canada law firm rank- ings. One survey respondent said Cassels Brock "feels like a national firm even though they only have one office," adding that it also boasts "top people in a variety of practice areas." Managing partner Mark Young says the firm hopes to continue to build its reputation as a top-notch firm not only in Ontario, but across the globe. "People from here, as they do in lots of firms, spend a lot of time on the road, selling. There's a lot of work that is done in this country that is based on an international client base." (casselsbrock.com) (pallettvalo.com) Queen's park: Marcus oBal