Canada’s latest international law practice merger has become official.
Gowling WLG launches on Monday, the result of the previously announced merger of Canadian law firm Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP and U.K.-based international firm Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co.
The newly merged firm has 1,400 lawyers and professionals employed in 18 cities across Canada, the U.K., Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
The new firm is going to be managed with a board of three Canadian and three U.K. lawyers. David Fennell, leader of the new firm’s U.K. section, and Peter Lukasiewicz, leader of the Canadian section, assists as co-chairs.
The new firm continues to be setup as an English Company Restricted to Guarantee, a company structure that has members who act as guarantors as opposed to shareholders.
Gowling, a firm whose origins date back to 1887, announced the intends to merge with Wragge Lawrence Graham last July. Both firms produce 700 lawyers into the deal. Core areas of strength is going to be natural resources, intellectual property, manufacturing, financial services, infrastructure, real estate, tech and advanced manufacturing.
The Gowling deal continues a trend in which several Canadian law firms have joined forces with international players in recent years.
Last year Vancouver-based Davis LLP became DLA Piper Canada after linking up with U.S. firm DLA Piper. The Canadian firm previously known as Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP was one of three founding member businesses that created global legal giant Dentons in March 2013. Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP contains what used to be Montreal-based Ogilvy Renault LLP and Calgary-based Macleod Dixon LLP.
Gowling isn’t the first Canadian firm to preserve its brand after an international deal. Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP still passes that name after its 2013 merger with Johannesburg-based Bell Dewar, a strong of 80 lawyers from South Africa.
Financial Post
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