Blaney McMurtry (Ontario, Canada) was ranked number six among Ontario's top ten regional law firms according to Canadian Lawyer.
Canadian Lawyer asked lawyers and in-house counsel from across Canada to vote on Ontario’s top full-service, regional firms. They were asked to rank their top 10 firms from a preliminary list, with a chance to nominate a firm that was not included on the list. Respondents’ rankings were based on firms’ regional service coverage, client base, notable mandates, service excellence, and legal expertise.
Following is the information that appeared in the publication:
6. Blaney McMurtry LLP
Total Lawyers: 127
Office: Toronto
Core Practice Areas: corporate-commercial; insurance; employment and labour; commercial real estate; commercial litigation
Key Clients: Lombard Canada Ltd., Hydro One Networks Inc., TD Bank Financial Group, First National Financial LP, Calloway Real Estate Investment Trust
Notable Mandates: counsel to Bigstone Cree Nation in northern Alberta in relation to a treaty land entitlement and other specific claims; The Hartford in the sale of its Canadian mutual fund business; Pyrotek Special Effects Inc. in the partial sale of equity interest in Cobalt Capital Inc.; Commonwealth Insurance Co. in class actions surrounding contaminated meat products
Star Alumni: former Ontario chief justice Roy McMurtry; Ontario Superior Court Justice Janet Wilson; the late Tax Court of Canada justice Albert Brulé; the late Larry Grossman, former Ontario Progressive Conservative party leader
Affiliations: TAGLaw, Risk Management Counsel of Canada
The Firm: James Blaney, who continues to practise at Blaney McMurtry, founded this firm with Irwin Pasternak in 1954. In the early 1960s, they were joined by the late Bill McMurtry, who is largely credited for building the firm’s first-rate litigation department. Further growth occurred in 1986, when the firm merged with Stapells & Sewell. Following a series of smaller mergers and lateral hires, the firm reverted back to its current moniker in 2000.
“We feel that we, as a regional firm, have the ability to attract clients as well as good-quality legal talent where the national firm footprint and model are not adding value,” says managing partner Michael Bennett. “We’re able to be more focused on what we do, and how we practise, and it allows us to focus on what we do best in our own market.”
