Roundup of law firm hires, promotions, departures: October 30, 2023 update

Welcome to this week’s roundup of movements among major law firms, in which we sum up significant hires, promotions, departures, and other announcements.

Bennett Jones

Bennett Jones has welcomed Martin Valasek and Alison FitzGerald. Valasek has joined the firm as a partner and co-head of the firm's arbitration branch. He has extensive experience in investor-state and commercial contract disputes, covering legal systems on all continents and various industries, including energy and mining. He regularly acts as counsel and sits as an arbitrator. He will be based in the firm's Montreal office.

FitzGerald has also joined the firm as a partner. She specializes in international arbitration and international trade. She has experience as senior counsel in complex international commercial and investor-state arbitrations across various industry sectors. Her international trade and investment practice includes experience advising clients on treaty interpretation, assisting clients in navigating economic sanctions and export control legislation and regulations, and guiding clients through human rights risks in the supply chain and associated reporting requirements. She will be based in the firm's Ottawa office.

Chandler Fogden Lyman Law Corporation

The firm has welcomed lawyers Jon Festinger and David Jol, marking the expansion of the firm's interactive entertainment practice. Festinger wrote one of the first textbooks on video game law in 2005 and has spent decades advising companies of all sizes. Jol has been working with and advocating for indie video game developers for his entire legal career. The two joined Chandler Fogden Lyman with an established partnership and have all the combined tools and understanding to support any business in the interactive entertainment space fully.

Durant Barristers

Sydney McIvor has joined Durant Barristers, a growing civil litigation and investigation firm. McIvor previously worked as an associate at Adair Goldblatt Bieber LLP and as a judicial law clerk at the Ontario Superior Court of Justice.

Miller Thomson LLP

The firm has welcomed Kurt Dahl to its corporate, mergers and acquisitions, and securities group in Saskatoon. Dahl specializes in copyright, trademark, and intellectual property law. He is an experienced guest lecturer, keynote speaker, songwriter, manager, and chart-topping musician, bringing a comprehensive understanding of the industry to his legal practice.

"We are delighted to welcome Kurt Dahl to our Corporate, M&A and Securities Group," said Eric Johnson, managing partner in Saskatchewan. "His expertise in entertainment law and his deep understanding of the music, film, and gaming industries will greatly enhance our ability to serve our clients effectively. Kurt's arrival aligns perfectly with our firm's growth strategy as we continue to leverage the power of teams and combine national bench strength with local knowledge."

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