Three law firms announced new partner appointments
Welcome to this week’s roundup of movements among major law firms, in which Canadian Lawyer sums up significant hires, promotions, departures, and other announcements.
Bennett Jones LLP
The firm announced the appointment of Ron Ferguson as a Toronto-based partner in a news release. With more than 25 years of deal-making experience, he has led major M&A transactions, both domestic and cross-border and involving both private entities and the public sector. He also handles private equity matters and corporate finance transactions.
As an active member and volunteer within the legal community, Ferguson formerly chaired the Wellspring Charity Ride and presently chairs the York Football Alumni Association. He belongs to the Canadian Bar Association and the Law Society of Ontario. He also taught advanced corporate law at Queen’s University.
Dentons Canada LLP
The firm welcomed Kenneth (Ken) Szeto as a partner in the corporate group in Toronto. He has over eight years of private practice experience in New York and Toronto. His practice covers complex commercial relationships and contract structuring in the technology sector and other industries.
“His extensive M&A and corporate/commercial in-house background adds significant depth to our national and cross-border client service capabilities,” said Leanne Krawchuk, national leader of the firm’s corporate group, in a news release.
Szeto also has nearly a decade of in-house experience. He served as general counsel and corporate secretary of a Canadian software provider in the investor relations arena. In that role, he handled the legal, strategic direction, enterprise risk, privacy, and information security functions.
In that position, he also led the initial public offering that took the company public on the Toronto Stock Exchange and the going-private transaction where a US-based private equity acquired the company.
In the firm’s news release, Toronto office managing partner Blair McCreadie said that Szeto’s in-house and cross-border experience would add value to the firm.
“As he transitions into Dentons, Ken will offer a unique perspective to support our clients’ corporate and transactional needs, particularly in the technology and venture capital sectors,” McCreadie added.
Szeto said that he was thrilled to be a part of the firm. “I have had the pleasure of crossing paths and connecting with members of Dentons’ Corporate group in the past, so I am confident in the collaborative and innovative environment here,” Szeto said in the news release.
Gowling WLG
The firm added Patrick Laycock as a partner in the firm’s intellectual property group in Calgary. He has supported businesses of all sizes in protecting and commercializing their inventions and industrial designs for more than 16 years.
“As Calgary continues its transformation as a leading Canadian technology hub – and as our team plays an ever larger role in this ecosystem – Patrick is strongly positioned to help our clients scale their businesses and fortify their portfolios with confidence,” said Regina Corrigan, managing partner of the firm’s Calgary office, in a news release.
Laycock’s deep technological background spans electronics, optics, computer and software technologies, and oil and gas technologies. He is also a patent and trademark agent.
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