Canadian Law Awards winners, 2023 edition, revealed

See who won in our fourth annual law awards honouring the best in Canadian law

Canadian Law Awards winners, 2023 edition, revealed

The Canadian Law Awards winners were announced at the Liberty Grand in Toronto tonight. Legal professionals came from across Canada to connect with colleagues and peers – and raise a glass to the profession’s finest – at the packed venue.

This year’s CLAs, the second to be held in person, marked the perfect occasion for the profession to come together and celebrate the success of its best performers over the last 12 months.

The shortlist of Excellence Awardees for non-deal and case categories were revealed in March, and finalists for the deal categories (capital markets, infrastructure, insolvency and restructuring, mid-market transactions and M&A deal of the year) were unveiled on April 19.

The deal finalists are also featured in the Lexpert Special Edition on Finance and M&A, published in the Globe and Mail and online on Lexpert.ca.

Lexpert would like to thank everyone who made the event such a roaring success: everyone who attended, our sponsors, our independent judging panel and – of course – our illustrious winners.

Sign up for our newsletter to stay current on when nominations open for next year’s Canadian Law Awards

Listed below are all the winners for this year:

Boutique Law Firm of the Year

Hicks Morley Hamilton Stewart Storie LLP

The LexisNexis Canada Award for Best Use of Technology in a Law Firm

Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP

The Singleton Urquhart Reynolds Vogel LLP Award for Construction, Infrastructure and Transportation Law Department of the Year

Metrolinx

Insolvency & Restructuring Deal of the Year

Aldo cross-border restructuring

Banking & Financial Services Law Department of the Year

HSBC Bank Canada

Commercial Litigation Team of the Year

DAVIES; Lax O'Sullivan Lisus Gottlieb LLP; Bennett Jones LLP- Commissioner of Competition v Rogers Communications, Inc. and Shaw Communications, Inc.

Pro Bono Initiative of the Year

Dentons Canada LLP - 30 Birds Foundation

The Lawson Lundell LLP Award for Law Department Leader of the Year

Roger Chouinard - QuadReal Property Group

Infrastructure & Projects Deal of the Year

GO Transit corridor expansion project

The Lincoln Alexander School of Law Award for Shaping the Future

Access Pro Bono Society of BC

The Dye & Durham Award for Law Department Innovation

EY Canada

Litigator of the Year

Monique Jilesen - Lenczner Slaght

IP Boutique Law Firm of the Year

Smart & Biggar

Mid-Market Deal of the Year

Audax Private Equity Acquisition Of Harbourfront Wealth Management

Diversity Initiative of the Year

Access Pro Bono Society of BC - Everyone Legal Clinic

The LEAP Legal Software Award for Family Law Firm of the Year

McCarthy Hansen & Company LLP

Litigation & Dispute Resolution Boutique Law Firm of the Year

Lenczner Slaght

Regional Law Firm of the Year – Ontario

WeirFoulds LLP

Regional Law Firm of the Year – Prairies

Thompson Dorfman Sweatman LLP

Regional Law Firm of the Year – Quebec

Langlois Lawyers, LLP

Regional Law Firm of the Year - Western Canada

Lawson Lundell LLP

Regional Law Firm of the Year - Atlantic Canada

McInnes Cooper

Capital Markets Deal of the Year

Rogers Communications bond offering to finance purchase of Shaw Communications

Female Trailblazer of the Year (In-House Counsel)

Terrie-Lynne Devonish - Altus Group Limited

Female Trailblazer of the Year (Private Practice)

Alicia Quesnel - Burnet, Duckworth & Palmer LLP

Managing Partner of the Year

Tim Haney - Dentons Canada LLP

M&A Deal of the Year

Rio Tinto acquisition of Turquoise Hill Resources

The LexisNexis Canada Award for Canadian Law Department of the Year

Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF)

See the full list of winners and excellence awardees