Roundup of law firm hires, promotions, departures: May 17, 2021 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.

Aird & Berlis LLP

The Toronto-based firm welcomed two new partners:

• Mistrale Lepage-Chouinard — real estate
• Archie Rabinowitz — estates and trusts

Benson Buffett

Benson Buffett, based in St. John’s, announced that David Orsborn rejoined as counsel, effective May 1, following his retirement from the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador, where he spent 27 years including five years as the court’s chief justice.

Orsborn co-founded the firm with H. James Puddester in 1981. Orsborn’s work has focused on judicial dispute resolution and alternative dispute resolution.

Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP

Elyssa Lockhart joined the firm’s estate planning group in the Surrey, B.C. office.

“Elyssa’s experience helps individual, family and corporate clients protect and manage their assets for future generations,” said William Westeringh, the firm’s regional managing partner in the B.C. region, in the news release.

Gowling WLG

The firm launched its hydrogen group, an international team of lawyers and intellectual property professionals experienced in advising clients in the dynamic energy sector.

“This is an exciting step for our firm, and I’m thrilled to see Gowling WLG embrace hydrogen as a key aspect of our energy practice,” said Toronto-based partner Myron Dzulynsky, co-leader of the new group, along with Gareth Baker, partner and co-head of the firm’s energy sector in London.

McMillan LLP

McMillan hired two new lawyers, effective May 3:

• Bruno Caron (Montreal partner) — capital markets and securities and mergers and acquisitions
• Greg Johns (Toronto-based counsel) — business law and technology

Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP

Kaeleigh Kuzma, partner in the firm’s competition/antitrust and foreign investment group, transferred from the Toronto office to the Calgary office.

Stewart McKelvey

John Hogan, Newfoundland and Labrador’s justice and public safety minister, announced on May 12 that Allison Whelan has been appointed the province’s lobbyists commissioner, replacing LeeAnn Montgomery. Whelan, a partner in Stewart McKelvey’s St. John’s office, primarily practises tax litigation and tax planning.

Wildeboer Dellelce LLP

The Toronto-based firm welcomed David Miller as counsel in the corporate governance practice group. With more than three decades of experience in the communications and media industries, Miller will assist clients with merger and acquisition transactions and with matters relating to regulated industries.

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