Precedent: The new rules of law and style 29fall 2009

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STUDENT SUPPLEMENT

Get some direction. Find out which firms are on the move, and why the new Bay Adelaide Centre is a hot property p 30 Get the scoop. Check out the leaderboards in our First Annual Anti-Ranking — an unscientific compendium of essential knowledge on Bay Street’s biggest firms p 35 Get dressed. Build a wardrobe that lets you stand out while fitting in p 47

Hoping to take up residence on Bay Street this summer? Precedent’s got you covered with our second

annual student supplement. Here’s your To Do List:

Precedent: The new rules of law and style 35fall 2009

report

umbers aren’t everything. Sure, they’re useful when ranking firms on the biggest deals or the most courtroom wins. You know, what really matters to summer students. But when it comes to intangibles like a firm’s culture and

quirks, statistics really aren’t much help.Precedent has pushed past the data to find out what’s actually going

on inside some of Toronto’s largest law firms. We assigned three

By mike lAndRy, CRyStAl luxmoRe And

CAmeRon tulk

THE PRECEDENT ANTi-RANKiNg

Bennett Jones llPBlake, Cassels & Graydon llPBorden ladner Gervais llPCassels Brock & Blackwell llPdavies Ward Phillips & Vineberg llPFasken martineau dumoulin llPFraser milner Casgrain llPGoodmans llPGowling lafleur Henderson llPHeenan Blaikie llPmcCarthy tétrault llPmcmillan llPmiller thomson llPogilvy Renault llPosler llPStikeman elliott llPtorys llP

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reporters to check out the 17 Toronto firms that hire the most students. Our team delved into how they operate online and in the real world and met with key members at each firm. Armed with that intel, we then made some highly subjective judgments.

The result? The first-ever Precedent Anti-Ranking: a totally un-scientific compendium of random things you need to know about Toronto’s top firms.

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lawandstyle.ca36 fall 2009

BesT ART collecTion: osleR The late 1970’s were a turning point for Canadian art. Artist-run centres were hotbeds for the avant-garde, new public galleries of modern art were making waves and Osler was among the first law firms in Canada to start collecting contempor-

ary Canadian art. That’s when a young partner with the firm, Stephen Smart, convinced management to allocate $20,000 a year to replace the ubiquitous maps, portraits and paintings of landscapes and ships. Without any formal arts training, Smart amassed a collection of delightfully diverse work by early- to mid-career Canadian artists. It was, and is, a bold collec-tion policy. Sure, the firm has pieces from artists whose careers went nowhere. But more often than not it has snagged early work from such outstanding artists as Kent Monkman, Evan Penny and Kelly Mark. It’s such a strong collection that the McMichael Canadian Art Collection used the firm’s art in an exhibit demonstrating the potential of a corporate collection. Now retired from private practice, Smart works as an independent curator. His passion for collecting has been passed along to a group of partners at Osler who meet casually to buy works for the firm.

After years of renting from the Art Gallery of Ontario, McCarthys decided to start its own art collection in the mid-80s. Its collec- tion now rivals museums with a mix of video, sculpture, installation, photog- raphy and paintings from some of today’s hippest and critically acclaimed artists.

McCarthys Torys McMillan

This impressive collection bloomed in the ’90s, along with the size of the firm. It was a perfect time to scoop up Canadian photographers then taking the inter-national stage. The firm remains dedi- cated to collecting photographic works with a 2007 com- mission installation video/photography piece on its reception floor.

Up-and-comer McMillan recently flexed its art muscle with a multi-room, site-specific photog- raphy commission. The piece takes the firm’s already diverse collection of contemporary Canadian art to the next level.

Other great collections three more firms that can keep up with local galleries:

Controversial works Just because an artwork is an attention-grabber doesn’t mean it’s the best way to greet clients. In fact, more than one firm has

had to redecorate its reception area.

McCarthys purchased “Five Coloured Words in Neon” by Ron Terada, a cheeky neon sculpture mimicking America’s Homeland Security Advisory System.The piece was removed from reception amid concerns it would offend U.S. clients. Ask to see it in the common area on the 50th floor.

Two dour photos of unnervingly realistic humanoid sculptures by Evan Penny were moved from Osler’s reception area and replaced with livelier paintings by Martin Goland. The humanoids were relocated to one of the firm’s boardrooms, where they watch over meetings with eerie, blank stares.

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these evan Penny pieces No One — In Particular, No. 8 and No One — In Particular No. 7 get mixed reviews at osler

Precedent: The new rules of law and style 37fall 2009

Portrait of the artist as Attorney General

Amid Gowling’s art collection, eight cityscapes and landscapes stand out. They hang outside the corner office of counsel Roy McMurtry, the former Attorney General, judge and diplomat who painted them.

Fascinated by painting since his youthful summers spent working in the Rockies, McMurtry started painting seriously 20 years ago under the mentorship of Group of Seven member A.J. Casson. McMurtry’s art has been used for the firm’s Christmas card, and he does a few commissions each year for charity.

“When I’m asked, ‘where do you find the time or the energy for painting?’ I say the most important decision I ever made was to not take up the game of golf,” says McMurtry. “That probably doesn’t please my golfing friends, but I would not have had the time to do both.”

Dude, where’s my Dalmatian?

As a joke in the late 1980’s, a senior partner installed a ceramic Dalmatian and hydrant among the odd sculptures popular in FMC’s reception. The piece passed as modern art for days before the joke was revealed. These days, tempor-ary ownership of the thigh-high pup, now worse for wear, with a reattached leg, chipped ear and incision from a failed attempt to install a voice box, is auctioned off semi-annually within the firm to raise money for the United Way.

Where to find it:

Bennett Jones, Blaney, McMurtry, Faskens, Lax O’Sullivan, Lenczner Slaght, McCarthys, McMillan, Torys

McCarthys, McMillan, Torys, Osler

Osler, Ogilvy Renault, Torys, McMillan, McCarthys

How to spot it:

Gigantic, crystal clear photographs of industry.

Black paint on plain canvas, often made from rubbings of objects from his backyard like a garbage lid or garden hose.

Because he works in a variety of genres, recognizing a Lexier is more challenging than other artists. Look for pieces that feature typography or anything to do with counting.

How to sound like a pro:

Note how the sparse sparks of unnatural colour mark the otherworldliness of our modern landscape.

Rather than calling his technique “rubbing” use the fancier term: “frottage.”

Mention that you gave his children’s colouring book A Number of Things to your nephew to teach him more about art.

Great minds the combination of a small Canadian contemporary art market and a keeping-up-with-the-Jones-es competitiveness among law firms means that if you are making the rounds for interviews, you’ll likely spot work by the same artist more than once. Among these, look for the three artists named below. Show your life experience extends beyond first year Contracts with a few well-chosen words about these works.

Edward Burtynsky

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A classic lexier A Minute of My Time December 7, 1998, 22:00 - 22:01 hangs in mcmillan’s lobby

Portal is by martin Gollard, one of the many rising stars in the osler collection

Gerald Ferguson

Micah Lexier

Precedent: The new rules of law and style 39fall 2009

Number of Firm Followers

@Osler_Law

591@gowlings_law

333@ogilvyrenault

181@BLGLaw

172@TorysLLP

122

Legal tweets

Toronto law firms have started to make their way into the Twittersphere. To date, Osler has the most followers on Twitter. As of press date, the firm had tweeted 126 times since it joined the site in December 2008. Posts range from promotional (Osler Ranked #1 for Canadian M&A Transactions, Jan 23rd) to useful (A Guide to the Responsibilities of Corporate Directors in Canada, April 20) to fun (Calgary Stampede Expects 1.2 Million Visitors, July 2nd). Here’s who else is popular on the social networking site:

AheAd of The cuRve: McMillAn McMillan likes to think of itself as a proactive outfit. The

firm has long been at the forefront in adopting new technologies to help improve their practice. As far back as 1987, years before PCs became a desktop staple, McMillan lawyers were using computers. This was before Microsoft Word — or even Word Perfect — caught on, so the machines ran a now-obsolete word processing system. “It’s not technology for technol-ogy’s sake,” says John Clifford, a partner at the firm. “It’s a question of efficiency. It’s really being aware of the best available technology and adopting it if we think it makes sense for our business.” McMillan was the first Canadian firm to do away with switchboards and use voicemail. (Firm lore has it that a third-year associate initially brought forward the idea.) They have since added voice over internet protocol, or VOIP, meaning phone lines run over the internet. Now, when a lawyer receives a phone message, it’s automatically copied to both their computer and BlackBerry, making it easier to forward later to clients. McMillan was also the first Toronto firm to use wireless technology throughout their offices.

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lawandstyle.ca40 fall 2009

Easily the most adventurous in their online presence, Cassels allows their summer students to blog (http://casselsbrockandblogwell.blogspot.com) about their experiences at the firm. Posts discuss everything from intimidating workloads (“soon enough, close to 3000 documents were placed before me in my office. The boxes were too heavy for me to carry”) and the daily highs and lows (“Triumph: Finding the Starbucks machine on my floor. Defeat: Realizing that I had been spilling coffee

all over the place on the long walk back to my desk”) to haircuts suitable for the office (“I asked for something called ‘Business Shag,’ which was interpreted as ‘make me look as much like Zac Efron as possible’”). Other firms use the internet for more traditional purposes: to promote their legal expertise. Stikeman Elliott has a blog devoted to securities law. Torys, Osler, Gowlings and Ogilvy all offer downloadable podcasts on any number of legal topics.

Big ideas It’s all too easy to put one’s head down and focus on one particular area of law. Great for putting in hours, but not so great for keeping things in perspective. We give shout-outs to three firms that encourage their crews to look up every once in a while and take a broader view.

fAskensSummer students at Faskens have the oppor-tunity to broaden their horizons by leaving Bay Street for more exotic locales. Each stu-dent spends four to six weeks at a secondment of their choice. Past placements include Shibolet & Co. law firm in Israel, the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law in Austria and the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

BenneTT JonesLearning shouldn’t stop just because you’ve graduated law school. Many firms offer in-house courses to sharpen the skills of young lawyers in everything from securities to civil-ity. Special mention goes to Bennett Jones where students attend Bennett Jones Univer-sity — a week-long boot camp to bring them up to speed on life in the real world of law.

McMillAnEvery firm talks about the importance of well-rounded employees. At McMillan, they do something about it, bringing in leading mov-ers and shakers for talks on a wide variety of subjects. Past speakers include humanitarian Stephen Lewis, pollster and pundit Allen Gregg and economist Jeff Rubin.

Best blog: Cassels

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Precedent: The new rules of law and style 43fall 2009

MosT heAlThy eATs: cAssels Foodie lawyers are best served at Cassels, where health

guru Rose Reisman caters a hot lunch for partners and associates every day. Davies similarly satisfies, with regular lunches that feature vegetarian and kosher options. Blakes has been known to serve oranges and almonds in their boardrooms and hold wellness seminars to teach their lawyers the benefits of a well-balanced lifestyle. Torys, Miller Thomson and Stikeman Elliott all have fruit bowls for hungry lawyers looking for a quick and healthy snack. For those looking for something a little less wholesome, it’s not hard to find a good cookie. Some firms bake them fresh daily in house while others import them from local bakeries. Most contain a fair quantity of chocolate.

lunchSample lunch menu

from Cassels

Classic Light Caesar SaladCrisp hearts of romaine tossed

in a light garlic dressing with herbed focaccia croutons and fresh

shaved parmesan

Seared SalmonMarinated with maple and soy

Black Bean Chicken

Wild and White RiceWith assorted julienned vegetables

Sliced Cold Cuts, Sliced Cheese, Sliced Breads & Rolls

Whole FruitIncluding apples, pears

and bananas

The rise of the café culture Cafeterias are so 2008. the hottest trend at firms today are swanky lounges and high-end cafés. When Bennett Jones recently renovated their first Canadian place offices, they added a large common space with a supper club ambience boasting sleek tables, comfortable seating and a wall-mounted flat screen television. the idea was to create an inviting room for every member of the firm, allowing summer students to mingle with senior partners. other firms have run with the same idea. the lounge at Stikeman Elliott is adjacent to a meeting room so that the two spaces can be combined for larger social events. all of the firms moving into the Bay adelaide Centre will have similar lounges in their new offices.

LifEfood

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Precedent: The new rules of law and style 45fall 2009

Firms partyEnough with the Yuletide cheer already. Goodmans get points for shifting their usual holiday party to the off-season — last year they threw a black & white party at Casa Loma in February. One point each for thinking outside the Royal York: Heenan Blaikie (for partying at the Fermenting Cellar in the Distillery Dis-trict), Miller Thomson (Palais Royale) and Osler (Simpson’s Tower). While Torys still hearts the Royal York, other firms heart its party: last year when BLG and Ogilvy’s par-ties wound down early, revelers joined the Torys-packed dance floor.

Associates retreatSki, shoot, snowmobile or spa — whatever the activity, all 79 associates from Faskens Toronto and Ottawa offices descended on Mont Tremblant Resort in Quebec for the most recent firm retreat. Meanwhile, partners from South Africa to Vancouver jetted to Laguna Beach, CA. Firm-wide retreats are just too big, explains Tony Di Domenico, an associate in his third year of practice. “We are the future of the firm so it’s important that associates get to know each other.”

Most Valuable Player

sTikeMAn ellioT

These four-time softball champions

have a firm grip on athletics.

Body slam your associates at the

twice-weekly shinny games in Moss Park, join the soccer team

or running groups or just focus on the breath at a

yoga class.

Best All Around

cAssels BRock

Sports junkies unite around

the water cooler thanks to a thriving

sports law group and associate

David Goldstein. A panelist on The

Grill Room, he sometimes leaves the office early to

profile players at Raptors games for an American daily newspaper.

Cassels is a sporty bunch with a touch football team, runners,

golfers and former OHLers.

Sports firm of the Year

fAskens

New partner and motorcyclist Jeff Clark revved up a

group of associates to bike to Lake

Placid, N.Y., and came back with only one injury

— Clark’s separated shoulder.

The Gretzky Award

ToRys

With several in-house hockey

teams — and occasionally even

a female one — this firm shoots

and scores. Two former lawyers are managing NHL teams,

the Vancouver Canucks and the Columbus Blue Jackets, and partner Mike Siltala played

for the Washington Capitals and the

New York Rangers.

Most Promising

McMillAn

With a foosball table as the main attraction in the

firm’s lounge, could they follow

in Heenan Blaikie’s footsteps and form a dodgeball team

next year?

spoRT

pARTyevery once in awhile, lawyers are forced to leave the building and socialize with their colleagues.

this forced mingling usually takes place at parties and retreats. Precedent surveyed the firms on what they’ve been up to recently. As for what’s in store for the future? no surprise: most are scaling back their spending this year in the name of fiscal responsibility.

The Precedent Sports Awards A little competition is a good thing. And so is a little exercise. Precedent checked out the firms that compete on the field, on the ice and in the lunchroom. Winners all around.

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lawandstyle.ca48 fall 2009

First year associate McLeish Orlando

Articling student Walter Fox

Second year associate Stockwoods

“It’s about really small things, like wearing a different kind of nylons. I’ll wear fishnets if I’m wearing pants — never with a skirt though. I roll my cuffs on my blazers. And I don’t really wear traditional blouses. I have a lot of loose, billowy blouses and I wear tank tops underneath.”

“Criminal defence lawyers tend to wear thick pinstripes and bright colours. I like a bold tie — bright ties with different designs are key. I’ve got a one-button suit I wear to work some-times. My shoes have therapeutic soles. I have a pair of D&Gs, but they’re not as comfortable when you’re walking around all day.”

“Our firm isn’t a big Bay Street firm; every part-ner and associate has their own style. I like slim-fitting shirts and pants, and I like bright colours, which look better because of my skin tone. For guys, it’s hard since we are generally more limited in our wardrobe options. The best thing to do is play around with combos of different shirts, ties and pants.”

Katherine PattilloDheeraj Sindhwani Paul Saguil

The secret to standing out while fitting in: find subtle but meaningful ways to make your style reflect your character. And then cover it up with a big, black blazer.