Largest Law Firms in Canada - Mage

Mage, Law Firms, Canada, Law Practice, Legal Profession.

Canada is home to roughly 35,000 law firms, spread across ten provinces and three territories. They range from solo practitioners in small towns to large Bay Street firms in Toronto, Ontario. Every major legal hub has its own character. Toronto handles corporate and capital markets work, Calgary leads in energy, Vancouver in mining and Pacific Rim business, and Montreal in civil law and cross-border deals. Most of these firms are boutique, and only a handful are big enough to have offices in more than one province, take on briefs in every sector, and appear on the biggest deals in the country. This article, in no particular order, looks at the top 10 law firms in Canada.

This article, in no particular order, looks at the 10 ten largest law firms in Canada. The article uses Clio’s ranking, which considers factors such as annual revenue, number of lawyers, number of offices, national and international reach, and the size and prestige of the deals and clients they handle. For each firm, we cover its history, main practice areas, notable clients, and what makes it different from the rest.

BLAKE, CASSELS & GRAYDON LLP

Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP was founded in 1856 by Edward Blake and Samuel Hume Blake. At the time, the firm was called “Blakes” and was renamed Cawthra & Blake in 1859 when Henry Cawthra joined the Partnership. The firm went through 8 major restructurings from 1868 to 1953, when it became Blake, Cassels & Graydon, commonly referred to as “Blakes”. The firm’s expertise cuts across major sectors including Capital Markets, Commercial Real Estate, Competition and Antitrust, Consumer Protection, Corporate & Commercial, Energy and Infrastructure, Financial Services, International Trade, Intellectual Property, and Litigation & Dispute Resolution, amongst others.

The firm consists of over 750 lawyers, with over 400 Associates and over 300 Partners across 7 locations, including Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Calgary, Ottawa, London and New York. Blakes is notable for its role in the incorporation of the Canadian Bank of Commerce in 1867. They have since then remained legal advisors to the bank, now known as the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce and have advised other global entities such as Coca-Cola, Jarislowsky Fraser, Royal Bank of Canada, Celestica Inc., and Paramount Skydance Corporation, to mention a few. The firm also played a major advisory role to the underwriters on SpaceX’s US$86 billion IPO, the largest IPO in history. Blakes remains one of Canada's top 10 law firms thanks to its 170-year history, its large national team, and revenue that ranks among the highest in the country. Its work for major banks, global brands and record-setting deals keeps it at the centre of Canadian business law.

DAVIES WARD PHILLIPS & VINEBERG LLP

Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg, “Davies”, is one of the renowned “Seven Sisters” of Canada, with offices in Montreal, Toronto, and New York. The firm has about 319 lawyers, including more than 150 partners and over 120 lawyers.

The firm was founded on the 1st of February 2001 through the merger of two law firms: Davies Ward & Beck, formed in 1961 and Phillips &Vineberg, which was founded in 1895. The firm categorises its expertise into three broad categories: Advisory, Corporate and Transactional, and Litigation. Beneath the umbrella of these three areas are core practices including Tax, Corporate Governance, Mergers and Acquisitions, Banking and Finance, Capital Markets and Securities, Private Equity, Arbitration and Mediation, etc.

The firm represents prominent global corporations and financial institutions, some of which include the National Bank of Canada Capital Markets and TD Securities, Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System, Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, Government of Canada, Royal Canadian Mint, amongst others. More recently, Davies acted for Rogers Communications Inc. In its C$4.35 billion acquisition of Kilmer Sports’ 25% ownership stake in Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment.

Regardless of the size of its team, Davies remains one of the top 10 law firms in Canada because of the weight of its work. The firm’s reputation in Mergers and Acquisitions, Securities and Tax has earned it numerous rankings and recognitions globally, thus keeping it among the top firms.

McCARTHY TETRAULT

Established in 1989, McCarthy Tetrault is widely recognised as Canada’s first national business law firm. Following numerous evolutions and restructuring spanning from 1855 to 1989, the firm finally became what it currently is through the Merger of McCarthy & McCarthy of Toronto, Clarkson Tetrault of Montreal, Shruum Liddle & Hebenton of Vancouver, and Black & Company of Calgary.

With over 350 Associates and 300 Partners across all its jurisdictions, the firm has 5 offices across Canada and 1 office each in New York and London, United Kingdom. The firm, on the 1st of October 2026, announced an expansion through the launch of its Latin American office, set to be located in Santiago, Chile, bringing the total number of locations to 8.

The firm explores several industries, including Airports & Aviation, Banking & Financial Services, Energy, Construction, Infrastructure, Global Metals & Mining, etc. It also carries on various practices like Capital Markets, Intellectual Property, Environmental Law, Tax, Mergers & Acquisitions, Litigation and Dispute Resolution, amongst others. The firm’s entertainment group has advised top communications brands like Facebook, Warner Bros. Entertainment, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, and the Canadian Retransmission Collective. In recent times, they have advised Rogers Communications Inc. on its US$1 billion public offering of two series hybrid notes, and its C$600 million private placement of subordinated notes, both due in 2057.

McCarthy Tetrault is recognised as a leading Canadian law firm not just because of its premier status but because of its impressive track record in high-stakes litigation and business transactions.

OSLER, HOSKIN & HARCOURT LLP

Also considered one of the Seven Sisters, Osler was founded in 1862 by Britton Bath Osler. Prior to becoming Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP in 1916 through partnerships with John Hoskin and Frederick Harcourt, the firm had joined McCarthy’s partnership to become, at the time, McCarthy, Osler, Hoskin and Creelman. In 1968, Osler became the first large corporate law firm in Canada to admit a woman: Bertha Wilson as a partner.

The firm provides a wide range of services, including Tax, Project Development & Finance, Private Equity, Intellectual Property, Energy, Financial Services, Employment and Labour, Disputes, Corporate Governance, Construction & Infrastructure, Artificial Intelligence, Capital Markets, and others.

Osler comprises over 250 Partners and about 330 Associates and Counsel operating in 5 provinces in Canada and New York. The firm has been recognised and ranked as a top-performing Canadian law firm by over 10 ranking bodies. For over 10 years, the firm has served as legal representative to top founders, including Clio, Intrepid Growth, Amplitude, Waabi, Blue J, etc.

Top deals handled by Osler include its representation of Shell in its C$22 billion acquisition of ARC Resources, representation of Amazon in its $14 billion inaugural maple bond offering and its representation of Building Ontario Fund of its involvement in the Ontario government's $178 million investment in Scarborough Junction LP.

STIKEMAN ELLIOTT

Stikeman Elliott was founded as a tax boutique law firm in Montreal in 1952 by Heward Stikeman and Fraser Elliott. Unlike many other top firms, Stikeman Elliott has never merged with another firm to date. In 1969, the firm became the first Canadian law firm to open an office in London. In 1983, the firm again became the first Canadian law firm to open an office in New York.

Before opening the New York office, it had opened an office in Hong Kong that operated for over 20 years until its closure. The firm currently has 5 offices in Canada: Montreal, Toronto, Calgary, Ottawa, and Vancouver; 1 office in New York; and 1 in London. The firm comprises over 200 partners and 489 lawyers. Though the firm is generally recognised for its prominence in Corporate, Tax, Real Estate, and Litigation, they offer expert services in Banking and Finance, Employment and Labour, Intellectual Property, International Trade, Financial Products & Services, Class Actions, Competition and Foreign Investments, etc.

The firm’s excellence can be seen through its continued recognition in various directories. Its lawyers have been recognised in more than 30 legal directories as leading practitioners across various areas of expertise. In 2026, some of the firm’s recognised deals include: Stonlasec8 Alliance's C$736 million investment in Enbridge's Westcoast pipeline, Blue Ant's go-public reverse takeover transaction of Boat Rocker, Canadian Tobacco's restructuring under the CCAA, and Trillium Health Partners' C$13.9 billion hospital redevelopment project.

TORYS LLP

Torys was founded in 1941 by John Stewart Donald Troy. In 1954, Mr Tory’s sons joined the firm alongside their law school classmates, Arthur Binnington and William DesLauriers and renamed the firm Tory Tory DesLauriers & Binnington. In 1972, the firm merged with Kimber, Dubin. In 2000, the firm merged with a New York firm, Haythe & Curley and was briefly known as Tory Haythe before being rebranded to create Torys LLP.

Torys LLP, also considered one of the Seven Sisters, has offices in Toronto, New York, Calgary, Montreal, Vancouver, and Halifax. With about 150 Partners and 400 lawyers, Torys expertise cuts across 4 service categories, including Transactions, Advisory and Regulatory, Disputes and Investigations, and Projects. The four broad categories cater for Banking and Debt Finance, Capital Markets, Mergers and Acquisitions, Intellectual Property, Tax, Climate Change, Privacy, Energy Regulatory, Arbitration, Class Actions, White Collar Defence, Litigation, Construction, Project Finance, Public-Private Partnerships, to mention a few.

Some of its award-winning transactions include Viterra’s US$34 billion merger with Bunge Limited, its advisory role in the Canadian tobacco industry CCAA proceedings, and representation of Endo in the divestiture of its international Pharmaceuticals business to Knight Therapeutics Inc.

BORDEN LADNER GERVAIS LLP

BLG was formed as a result of the merger of 5 firms: McMaster Gervais, Borden & Elliot, Ladner Downs, Howard Mackie, Scott & Aylen. The earliest of the 5 firms was McMaster Gervais, formed in 1823, followed by Howard Mackie in 1888, then Ladner Downs, which was founded in 1911. Borden & Elliot and Scott & Aylen were formed in 1936 and 1952, respectively. The firm is widely recognised as Canada’s oldest law firm.

The firm operates primarily in Canada, with all its 5 offices situated in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Ottawa, and Calgary. BLG comprises over 300 partners and 300 Lawyers across 16 industries, rendering services in practice areas including Tax, Capital Markets, Corporate Commercial, Disputes, Construction, Intellectual Property, Mergers and Acquisitions, Labour and Employment, etc.

Per a 2016 Client Success Report by the firm, a list of their select notable clients includes: Air Canada, Bank of Canada, Bank of Montreal, British Airways, Barclays, Mazda Canada Inc., Kia Canada Inc., Google Inc., GlaxoSmithKline Inc., City of Toronto, etc.

The firm is also keen on Diversity and Pro bono, as it was the first law firm in Canada to sign the International Arbitration equal representation pledge announced in the UK, and is a founding member of the Law Firm Diversity and Inclusion Network.

FASKEN MARTINEAU DUMOULIN LLP

Fasken was formed as a result of a merger between Fasken Campbell Godfrey, Martinau Walker, and Russell & DuMoulin. It was initially Fasken and Martineau in 1999 before Russel & DuMoulin joined in 2000 to create the LLP.

The firm has 8 offices in Canada: Vancouver, Surrey, Calgary, Tsuut’ina, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, and Quebec City. It also has 1 office in London and another in Johannesburg, making it a total of 10 offices comprising about 500 partners and 400 lawyers worldwide.

A fun fact about Fasken is its worldwide recognition in mining law; the firm has been named the Global Mining Law Firm of the Year 16 times by Lexology. Their practice areas cut across major industries like Mining, Insurance, Real Estate, Technology, Media and Telecommunications, Charities and Non-Profit Law, Autonomous Mobility, etc.

Recent transactions from Fasken include their advisory to Fredonia Mining Inc. in completing a bought deal Private Placement offering of common shares for gross proceeds of C$11.5 million. They advised Astrus Inc. on its closing of a US$12 million Series A financing. Fasken remains one of the top 10 because it is one of the largest firms in Canada by headcount and one of the few with an office in Africa.

GOWLING WLG LLP

Gowling WLG, formed in 2016 through the merger of Gowlings and Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co. Gowlings traces its roots to 1887, when it began as Henderson & McVeity. Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co was formed in 1834 in the United Kingdom through the merger of Wragge & Co and Lawrence Graham. The merger of both firms to form Gowling WLG marked the first time a British law firm and a major Canadian law firm merged into a combined international entity.

The Firm, because of its international element, has more than 2 offices in Europe. In Canada, Gowling has 7 offices: Calgary, Hamilton, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver, and Waterloo Region. In the United Kingdom, it has offices in 3 locations: Birmingham, Leeds, and London. In Germany, it has 3 offices: Frankfurt, Munich, and Stuttgart. In China, it has 3 offices: Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shanghai. In the United Arab Emirates, it has 2 offices: Abu Dhabi and Dubai. It has 1 office each in Paris, France, and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, bringing office locations to a total of 20 cities and 7 countries. Due to its large number, Gowling has over 1500 legal professionals across all its locations.

The Canadian giant offers services in about 20 sectors, some of which include Tax, Intellectual Property, Construction, Pensions, Banking and Finance, Corporate Commercial, Mergers and Acquisitions, Dispute Resolution and Litigation, etc.

Some of their notable clients include the Republic of Albania, the Ministry of Defence, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Blue Gold Inc., Aura Minerals Inc., Andrada Mining Limited, Crowdcube, Banque Transatlantique, amongst others.

DENTONS LLP

Dentons was formed in 2013 through the merger of SNR Denton, Fraser Milner Casgrain, and Salans. Since 2013, Dentons has been said to be the world’s largest law firm, operating in over 170 locations across more than 80 countries.

Dentons Canada has over 250 partners and over 300 lawyers with 6 offices: Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, and Vancouver. The firm practices in about 20 sectors, including Banking and Finance, Corporate, Energy, Intellectual Property, Litigation and Dispute Resolution, Mergers and Acquisitions, among others.

Recent deals include its advisory to numerous financial institutions in their capacity as promissory noteholders of Grillo-Werke’s financial restructuring, the advisory of Mullen Group Ltd’s CA$400 million private placement of senior secured notes, and Raymond James on a CA$138 million offering by PMET Resources Inc.

Notable clients include the Canadian Department of Justice and Transport, the Government of Canada, Syncrude, Suncor, Imperial Oil, Canaccord Genuity Group, Cantor Fitzgerald, etc. Dentons Canada remains one of the top 10 because of its size and its place in a global network. Due to its tentacles being spread all over, the firm has leverage over cross-border deals.

The ten firms in this article differ in age, size and focus, but they share a place at the centre of Canadian business law. Several of them, including Blakes, Davies, McCarthy Tétrault, Osler, Stikeman Elliott and Torys, belong to the group known as the "Seven Sisters" and are regularly involved in the country's largest transactions. Others, such as BLG, Fasken, Gowling WLG and Dentons, stand out for their national coverage and international networks. Together, the list shows that size is only one measure of a leading firm. A firm like Davies earns its place through the weight of its work, and another like Fasken through its depth in a specialised area such as mining. Each of the ten has built its position over decades, and several have been in practice for well over a century.