Fasken Martineau

Fasken Martineau
Name	Fasken Martineau
Headquarters	Toronto, Ontario
Founded	1863
Num attorneys	600+
Practice areas	Corporate law; Litigation; Mergers and acquisitions; Energy; Mining; Finance; Intellectual property; Labour and employment; Real estate; Tax

Fasken Martineau Fasken Martineau is a multinational Canadian business law firm with a legacy stretching from 19th-century Toronto and Montreal roots to a present-day network spanning Canada and beyond. The firm advises clients across sectors including Bank of Montreal, Rio Tinto, Suncor Energy, and Airbus, providing transactional, regulatory, and litigation services integrated with cross-border matters involving United States and United Kingdom jurisdictions. Its work frequently intersects with regulatory regimes, capital markets, and natural resources projects governed by statutes such as the Canada Business Corporations Act and institutions including the Toronto Stock Exchange.

History

Founded through predecessors in the 19th century, the firm emerged from amalgamations involving prominent Canadian legal practices in Toronto and Montreal, later consolidating names and offices during the 20th century alongside contemporaries such as McCarthy Tétrault and Norton Rose Fulbright. Milestones include expansion during post-war Canadian industrialization associated with clients like Canadian National Railway and transactions tied to Hudson's Bay Company and Imperial Oil. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries the firm navigated globalization trends similar to firms such as Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom and Clifford Chance, formalizing international alliances and adapting to cross-border practice areas influenced by decisions from the Supreme Court of Canada and regulatory developments at Global Affairs Canada.

Practice Areas

The firm maintains full-service offerings across corporate and commercial law, handling matters in Mergers and acquisitions, Capital markets, Project finance, and Banking consistently with counterparts like BMO Capital Markets and RBC Capital Markets. It operates robust litigation and dispute-resolution capabilities engaging with tribunals such as the Ontario Superior Court of Justice and international forums like the International Chamber of Commerce and London Court of International Arbitration. Sector-specific practices include representation in Mining transactions affecting companies such as Barrick Gold and Teck Resources, energy projects involving TransCanada Corporation and Shell plc, pharmaceutical and life sciences matters intersecting with Pfizer and Novartis, and intellectual property work for clients comparable to Apple Inc. and Samsung. Labour and employment advice aligns with precedents from the Labour Relations Board and compliance matters tied to Competition Bureau enforcement.

Offices and Global Presence

The firm has major offices in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary, Ottawa, Québec City, and international links that facilitate matters in the United Kingdom, United States, and Caribbean. Its presence supports cross-border mandates involving financial centers such as New York City, London, and Hong Kong, and resources hubs like Perth and Santiago. Strategic relationships and secondments with multinational corporations, law firms like Hogan Lovells, and international organizations such as the World Bank enable coordination on transactions and regulatory matters across jurisdictions.

Notable Cases and Transactions

The firm has acted on high-profile mandates including large-scale mergers comparable to transactions involving Brookfield Asset Management and cross-border acquisitions analogous to deals by Canadian Tire and Bombardier. It has advised on public offerings and private placements on the Toronto Stock Exchange and TSX Venture Exchange reminiscent of work for mining majors like Glencore and Goldcorp, and has represented clients in major litigation and appellate matters before the Supreme Court of Canada and provincial appellate courts, addressing issues similar to precedent-setting cases on fiduciary duties and securities disclosure. The firm’s transactional repertoire includes project financing for infrastructure initiatives related to entities like Infrastructure Ontario and energy exports connected to Enbridge.

Rankings and Awards

The firm is regularly ranked by publications and directories including Chambers and Partners, The Legal 500, and Lexpert, and has received recognition in categories comparable to national practice rankings for Corporate/M&A, Litigation, and Energy and Natural Resources. Individual lawyers have been profiled in lists such as the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory and awards from organizations like the Canadian Bar Association and provincial law societies. Rankings often cite the firm’s work for large-cap clients and cross-border deal execution similar to peers like Blake, Cassels & Graydon.

Community Involvement and Pro Bono

The firm maintains pro bono initiatives and community programs that partner with non-governmental organizations and charities such as United Way, legal clinics associated with law schools like University of Toronto Faculty of Law and McGill University Faculty of Law, and advocacy groups addressing access to justice issues reflected in collaborations with Pro Bono Ontario and the Canadian Lawyers for International Human Rights. Its lawyers frequently participate in mentorship and diversity programs aligned with professional bodies including the Canadian Bar Association and provincial bar associations.

Leadership and Organization Structure

Governance follows a partnership model with an executive committee and office managing partners, reflecting organizational frameworks similar to those at firms like Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt and Torys. Practice group chairs oversee sector teams spanning Corporate Finance, Litigation, Tax, and Intellectual Property, while support functions coordinate compliance with regulatory authorities such as provincial law societies and engage with recruiting pipelines from institutions like York University and Queen's University. The leadership emphasizes integration of cross-border capabilities to serve multinational clients operating in markets including United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and Chile.

Category:Law firms of Canada