The pathway to success for Vancouverites in need of trusted legal advice has become that much clearer for one of the city’s leading law firms.
MLT Aikins is proud to announce its recent merger with Hakemi & Ridgedale – this relationship will broaden the firm’s footprint in Vancouver, attracting more top-tier lawyers and giving clients access to expanded resources and experience.
“Hakemi & Ridgedale is a very notable firm in Vancouver,” says Bill Skelly, office lead for the MLT Aikins Vancouver location. “This merger will help put us on the legal map in Vancouver and support our recruitment efforts.”
In the Vancouver context, MLT Aikins practises corporate and commercial law, litigation, labour and employment, securities and insolvency and works with Indigenous groups and Indigenous-owned businesses.
Adding team members from Hakemi & Ridgedale gives the firm a more fulsome suite of legal professionals working in Vancouver, including a leading securities litigation team.
The goal is to grow in Vancouver by hiring at least 10 more lawyers by 2024. MLT Aikins has more than a century’s worth of experience east of the Rockies and now wants to establish itself as a major player in the Vancouver legal landscape.
“We pride ourselves on providing excellent client service and taking a one-team approach. We believe having that kind of mentality and work ethic really helps to shape the legal talent we bring in,” Skelly adds.
The firm is well on its way to prime name recognition on the West Coast based on the work it has done in the last year alone.
Earlier this year, MLT Aikins advised RBC on the $144-million refinancing of the Bentall 5 office tower in Vancouver. Its team was also involved in more IPOs than any other firm in the country during the first half of the year, most of which originated in the Vancouver office.
“It's about investing the time and effort to get ahead of the trends so that when the time comes to bring a company to market, we have more insight than others who may have been a bit further behind the curve,” Skelly says.
Looking ahead to 2023, Skelly targets overall growth as the prime objective along with focusing on two key areas: commercial real estate and working with First Nations groups. The firm has an extensive background supporting Indigenous communities in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba and aims to replicate those success stories in Vancouver.
“We think there are opportunities here to work alongside First Nations communities and help them navigate through some of the legal processes we’ve already embarked upon,” Skelly says.
For more information and to contact MLT Aikins LLP, visit www.mltaikins.com.
