The Calgary office of Bennett Jones is its historical headquarters and, while its operations across Canada have blossomed (and includes another, smaller, office in Edmonton), the firm remains a consistent key legacy player in this particular city. “Bennett Jones used to have all the ‘A clients’ in the Calgary market and, while other firms have since moved in and clients have spread out more, Bennett Jones still hangs on to some exclusive relationships. They are a steady and meaningful presence in the market, still attract premium work and have great people. Even with the recent retirement of [former litigation stars] Ken [Lenz] and Chris [Simard] going to the bench, it’s still such a deep team.
Munaf Mohamed in particular attracts great clients.” Mohamed, a routinely acknowledged “trial warrior” who “doesn’t suffer fools,” led a multi-office team in representing a group of Saudi companies in advancing one of the largest fraud claims in Canada against a high-ranking former Minister of Cabinet in the former Saudi government who is alleged, along with a number of close family and friends, of embezzling a massive amount of money and moving it into various offshore havens and who, once stripped of his titles and position, fled to Canada. A worldwide freezing order has been obtained against the Minister, together with various other extraordinary orders. Another frequently championed trial lawyer,
Blair Yorke-Slader, acts as lead trial counsel for the owners of a building in downtown Calgary in which the tenant leased virtually all of the building under a lease that ran until 2031. After a workforce reduction the tenant sought to reduce its lease burden by claiming breach of lease because of the alleged presence of trace amounts of asbestos in the fireproofing, after which the tenant fled the building, terminated the lease, and sued for $70 million. Yorke-Slader’s client has countersued both the tenant and its Chinese parent company and guarantor for $500 million.
Bruce Mellett represented the Province of Alberta in its Reference case on the constitutional validity of the federal Impact Assessment Act also known as Bill C-69. Alberta's position was that the legislation was beyond Parliament's jurisdiction, as it purported to regulate projects and activities within areas of provincial jurisdiction and could make the ultimate decision over whether such activities would be approved as in the public interest. Alberta was successful before the Alberta Court of Appeal, after which Canada appealed to the Supreme Court of Canada, which dismissed the appeal in October 2023. “Bruce doesn’t get as much press and he doesn’t seek it, but he deserves it,” insists a peer. “You want dogged and rigorous work without the bluster? You go to him.” The firm’s younger members are also gaining traction. Ciara Mackey is one singled out by peers. “She’s in the opinions practice, and if I could have her work on every one of my files, I would. She writes how you think. She is the brains – you know you’re in good hands with her.”
