McKenzie Baker

This interview with Skip Sigel and Edward Kowal of Baker McKenzie provides a comprehensive overview of the firm’s development as an international legal practice in Toronto. The conversation traces the firm’s origins from Russell Baker’s vision of a multinational law firm serving global corporations, beginning with Abbott Laboratories’ Venezuelan operations in the 1950s. The Toronto office was established in 1963-64 as H.J. Stitt & Associates, evolving through various name changes to become Baker McKenzie in October 1990. The partners detail their unique structure where Toronto partners participate fully in the international partnership while maintaining separate local operations due to Canadian bar restrictions.

The interview extensively covers Baker McKenzie’s distinctive expansion methodology, emphasizing the recruitment and training of indigenous lawyers rather than mergers or acquisitions. Their Professional Development Committee ensures uniform standards across 47 global offices through standardized training, associate exchange programs, and quality control measures. The firm faces significant challenges as a mid-size Toronto practice (60 lawyers) competing against established national firms, while managing complex conflict of interest issues across their international network. The partners discuss their cautious approach to Canadian expansion, particularly regarding Vancouver and Montreal offices, constrained by their relatively small Toronto base compared to the firm’s massive international scale of 1,600 lawyers worldwide.

Sigel and Kowal address the evolving landscape of international legal practice, predicting increased competition from American firms entering Canada and the eventual establishment of inter-jurisdictional practice rules. They emphasize their competitive advantage in international expertise while acknowledging the challenges of establishing credibility in domestic Canadian markets dominated by century-old established firms. The interview concludes with speculation about future trends including potential mega-firm mergers, multi-disciplinary practices combining law and accounting, and the strategic positioning required for mid-size firms to survive in an increasingly consolidated legal market.

This description was written by AI and may contain some inaccuracies.