Fasken, Campbell, Godfrey

This 1989 interview with Robert Sutherland of Fasken & Calvin provides a comprehensive overview of one of Canada’s oldest law firms, tracing its origins over 125 years and its evolution from a small Toronto practice to a major national and international firm. Sutherland discusses the firm’s early history under the leadership of Alec Fasken, a prominent commercial lawyer with extensive business connections, and the subsequent judicial appointments of firm members including Chief Justice Robertson and Justice Pickup.

The interview explores the firm’s expansion strategies, including its partnership with Martineau Walker in Montreal (forming Fasken, Martineau, Walker) and the establishment of international offices in London and Brussels. Sutherland explains how client needs drove expansion decisions, particularly as businesses became more international in scope. He details the firm’s cautious approach to expansion, contrasting it with more aggressive strategies employed by firms like McCarthy Tétrault.

A significant portion of the discussion focuses on the 1989 merger with Campbell, Godfrey & Lewtas, creating what would become Fasken Campbell Godfrey. Sutherland explains this was driven by the need to compete for major projects requiring substantial legal resources, positioning the merged firm among Canada’s top five law firms. The interview concludes with Sutherland’s predictions about the future of legal practice, suggesting that middle-sized firms would face particular challenges while both large firms and small boutique practices would thrive.

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