200 years and counting
1823
The Honourable William Badgley, QC, DCL, opens his law practice in Montréal (to which McMaster Meighen traces its roots) at
the age of 22.
FOUNDING FIRM
1840
Sir Richard Scott opens his practice in Bytown (Ottawa). Ten years later, Peter Aylen Jr. begins practicing in Aylmer (District of Montréal). Both are ancestors of the founders of Scott & Aylen, which becomes the only one of BLG's legacy firms with roots in both civil and common law.
1844
Badgley is appointed the first lecturer in law at the McGill University Faculty of Arts.
1847
William Badgley is appointed Attorney General for Canada East.
1849
Bank of Montreal
is retained as a client.
1849
John Abbott joins William Badgley in practice at 88 Notre Dame Street.
1873
John Abbott assists Prime Minister John A. Macdonald during the Pacific Scandal, which investigated allegations of corruption during the construction of the railway.
1888
The firm now known as Howard Mackie is founded by William L. Bernard, QC.
1879
Melbourne M. Tait
is the first BLG predecessor lawyer
to argue a Supreme Court of Canada case.
FOUNDING FIRM
1891
John Abbott acts on behalf of Canadian Pacific Railway to build the railway in British Columbia.
1891
John Abbott becomes Prime Minister of Canada.
1899
Mackenzie Gervais is founded in Montréal by Peers Davidson, son of Chief Justice Sir Charles Peers Davidson.
1909
Leon Ladner is President
of the Vancouver Law Students Society, which first proposed opening a provincial law school in Vancouver – a proposal that came to fruition 36 years later when the UBC Faculty of Law opened in 1945.
1911
Vancouver firm Ladner Downs is founded.
FOUNDING FIRM
FOUNDING FIRM
1936
On January 30, 1936, the Toronto firm Borden & Elliot is founded by lawyers Henry Borden and Beverly Vallack Elliot.
FOUNDING FIRM
1930
McMaster Meighen drafts the first professional hockey contract for the Montréal Canadiens.
1925
Bell Canada is retained as a client.
1924
McMaster Meighen handles the amalgamation of the Bank of Montreal with Molson’s Bank.
1920-30
McMaster Meighen secures a number of major Canadian electrical companies as clients, including Royal Electric, the McLaren-Quebec Power Corporation and the Beauharnois Light, Heat and Power Company.
1917
Leon Ladner sits in on the parliamentary committee that drafts the Income War Tax Act – Canada’s first income tax act.
1914
McMaster Meighen plays
a major role in the inquiry into the collision of the
CPR ship Empress of Ireland with the Norwegian ship SS Storstad – the largest single marine disaster in Canadian history.
1968
The Ladner Clock Tower at University
of British Columbia is named in honour of Leon Ladner.
FOUNDING FIRM
1963
Ministry of Attorney General – B.C. is retained as a client.
1961
McMaster Meighen
is appointed to advise on the financing of the $900M Wabush Lake project – the then-largest corporate financing in Canadian history.
1957-59
Mackenzie Gervais enters merger negotiations with McMaster Meighen.
1954
General William Arnold Howard, one of the founders of Howard Mackie, is instrumental in incorporating the Alberta Gas Trunk Line Limited (AGTL). AGTL later becomes NOVA Corporation of Alberta, which merges with TransCanada Pipelines in 1998.
1952
The fully bilingual Ottawa firm Scott & Aylen is founded.
1940-50
Mackenzie Gervais secures
a number of major clients including The Prudential Insurance Company of America, RCA Ltd.,
and Cadbury.
FOUNDING FIRM
1976
Alex K. Paterson of McMaster Meighen acts on behalf of Russian diver Sergei Nemstanov who defected during the Summer Olympics in Montréal.
1976
Mary Newbury is the first woman associate at Ladner Downs. She will, in 1991,
be appointed to the B.C. Supreme Court and, in 1995, be appointed to the B.C. Court of Appeal.
1976
BC Hydro & Power Authority is retained as a client.
1974
With the enactment of Québec’s Official Languages Act, bilingualism becomes a necessity at the province’s law firms.
1974
Bill Somerville of Borden & Elliot begins his term as President of the Canadian Bar Association.
1970
The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation is retained as a client.
1970
Borden & Elliot is the first Canadian firm to install a mainframe computer.
1989
Ladner Downs represents HSBC in its acquisition of Lloyds Bank Canada.
1986
Ladner Downs represents HSBC in its acquisition of the Bank of British Columbia.
1984-89
BLG's former National
Co-Chair, Doug Mitchell, who played for the BC Lions, serves as Commissioner of the CFL.
1983
McMaster Meighen acts in the creation of Bell Canada Entreprises Inc.
1977
Borden & Elliot's David Britnell
and Ted Ayers represent the defendant in Rattner and Pennys v. the Mercantile Bank – an important case in the development of the law of letters of credit.
1977
David W. Scott of Scott & Aylen, represents Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau. In later years, he will also represent two other Prime Ministers — John Turner
and Jean Chrétien.
FOUNDING FIRM
1976
General Howard spearheads
a campaign to create the
law school at the University
of Calgary.
2003
BLG launches BLG Reads to Kids in support of childhood education and literacy.
2002
BLG launches its Professional Excellence program.
2002
BLG strengthens its corporate securities practice with the acquisition of the Calgary-based law firm Armstrong Perkins Hudson LLP — the then-largest securities boutique in Western Canada.
2000
On March 1, 2000, McMaster Gervais of Montréal, Borden & Elliot of Toronto, Ladner Downs of Vancouver, Howard Mackie of Calgary and Scott & Aylen of Ottawa, merge to create BLG.
1998
Scott & Aylen become the first multidisciplinary firm in Canada to enable trademark and patent agents to become partners.
1998
McMaster Meighen and Mackenzie Gervais merge to become McMaster Gervais.
FOUNDING FIRM
1993
Led by Doug Mitchell, Howard Mackie establishes the Howard Mackie Awards (later to be re-named the BLG Awards).
BLG MERGER
2016
Establishes Driven By Women, which is now national.
2016
BLG becomes ISO27001 certified.
2015
BLG becomes the first law firm in Canada to have a full-time role dedicated to diversity and inclusion.
2014
BLG signs the Catalyst Accord, which encourages corporate Canada to increase representation of women on boards of directors.
2014
BLG begins support for the BLG Business Venture Clinic, a student-run, pro bono legal clinic at the University of Calgary's Faculty
of Law that provides free legal information to Calgary’s entrepreneurs and start-ups.
2013
FOUNDING FIRM
2013
BLG begins its pro bono initiative to provide pro bono legal services to veterans who have been denied benefits under the Canadian Forces Members and Veterans Re-Establishment and Compensation Act.
BLG is awarded Pro Bono Firm of the Year by Benchmark Canada for the first time.
2021
BLG launches national pro bono project in partnership with Landings LLP to rapidly prepare applications for vulnerable Afghans seeking evacuation under the government’s special immigration measures, particularly those who assisted the Canadian mission in Afghanistan.
2020
BLG signs the BlackNorth Initiative Law Firm pledge.
2019
BLG wins Top Diversity Employer for the first time.
2019
BLG honours the late David Scott, one of Canada's most distinguished trial and appellate lawyers, with the presentation of a $50,000 donation to Pro Bono Canada in his memory. Pro Bono Canada supports pro bono programs across the country that deliver free legal services to more than 36,000 low-income Canadians annually, including Pro Bono Ontario which David co-founded and chaired for several years.
2018
BLG wins GTA Top Employer for the first time.
2017
Pro bono projects begin in Ottawa
and Vancouver to help the most vulnerable populations replace
lost or stolen identification in collaboration with Pro Bono
Students Canada and the
Ottawa Mission.
FOUNDING FIRM
2016
Melinda Park is elected the first woman Chair of BLG's Partnership Board.
Future of Law continued...
2023
BLG celebrates 200 years of firm history in November.
2022
BLG establishes action
groups to enhance recruitment, retention and advancement
of firm members from underrepresented groups.
2021
BLG achieves 39% women in senior leadership roles, aligning with the diversity targets and timelines based on the Mansfield Rule.
2021
BLG acquires AUM Law.
FOUNDING FIRM
2021
BLG Beyond launches
with the goal of delivering better efficiency and
value to clients through innovation.
s
BLG becomes a founding signatory of the Law Firm Diversity and Inclusion Network.
2016
BLG Calgary begins its support of Luna Child and Youth Advocacy Centre through funding support, volunteer hours and
pro bono services.
2021
BLG launches national pro
bono project in partnership
with Landings LLP to rapidly prepare applications for
vulnerable Afghans seeking evacuation under the government’s special immigration measures, particularly those who assisted the Canadian mission in Afghanistan.
2001
BLG co-founds Pro Bono Ontario. The organization provided meaningful access to legal services for a record-breaking 34,000 Ontarians in 2022.
1936
FOUNDING FIRM
1952
FOUNDING FIRM
1957-59
FOUNDING FIRM
2000
BLG MERGER
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1891
John Abbott becomes Prime Minister of Canada.
6
The firm now known as Howard Mackie is founded by William L. Bernard, QC.
1888
FOUNDING FIRM
5
1873
1879
Melbourne M. Taitis the first BLG predecessor lawyer to argue a Supreme Court of Canada case.
John Abbott assists Prime Minister John A. Macdonald during the Pacific Scandal, which investigated allegations
of corruption during the construction of the railway.
4
1849
Bank of Montreal
is retained as a client.
3
John Abbott joins William Badgley in practice at
88 Notre Dame Street.
1844
William Badgley is appointed Attorney General for Canada East.
Badgley is appointed the first lecturer in law at the McGill University Faculty of Arts.
1847
2
1823
The Honourable William Badgley, QC, DCL, opens his law practice in Montréal (to which McMaster Meighen traces its roots) at the age of 22.
FOUNDING FIRM
1
1800s
1900s
2000s
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/ 13
1840
Sir Richard Scott opens his practice in Bytown (Ottawa). Ten years later, Peter Aylen Jr. begins practicing in Aylmer (District of Montréal). Both are ancestors of the founders of Scott & Aylen, which becomes the only one of BLG's legacy firms with roots in both civil and common law.
1891
John Abbott acts on behalf of Canadian Pacific Railway to build the railway in British Columbia.
Mackenzie Gervais is founded in Montréal by Peers Davidson, son of Chief Justice Sir Charles Peers Davidson.
1899
FOUNDING FIRM
Vancouver firm Ladner Downs is founded.
1911
FOUNDING FIRM
1917
Leon Ladner sits in on the parliamentary committee that drafts the Income War Tax Act – Canada’s first income tax act.
1924
McMaster Meighen handles the amalgamation of the Bank of Montreal with Molson’s Bank.
McMaster Meighen drafts the first professional hockey contract for the Montréal Canadiens.
1930
1940-50
Mackenzie Gervais secures a number of major clients including The Prudential Insurance Company of America, RCA Ltd., and Cadbury.
1954
General William Arnold Howard, one of the founders of Howard Mackie, is instrumental in incorporating the Alberta Gas Trunk Line Limited (AGTL). AGTL later becomes NOVA Corporation of Alberta, which merges with TransCanada Pipelines in 1998.
1961
McMaster Meighen is appointed to advise on the financing of the $900M Wabush Lake project – the then-largest corporate financing in Canadian history.
1968
The Ladner Clock Tower at University of British Columbia is named in honour of Leon Ladner.
The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation is retained as a client.
With the enactment of Québec’s Official Languages Act, bilingualism becomes a necessity at the province’s law firms.
Mary Newbury is the first woman associate at Ladner Downs. She will, in 1991, be appointed to the B.C. Supreme Court and, in 1995, be appointed to the B.C. Court of Appeal.
General Howard spearheads a campaign to create the law school at the University of Calgary.
Borden & Elliot's David Britnell
and Ted Ayers represent the defendant in Rattner and Pennys v. the Mercantile Bank – an important case in the development of the law of letters of credit.
1984-89
BLG's former National Co-Chair, Doug Mitchell, who played for the BC Lions, serves as Commissioner of the CFL.
1989
Ladner Downs represents HSBC in its acquisition of Lloyds Bank Canada.
McMaster Meighen and Mackenzie Gervais merge to become McMaster Gervais.
1998
FOUNDING FIRM
2001
BLG co-founds Pro Bono Ontario. The organization provided meaningful access to legal services for a record-breaking 34,000 Ontarians in 2022.
2003
BLG launches BLG Reads to Kids in support of childhood education and literacy.
BLG is awarded Pro Bono Firm of the Year by Benchmark Canada for the first time.
BLG becomes a founding signatory of the Law Firm Diversity and Inclusion Network.
BLG signs the Catalyst Accord, which encourages corporate Canada to increase representation of women on boards of directors.
2016
BLG becomes ISO27001 certified.
Melinda Park is elected the first woman Chair of BLG's Partnership Board.
BLG Calgary begins its support
of Luna Child and Youth Advocacy Centre through funding support, volunteer hours and pro bono services.
2018
BLG wins GTA Top Employer for the first time.
2020
BLG signs the BlackNorth Initiative Law Firm pledge.
BLG Beyond launches with the goal of delivering better efficiency and value to clients through innovation.
BLG achieves 39% women in senior leadership roles, aligning with the diversity targets and timelines based on the Mansfield Rule.
2023
BLG celebrates 200 years of firm history in November.