We are pleased to announce that Cox & Palmer has won Atlantic Canada Law Firm of the Year at the inaugural Canadian Law Awards in Toronto. The accolade comes to our firm after many initiatives and achievements in 2019, including a number of notable decisions, their recognition as the top insurance law firm in Canada, and becoming a founding member of Advocates for Employers of Canada (AEC).

Leanne O'Leary, Managing Partner in Cox & Palmer's St. John's office was named a finalist of the Gowling WLG Award for Woman of the Year. For over 20 years, O'Leary has litigated an extensive range of matters at all levels of the judicial system in NL; delivering exceptional results for Cox & Palmer's national, regional and local clients. A distinguished leader, Leanne O'Leary has been a member of the St. John's office management team since 2015. She was elected Managing Partner in 2017 – making her the first woman to hold the position in the Newfoundland partnership's 68-year history.

Cox & Palmer was named a finalist for Pro Bono Initiative of the Year, thanks to the exceptional work of Doug Wright and Melissa Saunders, lawyers in our St. John's office. Wright and Saunders undertook an appeal resulting in a significant decision that has shone a light on outdated legislation which undermines the dignity of disabled adults and their families under the law and is incompatible with modern understandings of the legal status of persons who live with mental disability.

  Presented by Key Media, the Canadian Law Awards recognize the nation's leading law firms, in-house legal teams, individuals and landmark deals over the past year. Decisions were based on nominations made by law firms, lawyers and in-house legal teams, across 30 award categories that were reviewed by an independent judging panel. This year's awards gala took place virtually on Tuesday, October 6^th.

"Cox & Palmer is thrilled to have received this recognition at the inaugural Canadian Law Awards. The awards are an attestation to the exceptional quality of our work and our incredibly talented and dedicated team" says George Cooper, QC,CEO.