Gowling WLG has been recognized once again as one of Canada's leading law firms by Legal 500. In the 2026 edition, the firm is ranked in 29 practice areas, highlighted by a Tier 1 ranking in Intellectual Property for the ninth consecutive year. The firm also received a Tier 1 ranking in IP Litigation, a category making its debut in the guide, and is ranked in the inaugural categories for Life Sciences and Sports Law.
Alongside the firm rankings, a total of 43 Gowling WLG lawyers were recognized for excellence in their respective practices. Among the firm's lawyers named in the guide, 25 were distinguished as “Leading Partners,” five were selected into the “Hall of Fame,” eight as “Next Generation Partners,” and six were named “Leading Associates.”
Firm rankings
Gowling WLG was recognized in the following practice
areas:
- Banking and Finance
- Banking and Finance: Transactional matters
- Business Immigration
- Cannabis
- Construction
- Dispute Resolution: Alberta
- Dispute Resolution: British Columbia
- Dispute Resolution: Ontario
- Dispute Resolution: Québec
- Energy and Natural Resources: Mining
- Energy and Natural Resources: Oil and gas
- Energy and Natural Resources: Power
- Environment
- Indigenous Law
- Infrastructure Projects
- Insurance
- Intellectual Property*
- International Trade
- IP Litigation*
- Labour and employment
- Life Sciences
- Media and Entertainment
- Public Procurement
- Real Estate
- Restructuring and Insolvency
- Sports Law
- Tax
- Technology
- Transport: Aviation
*Ranked as a top-tier firm
Individual rankings
The following lawyers across the firm's Canadian offices earned rankings:
Hall of Fame
Susan Abramovitch – Media and Entertainment
Shelagh Carnegie – Intellectual Property
Laurent Massam – Intellectual Property
Martha Savoy – Intellectual Property
Christopher Van Barr – Intellectual Property
Leading Partners
Ahab Abdel-Aziz – Energy and Natural Resources: Power
Christopher Alam – Banking and Finance
Belinda Bain - Insurance
Sandra Barton – Dispute Resolution: Ontario
Ted Betts – Construction
David Bishop – Dispute Resolution, Alberta
Murray Braaten – Real Estate
Maxwell Brunette - Labour and Employment
Paula Clancy – Intellectual Property
Michael Crichton – Intellectual Property
Warren Foley – Dispute Resolution: Alberta
Paulina Kam – Real Estate
Bill MacGregor – Business Immigration
Ian Mondrow – Energy and Natural Resources: Power
Rodney Northey – Environment
Martin Palleson – Dispute Resolution: British Columbia
Mark Platteel – Infrastructure Projects
Natalie Rizkalla-Kamel – Intellectual Property
Krista Schofer – Business Immigration
Paul Seaman – Indigenous Law
Peter Simeon – Cannabis
Thomas Timmins – Energy and Natural Resources: Power
Christopher Van Barr – Life Sciences
Wendy Wagner – International Trade, and Technology (ranked in two practice areas)
Jay Zakaïb – Intellectual Property
Next Generation Partners
Jordan Crone - Construction
Nelson Godfrey – Intellectual Property
Ricki Johnston – Dispute Resolution: Alberta
Charlotte McDonald – Intellectual Property
Natasha Rana – Infrastructure Projects
Sahil Shoor – Construction, and Dispute Resolution: Ontario (ranked in two practice areas)
Ryan Steeves – Sports Law
Joey Suri – Infrastructure Projects
Leading Associates
Jasleen Chahal – Intellectual Property
Magdalena Hanebach – Energy and Natural Resources: Power
Madison MacColl – Media and Entertainment
Tristan Neill - Construction
Kevin Pedersen – Dispute Resolution: Alberta
Kate Yurkovich – Restructuring and Insolvency
About Legal 500
The Legal
500 rankings highlight the legal teams in over 150
jurisdictions that provide "the most cutting-edge and
innovative solutions" to corporate counsel. Research is based
on feedback from 300,000 clients worldwide, submissions from law
firms and interviews with leading private practice lawyers.
About Gowling WLG
Gowling WLG is an international law firm built on the
belief that the best way to serve you is to be in tune with your
world, aligned with your opportunity and ambitious for your
success. With more than 1,500 legal professionals in offices across
Canada, the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Asia, we provide our
clients with in-depth knowledge in key global sectors and a suite
of legal services at home and abroad. We see the world through our
clients' eyes, and collaborate across countries, offices,
service areas and sectors to help them succeed, no matter how
challenging the circumstances.