Lexpert Magazine

44 LEXPERT MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2018 Sandy Rubin is a writer and strategic consultant. | BOUTIQUES | ing how it provides legal services, and be open to discussions with clients about part- nering in different ways. We're no different. But in no way is this to offer a lower-cost alternative. It's quite the opposite," she says Pension clients are oen managing tens of billions of dollars in assets, she says, "and this is people's retirement money. So clients are not necessarily looking for the deepest discounts in rates; they're looking for ex- pertise and experience and someone who can think outside the box. And that's who we are." Mills says another element of their busi- ness plan is picking up work from some of the large firms that are thin on the ground in this area. "A lot of the large national firms have a very small pension group, and it's main- tained typically to do deal work so that as part of an M&A, they have pension expertise. Some of them have over time decided they don't want to maintain Pen- sion and Benefits lawyers just to do deals, and so there are some opportunities where we can become their pension and benefits table's a little bit rounder." It was an argument that resonated with four partners in the group. e summer of 2017, Brown Mills Klinck Prezioso LLP was formed practising only Pension and Benefits Law and Executive Compensa- tion Law. "EVERY LAW FIRM TODAY HAS TO BE EXAMINING HOW IT PROVIDES LEGAL SERVICES, AND BE OPEN TO DISCUS- SIONS WITH CLIENTS ABOUT PARTNER- ING IN DIFFERENT WAYS. WE'RE NO DIFFERENT. BUT IN NO WAY IS THIS TO OFFER A LOWER-COST ALTERNATIVE. IT'S QUITE THE OPPOSITE." - Elizabeth Brown; Brown Mills Klinck Prezioso LLP eir business model is based on reputa- tion. At their previous firm, they were lead pension and benefits counsel to Stelco in both major restructurings, for example, and the client is among those that has moved with them for its pension matters. One thing Brown is very clear about: Brown Mills Klinck Prezioso (or BMKP as it's known) is not a lower-cost option. "Every law firm today has to be examin- department, if you will, for the purposes of these transactions." BMKP, like other boutiques, will call on another firm if it needs litigation, corporate securities, tax or labour and employment advice, but is not part of any formal law firm network. "at's intentional," says Brown. "We've spent time developing relationships with lawyers in other firms and we don't want to be in a network where you have to use so-and-so. And oen a client will say: 'We have a lawyer in Québec we like, can we work with them?' We say, of course." Mills, talking from Ottawa, sees one very big difference between working at a seven-lawyer boutique and a 120-lawyer labour and employment firm. "I actu- ally made the payroll deposit the first few weeks because we needed to set up a pay- roll service provider, and I hadn't done that," she says, laughing. "So you're closer to the ground, which from my perspective is very rewarding." Focused On Your Priorities Thank you to our clients and peers for selec ng us as one of Canada's Top Ten Corporate Law Bou ques. amsbizlaw.com Jennifer Allen Henry Bertossi Brad Elberg Fraser McDonald Jillian Swartz

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