Lexpert magazine features articles and columns on developments in legal practice management, deals and lawsuits of interest in Canada, the law and business issues of interest to legal professionals and businesses that purchase legal services.
Issue link: https://digital.carswellmedia.com/i/1547047
www.canadianlawyermag.com 55 www.canadianlawyermag.com 55 year's winning Insolvency & Restructuring Deal of the Year. The overlap between the two recognitions, a peer-voted boutique ranking and a judged industry awards program, points to the same handful of firms earning sustained respect across very different evaluation processes. For this report, respondents repeatedly point to bench strength as the differentiator, describing winning firms in terms usually reserved for much larger practices. That combination of senior lawyers genuinely present on files rather than dele- gating down appears to be what sustains a boutique's reputation across multiple survey cycles. Several respondents also pointed to a willingness to take matters to trial rather than settle as a mark of confidence that clients notice. "Their commitment to excel- lence, ability to confront challenging prob- lems, and take any matter, no matter how complex, to trial is a model for the profes- sion," says one respondent. Bogoroch comments that trial experience is not optional for lawyers handling complex litigation. "It's difficult, in my opinion, to handle medical malpractice cases without that trial experience. Trial shapes you, it forms you. You learn lessons from every trial that you try," he says. On the growing role of artificial intel- ligence in litigation practice, Bogoroch is measured. "AI is extremely important, but it's not a substitute for doing your own work," he says. "It's a tool to save time, to do processes more efficiently. It's not a substi- tute for lawyers' role in advocacy. It cannot yet be an advocate." He adds that firms need clear internal policies before using AI tools with client information, given the privacy risks involved. Not every 2026 winner has a decade-long track record. This year's list includes a newly combined entity still establishing its identity in the market, alongside a firm that has prac- tised in Toronto for more than three decades but is earning CL's recognition in this area for the first time. Both point to the same conclusion: consistent recognition is earned continu- ously, not inherited from firm tenure alone. In praise of Eastern Canada's top litigation law boutiques Lenczner Slaght LLP is recognized among Eastern Canada's top litigation law boutiques for 2026, the firm's eighth appearance since 2012. Peer feedback this cycle was the most extensive of any firm surveyed, with respondents repeatedly calling the firm the benchmark for litigation law boutiques in Canada. "Lenczner Slaght is routinely held up as the number one litigation firm in Canada," says one respondent. Another notes the firm's "tremendous depth of legal talent" and its consistent presence on complex, high- profile mandates. Lax O'Sullivan Lisus Gottlieb LLP has been recognized in every report since 2012. Survey respondents point to the firm's depth across seniority levels and its willingness to take the most complex disputes to trial. "It is a powerhouse of litigation super- stars. The quality and calibre of the litigation team is second to none," says one. Another describes the firm as "an elite firm with an expertise in handling high-stakes litigation." Paliare Roland Rosenberg Rothstein LLP Paliare Roland Rosenberg Rothstein LLP has been recognized since the first report in 2012. Respondents cite the firm's breadth across appellate, administrative, and commercial litigation, along with its pro bono commitment. "Track record, strong appellate and METHODOLOGY Canadian Lawyer's eighth bi-annual Top Litigation Law Boutiques survey asked lawyers, in-house counsel, and clients across the country to select the litigation firms that represented the best-in-class in 2026. To be considered in the vote, firms were required to have the majority of their business come from litigation work. The final rankings were determined by a points system that rewarded firms on a sliding scale for the number of votes received at each ranking. The winners were categorized by geography, including the Top 10 in Eastern Canada and the Top 5 in Western Canada. The quantitative results were, where applicable, combined with Lexpert peer survey results, feedback from respected senior members of the bar, and regional diversity considerations. The Top Litigation Law Boutiques report is sponsored by Array. "We view the practice of law as a privilege, and with that privilege comes the responsibility to contribute to the law by serving the needs of people who need advice and guidance, regardless of ability to pay" Emily Lawrence, Paliare Roland Rosenberg Rothstein LLP