McMillan LLP announces new firm management model and leadership team

TORONTO, Jan. 5, 2016 -- Leading Canadian business law firm McMillan LLP today announced a new management model and a new leadership team.

The new management model reflects the priority the firm places on collaboration as a key driver of the service quality and value it provides business clients across many industries and disciplines.

McMillan has moved from a CEO/COO model to an Executive Committee model that is designed to ensure that the firm derives maximum benefit from the diverse views, skills and expertise that each of the four members of the new Executive Committee brings to the table.

The Committee members are Teresa Dufort, David Dunlop, Tim Murphy and Stephen Wortley with Ms. Dufort assuming the role of Chief Executive Officer.

Ms. Dufort, a graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School, has been with McMillan since 1985. A litigation lawyer, she is Co-Leader of the firm's Product Liability Defence and Regulatory Group. Ms. Dufort has had many different firm management roles during her twenty-five years as an equity partner including serving for a number of years on the firm's Board of Partners.

The remaining Executive Committee members, David Dunlop, Tim Murphy and Stephen Wortley, are all highly valued partners in the firm's business law practice with a variety and depth of firm and practice area management experience. All four Executive Committee members will continue in active practice.

After ten years as the firm's CEO, leading restructuring and insolvency partner, Andrew Kent, will return to fulltime practice.

"Our collaborative management model, which combines the expertise and insights of four experienced leaders within the firm, provides a strong platform for continuing the development of McMillan as an innovator in the delivery of the legal services required by our clients," said Ms. Dufort.

Ms. Dufort is one of a modest number of women to lead major Canadian law firms. Her appointment is a reflection of the firm's ongoing commitment to a work environment where women, as well as diverse groups, have the opportunity to achieve at the highest levels.

"The new management team is very excited about taking on this responsibility and about the firm's future. We are proudly Canadian, independent and international in outlook. We are thoroughly client-driven across our multi-disciplinary expertise," said Mr. Dunlop.

"McMillan believes increasingly complex legal challenges require innovative and sophisticated legal solutions that are best delivered without regard to geographical or practice area boundaries through a combination of collaboration, strong project management and technology," said Mr. Murphy.

Mr. Wortley went on to say that, "Our new management model is an embodiment of McMillan's commitment to teamwork and collaboration and aligns with our 'One Office' client service philosophy as practised across all five of our Canadian offices and our Hong Kong office."

About McMillan LLP

McMillan is a leading business law firm focused on serving clients across key industries in Canada, the United States and internationally. Using its collaborative approach to ensure clients receive the high quality expertise they need, McMillan offers pragmatic and solutions-oriented legal advice through its offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa, Montréal and Hong Kong. For more information, please visit www.mcmillan.ca.