Law Times

Lawyers broke away to form boutiques Over time, the boutique op- tion became attractive enough for many lawyers to leave be- hind large fi rms despite the pres- tige, stature, and high salaries. "Boutiques really did change that mould," says Sossin, dean of Osgoode Hall Law School. And the fact they specialize in a specifi c area can sometimes help them to better weather the economic storms. Nevertheless, the practice of law is constantly in fl ux. Tomorrow's successful model depends on who's con- tinuing to innovate and harness- ing the growing array of digital resources, says Sossin. With Heenan Blaikie LLP having exited the scene, bou- tiques see themselves as some- what insulated from some of the problems. ey feel more in touch with the fi nancial opera- tions given that they're smaller and can react much more quick- ly should problems arise. at's not to say they are free from stresses, however. Two Toronto personal injury boutiques are keeping a close eye on developments they feel could aff ect their practice areas if not the profession overall. Confl icts between doing both defence and plaintiff work have resulted in an increase of new and smaller fi rms working in the personal injury fi eld, says Charles Gluckstein of Gluck- stein Personal Injury Lawyers PC, noting there are very few large fi rms handling personal injury defence. But Gluckstein, who joined the fi rm started by his father Bernard, is paying close atten- tion to the discussions on alter- native business structures. He's also been following the changes in other countries that have ad- opted alternative models. He believes boutiques have to learn how to compete and fi nd a way to get fi nancing. "It's a question of which bou- tiques would survive in that kind of environment," says Gluckstein, who sees the potential for major changes should the Canadian market follow a similar direction. Richard Bogoroch has also carved out a niche in personal injury and medical malprac- tice since developing Bogoroch & Associates LLP in 1999 a er leaving omson Rogers. With 10 lawyers and an administra- tive staff that's on hand beyond the typical offi ce hours, his fi rm seeks measured growth but, he adds, only if it enables it to better serve its clients. Bogoroch says the boutique fi rm is probably the most eff ec- tive model for personal injury law, but notes it's one that serves many other disciplines as well. As a result, he expects to see more boutique fi rms emerge given the freedom, fl exibility, Continued from page 11 and entrepreneurship he sees so many law- yers seeking. But the area isn't without challenges. "Personal injury litigation practices are fac- ing major challenges over the next fi ve years brought about by increasing legislative inter- vention which attenuates the rights of injured accident victims and the intense competition among lawyers. ere are far too many law- yers chasing an ever-shrinking number of cases," he says. Personal injury has been a hotbed of bou- tique activity. Other personal injury bou- tiques that have emerged over the years in- clude McLeish Orlando LLP and Oatley Vig- mond Personal Injury Lawyers LLP. In the case of Oatley Vigmond, the fi rm emerged af- ter Roger Oatley and his partners decided to break off from Oatley Purser of Barrie, Ont. In what Oatley billed at the time as a "purely business decision" involving the departing lawyers ' "very best friends," he took eight of Oatley Purser's litigators with him. He fol- lowed in the footsteps of John McLeish, who had earlier le Loopstra Nixon to form what was then McLeish & Associates. At the time, Oatley noted his former fi rm had a growing reputation in corporate commercial law and noted personal injury lawyers had begun to realize it was easier to practise by themselves. Competition in the legal fi eld is fi erce, of course, but Larry Crossan says technology can be a great equalizer for small fi rms. Having worked at two large law fi rms and then running as a Liberal candidate in the 1995 provincial election, Crossan decided that with two busi- ness degrees, he was ready to go out on his own. He developed a corporate commercial specialty boutique in London, Ont., now called Lexcor Business Lawyers LLP that he runs with partner Bernie Olanski. At one point, they entertained the idea of merging with a litigation group but decided the mix would dilute their focus. "By remaining focused, it allows us to go deep," says Crossan. Other fi rms have opted for selective growth as well. Lax O'Sullivan Scott Lisus LLP isn't quite 20 years old but with 22 litigators on its team, it's among the leading litigation boutiques. It got going just as the move to- wards the boutique model was gaining steam, says managing partner Matthew Gottlieb. "You want to ensure you have the bodies to do the work on a high level, a very high level," he adds. "It's one of the nice aspects to be in a situation where you really can control your quality by keeping your numbers at a controllable level." LT Roger Oatley established Oatley Vigmond Personal Injury Lawyers LLP as lawyers in that area began real- izing it was easier to practise by themselves. www.lawtimesnews.com Law TiMes • March 24, 2014 Page 15 150 King Street West, Suite 1707, Toronto, ON M5H 1J9 | 416.599.1700 | www.bogoroch.com Monet – Water Lilies Successful advocacy requires vision, creativity and attention to detail – something we have been doing for more than 25 years. To learn more about us and how we can help your clients, please call, email or visit our website. Referrals honoured and respected. Selected by Canadian Lawyer Magazine as one of the top 10 Personal Injury law firms in Canada. Richard Bogoroch 416.341.5600 rbogoroch@bogoroch.com Heidi Brown 416.341.5603 hbrown@bogoroch.com | | | | Personal Injury and Medical Malpractice Lawyers Bogoroch_LT_Mar24_14.indd 1 14-03-17 7:35 PM

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