Law Times

Law Times • November 21, 2016 Page 5 www.lawtimesnews.com NEWS McMillan LLP launches public affairs firm BY JENNIFER BROWN Law Times W hile some Cana- dian law firms are engaging in end-of-year merg- ers, McMillan LLP is expand- ing its own services to clients by launching a public affairs arm. McMillan announced it has created McMillan Vantage Poli- cy Group, a national full-service public affairs consultancy offer- ing services to Canadian-based and international clients. "Obviously, the traditional law firm model is under some pressure, that's not news to any- one, but I think there are some paths to pick to respond to that," says Tim Murphy, co-chairman of the aboriginal, government relations group at McMillan. "Some have picked the interna- tional merger/be part of 4,000 lawyers option and we've taken the independent Canadian busi- ness approach. To make it work, you have to be innovative and that means driving new and dif- ferent solutions all toward driv- ing value for clients." It's another in a series of an- nouncements the firm has made this year about how it is adding to its menu of services for cli- ents. In August, McMillan an- nounced it was partnering with IBM to offer a pricing platform to clients. "This is part two, which is to diversify the range of services of- fered to clients in a range of sec- tors and be responsive to what we're hearing from them," he says. Murphy also hinted that the firm will release another signifi- cant announcement by the end of the year, but it won't be merger related. Working through its offices in Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, Vancouver and Hong Kong, McMillan Vantage Policy Group will offer government relations counsel, policy and regulatory analysis and strate- gic communications to private- sector clients. "[Hong Kong] is a market where there is significant in- vestor interest in Canada from China and that is one thing they need to get a handle on; it's not just the legal environment but policy and political environ- ment and we help provide those answers," Murphy says. Murphy, who was co-chair- man of Ontario Premier Kath- leen Wynne's last election cam- paign and chief of staff to former prime minister Paul Martin's Liberal government, said the firm realized it had "bench strength" in terms of those with a high level of experience in gov- ernment with the public service. "We felt we needed to put a structure around it and have a package we can offer the clients to help them on the legal side as well as public affairs and policy/com- munications function," he says. In addition to Murphy, mem- bers of McMillan Vantage Policy Group have counselled prime ministers and premiers and held political office. The team is politically di- verse, from across the country and includes Murphy, Charles Chevrette, Timothy Cullen, Stockwell Day, Dwight Duncan, Mary Flynn-Guglietti, Annik Forristal, Richard Jones, Robin Junger, Richard Mahoney, Mark Resnick, John Reynolds and Mike Richmond. They are joined by Robyn Osgood, who will lead the strategic communications practice of the consultancy. Collectively, they have expe- rience in areas such as energy, transportation, health care, tele- communications, indigenous affairs, manufacturing, finan- cial technology, agriculture, infrastructure, trade, financial services, aviation, procurement and communications at the fed- eral, provincial-territorial and municipal levels. A key feature of the new con- sultancy is the McMillan Van- tage Advisory Board chaired by McMillan Vantage managing director Richard Mahoney. Its members include former federal and provincial cabinet ministers, deputy ministers, party leaders and campaign chairpersons, as well as media and issue manage- ment experts. Advisory board members will vet proposed client strategies and communications, simulating the scrutiny clients often face as they deal with stake- holders such as governments, regulators, shareholders, cus- tomers and the media. "Our clients lead national and international corporations, and many operate in complex regulatory environments," said Murphy, also managing direc- tor of McMillan Vantage. "They expect sophisticated public af- fairs counsel that advances key issues and priorities, reducing the risk to which their organiza- tions are exposed." Clients will benefit from an integrated approach to public af- fairs, strategic communications and legal counsel thanks to Mc- Millan Vantage Policy Group's affiliation with McMillan LLP, says the firm. "Whether it is helping navi- gate environmental regulations, advising on a merger or acquisi- tion, consulting with First Na- tions/Métis/Inuit groups or cre- ating and executing an advocacy campaign, our goal is to provide clients with strategic thinking and executive-level counsel that deliver long-term success," said Mark Resnick, McMillan Van- tage managing director. LT McMillan partner Tim Murphy says McMillan Vantage Policy Group is a nation- al full-service public affairs consultancy offering services to Canadian-based and international clients. law.utoronto.ca/ExecutiveLLM GPLLM Global Professional Master of Laws [Get a Master of Laws] Because business issues are legal issues. So if you want to get ahead in business, get the degree that gets you there faster. ONE YEAR – PART - TIME – NO THESIS – FOR L AWYERS AND NON - LAWYERS Untitled-8 1 2015-03-02 11:15 AM [O]ur goal is to provide clients with strategic thinking and executive-level counsel that deliver long-term success. 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