The two lawyers at Heenan Blaikie’s Victoria office are making plans to move.
Montreal-based Heenan Blaikie LLP announced Wednesday it is closing offices across the country within the next few months.
The firm’s Victoria office was operating Thursday, but it wasn’t immediately clear how long it would continue.
Lawyer John Heaney, who joined Heenan Blaikie in Victoria in 2007, said the focus is “making sure that everyone is reassured that if they’ve got matters pending or if they’ve got legal requirements, those are all going to be met.”
Heaney said he will remain working in law in Victoria. “I hope to continue to provide services to the people that I’ve had the privilege to serve so far. That’s up to them,” he said.
In Vancouver, 16 lawyers from Heenan Blaikie’s office in that city are forming a new firm called Gall Legge Grant and Munroe. It includes former B.C. attorney general Geoff Plant.
Heaney said that he has had a “very positive discussion” with that new group and anticipates further talks. Other offers have been made as well. A former deputy minister with the province, Heaney’s specialties include labour relations and employment, commercial and civil litigation, and privacy and freedom of information.
Robert VaterLechner, the other lawyer in Heenan Blaikie’s Victoria office, said he has made plans, but is not at liberty to comment further.
He did say that he will remain in Victoria. VaterLechner, who joined Heenan Blaikie in 2008, specializes in labour, employment, human rights and employee benefits.
Heenan Blaikie, whose lawyers have included former prime ministers Pierre Elliott Trudeau and Jean Chrétien, said it would conduct an orderly wind-up after a partner vote was held. Details of the vote were not released. The firm said the decision follows an “in-depth analysis of the available restructuring options” in the context of the legal services market.
The firm was founded in 1973 and had about 500 lawyers in eight offices across Canada.
Many of Heenan Blaikie’s lawyers were recruited by competitors in recent weeks.
