Best Law Firms in Canada for Real Estate Law

Beard Winter LLP is a Top 10 Ontario Regional Law Firm as recognized by Canadian Lawyer magazine for 2021-22 and a Canadian Law Awards Excellence Awardee for Ontario Law Firm of the Year for 2021. A multi-service, mid-sized law firm located in downtown Toronto, our unwavering commitment to clients is the foundation of our history since 1964. We are preferred counsel for a wide variety of mid-market private and public corporations and sought after for our expertise in complex estate, commercial, employment, and family law litigation. Recognized for our insurance defence litigation expertise, we act for many of Canada’s largest insurance companies.

Best Lawyers and Lexpert recognize our lawyers in the areas of estates and trusts law, family law, insurance law, and insurance defence litigation.

Visit our website at beardwinter.com to learn more about the firm and meet our talented legal professionals.

We are affiliated with top mid-sized law firms across the United States and internationally through our membership in the Law Firm Alliance: www.lawfirmalliance.org

Industries served: Healthcare; Life Sciences; Manufacturing; Professional Services; Insurance; Real Estate and Construction; Technology; Transportation; Logistics; Financial Services; Educational Institutions; Energy; Food Industries.

Visit our careers page: www.beardwinter.com/careers

Visit our student program page: www.beardwinter.com/student-program

EKB has a long-standing tradition of professional excellence, reflected in the breadth of our legal services and the depth of experience within our team. The firm was founded in 1965 when Jack T. Edwards and John C. Bouck (both later appointed to the Supreme Court of British Columbia) formed the partnership of Bouck and Edwards. Four years later, Brenton D. Kenny (later Q.C.) joined the firm and continues to serve as Associate Counsel. Ronald C. Bray and other accomplished lawyers soon followed, contributing to the firm’s reputation for thoughtful, high-quality legal work.

Our lawyers are committed to staying current with legal developments and emerging issues that affect our clients and communities. Many members of the firm regularly present at conferences organized by The Continuing Legal Education Society of B.C., Insight, EPIC, The Canadian Institute, and other professional organizations.

Our lawyers have also served the legal profession in a variety of roles, including:

• Benchers of The Law Society of British Columbia
• Council members of the Canadian Bar Association and its B.C. Branch
• Executive members of national and provincial sections of the Canadian Bar Association
• Executive members of the Vancouver Bar Association
• Adjunct Professors at the University of British Columbia Faculty of Law
• Course Instructors at the Professional Legal Training Course

EKB’s commitment extends beyond the practice of law. Our lawyers and staff value community involvement and contribute time and effort to a wide range of pro bono initiatives, community groups, and charitable organizations.

Farris LLP ("Farris") is a leading Canadian law firm with offices in Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia. The full-service firm represents some of the largest public and private institutions and corporations in the province, and has the proven capacity and experience to carry out complex and multi-dimensional legal projects.

Corporate/Commercial: With more than 30 lawyers, the Corporate/Commercial group at Farris is relied upon by clients to assist with a wide range of matters, across a variety of industries. Unique amongst most large law firms, our corporate lawyers are first trained as generalists before they specialize in any given area of business law. We believe a broad legal knowledge of the key business law issues affecting businesses and industries enables us to help our clients solve their legal problems –big or small–quickly and effectively.

Delivering on our clients’ goals and ambitions means working closely with our clients to develop work plans tailored to their particular needs in terms of scope and budget. Our clients rely upon our advice regarding capital raising, finance strategies, governance issues, succession planning, insourcing, and outsourcing. Our lawyers assist with contract drafting and negotiations, securing regulatory approvals, agreements for joint ventures, and acquiring or selling aspects of a business. We regularly advise on privately negotiated transactions, controlled auctions, plans of arrangement and take-over bids, as well as reorganizations and restructurings for tax optimization.

Advocacy & Litigation: Our litigators are recognized leaders in their field, providing timely, creative and practical representation in a full range of commercial, corporate and constitutional litigation, and have extensive experience conducting hearings, trials and appeals. Our clients are diverse and include major business organizations, public bodies, universities, First Nations, media organizations, family litigants, and public interest groups. We advocate for our clients in every forum and at every level of court, and are engaged in many of the most important cases in the province at any given time. We recognize that advocacy work entails flexibility and a constant evaluation of available options, and that not all matters require a formal hearing. We actively look for opportunities to engage in alternate dispute resolution processes where appropriate.

Labour and Employment: Farris has a full-service labour and employment practice, providing advice, counsel, and representation to our clients in all aspects of workplace law.

We have broad experience representing employers in employment law disputes, including wrongful dismissal matters, disputes relating to restrictive covenants, disability related claims, discrimination and accommodation matters, Human Rights issues, employment and labour standards matters, privacy matters, and workers compensation issues. Our lawyers regularly represent our clients in Court and before administrative tribunals that apply employment-related statutes.

Our lawyers have vast experience in labour relations matters, acting before arbitrators, arbitration boards, and appearing in related judicial reviews and injunction applications before all levels of court and advising employers in a wide range of industries. We regularly act for employers with respect to grievance arbitration and collective agreement administration. Our lawyers conduct Labour Board hearings including applications for certification and decertification, unfair labour practices, variance, common employer and successorship issues. We assist clients with strikes and lockouts and the legal issues that can arise including picketing, ally and replacement workers.

We also assist our clients in drafting and reviewing employment agreements that cover all aspects of the employment relationship, including compensation and benefits, stock options and other incentive plans, severance provisions, restrictive covenants, intellectual property matters, hours of work, and alternative dispute resolution; as well as drafting Employee Handbooks that provide for various rules and regulations that apply in the workplace.

Taxation: Farris lawyers work together with our clients and their accountants to provide timely, innovative and practical tax advice. Representing a broad range of domestic, international, public and private-sector corporate clients across many industries, we provide guidance in areas of expertise such as mergers & acquisitions, real estate, structuring corporate groups and partnerships, fund formation and executive compensation. Our lawyers also have vast experience in advising on cross-border mergers and acquisitions, cross-border debt and equity offerings, structuring and financing of inbound investments into Canada and outbound investments from Canada, foreign affiliate reorganizations, profit repatriation, intellectual property migration strategies, electronic commerce, transfer pricing and tax treaty issues. For our private clients, we offer advice in owner-manager tax planning, estate and trust planning, private equity and venture capital investments.

If and when audits or disputes with the tax authorities arise, our lawyers have the experience and expertise to support you at every step. Our tax litigators represent clients in all types of CRA audits and disputes, assisting with proposals, voluntary disclosures, objections to CRA findings and appeals.

Recognition:

• 61 Farris partners ranked in Best Lawyers in Canada.
• Farris rated one of Vancouver’s leading corporate and litigation law firms for over a decade by The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory.
• Farris Repeatedly Recognized as One of Canada's Best Law Firms
• 28 Farris partners ranked in The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory.

Languages: English, French, Mandarin, Cantonese, Punjabi and Spanish.

Gowling WLG is an international law firm built on the belief that the best way to serve you is to be in tune with your world, aligned with your opportunity and ambitious for your success. With more than 1,500 legal professionals around the world, we provide our clients with in-depth knowledge in key global sectors and a suite of legal services at home and abroad. We see the world through our clients' eyes, and collaborate across countries, offices, service areas and sectors to help them succeed, no matter how challenging the circumstances.

Brief History

With roots tracing back to 1887, Gowling WLG grew to become one of the largest and most respected law firms in Canada, with a reputation for innovation in client-focused service delivery.

Building on its early strength in intellectual property, Gowling WLG diversified to offer a full suite of business law, litigation and intellectual property services in all of Canada’s key industries, including energy, mining, financial services, government, infrastructure, manufacturing, life sciences and technology.

Koffman Kalef LLP is a Vancouver law firm practicing in selected areas of business law and litigation with significant strength and experience in tax, securities and corporate finance, senior banking, commercial real estate transactions and development, intellectual property, international trade and mergers and acquisitions.

The depth of knowledge and experience of our lawyers allows us to deliver high quality legal services in a timely and cost-effective manner. Our clients find our advice and assistance practical, meaningful and useful.

We understand the needs of our business clients and are committed to meeting those needs. Our clients can expect the highest quality of legal services from everyone at Koffman Kalef LLP.

For general information, please contact us at info@kkbl.com.

Lindsay Kenney LLP is a regional business law firm established in 1980 with business lawyers in Vancouver and Langley, BC.

A Western Canadian independent law firm, Lindsay Kenney brings decades of experience to addressing the legal needs of our clients. While we are a business law firm deeply rooted in our communities, the firm has earned a national reputation.

Our litigators have appeared at every level of Court, on matters ranging from complex commercial issues to personal injury disputes, family and divorce law, and fraud litigation. Our solicitors act for some of Canada's largest corporations in all aspects of business law including corporate mergers and acquisitions, disputes, secured lending and realization, and estate planning.

Vancouver Office
Suite 1500, 401 West Georgia Street
Vancouver, BC, Canada V6B 5A1
Tel: 604.687.1323
Fax: 604.687.2347

Langley Office
Suite 400, 8621 - 201 Street
Langley, BC, Canada V2Y 0G9
Tel: 604.888.5811
Fax: 604.888.6565

McQuarrie Legal Services is a flourishing Surrey-based, multi-practice law firm optimally equipped to serve businesses, individuals, and institutions in the Lower Mainland and across British Columbia.

The law firm of McQuarrie Hunter LLP dates back to 1936 when Colin D. McQuarrie was called to the Bar in British Columbia and established a practice in New Westminster. In 1967, his law firm, McQuarrie and Company, merged with three long-established New Westminster firms:

Hunter and Pettenuzzo (est. 1960)

Fisher and Gates (est. 1958)

and MacKinnon and Pearce (est. 1954).

The firm, known initially as McQuarrie Hunter Fisher MacKinnon Gates Pettenuzzo and Pearce, was renamed McQuarrie Hunter in 1978.

All seven founding partners were appointed Queen’s Counsel during their respective legal careers. Both Colin D. McQuarrie and Thomas K. Fisher served as Treasurer of the Law Society of British Columbia. Thomas K. Fisher was appointed to the County Court of British Columbia in 1977 and Gordon MacKinnon to the Supreme Court of British Columbia in 1978.

Over the years, the firm has thrived through preserving its founders’ traditions of legal service excellence coupled with a dedication to our clients and communities.

From the beginning, McQuarrie Hunter LLP has had offices in both New Westminster and Surrey. In 2003, McQuarrie Hunter merged with the neighboring law firm of Worthington, David & Company, adding a second Surrey office.

In December 2010, the firm consolidated its three branches into one state-of-the-art office in Surrey’s Central City Tower, through which it continues to serve British Columbians proudly.

Your future is our focus.

Ogilvie was built in 1920 on a tradition of building relationships and working alongside our clients, and that is still our philosophy an entire century later. We’re proud to celebrate 100 years together with our specialized teams of lawyers who will work beside you and your business to ensure your issues are resolved.

Our proud beginning.

James Harwood Ogilvie, Q.C., left a mark on our great city that still lives on today. He began studying law at the University of Alberta in Edmonton in 1914. With the advent of World War I, Edmonton men enlisted by the thousands to serve their country, the young James Ogilvie among them. He returned home safely to complete his articles and was admitted to the Alberta Bar in 1920, and started Ogilvie soon after. In his many years providing legal and professional guidance to Edmontonians, he supported the communities around him and demonstrated the importance of building meaningful relationships with the people he helped. The City of Edmonton recognized his significant contributions, including serving 16 years as a city alderman, by naming a residential subdivision “Ogilvie Ridge". Our team is proud to carry on Mr. Ogilvie’s legacy by continuing to create meaningful relationships with our clients and supporting the businesses and communities that make our city great.

Our community support.

James Ogilvie believed that if you were going to work in a community, you also had to work for your community. We are committed to preserving this tradition of community support believing that corporate support is an investment in our community. On our 75th anniversary, the Ogilvie Fund was created by lawyers and staff of the firm and managed by the Edmonton Community Foundation. Every year the Ogilvie Fund provides financial assistance to a variety of causes including organizations representing single mothers, underprivileged children and youth. The Ogilvie Fund is one of our avenues for giving back to the city we work in by providing assistance to the people who need it most.

Founded in 2015 by Charmaine Panko, K.C., our firm was built on the belief that family law can — and should — be approached with common sense, compassion, and collaboration. From the beginning, we have focused on helping individuals and families resolve conflict out of court, using practical, people-centered solutions that prioritize clarity, respect, and lasting resolution.

Over the years, our practice has grown to include a diverse and multidisciplinary team of lawyers, mediators, and client support professionals, all dedicated to helping clients navigate some of life’s most difficult transitions. Whether through collaborative law, mediation, or legal coaching, we tailor our services to meet each client’s unique needs and goals.

With experience across family law, dispute resolution, and mediation, our team combines legal understanding with an emphasis on relationships. We take pride in creating a safe and supportive environment where communication and trust can thrive, empowering clients to make informed decisions about their futures.

Our continued success stems from a steadfast commitment to accessible, transparent, and empathetic legal care. As we look ahead, Panko Collaborative Law & Mediation remains devoted to transforming how families experience separation, divorce, and co-parenting — one conversation at a time.

For over 70 years we have delivered The Robins Appleby Edge: top-tier legal acumen with the efficiency, care, and personal touch of a close-knit team. We build lasting relationships, achieve exceptional results in complex legal matters, and treat every client’s needs with dedication, respect, and integrity. 

We provide a wide range of legal services and have specific expertise in:  

• Affordable and Social Housing;
• Business and Transactions;
• Commercial Real Estate and Development;
• Employment Law;
• Litigation and Dispute Resolution;
• Secured Lending and Enforcement;
• Tax; and
• Wills and Estates

Scargall Owen-King LLP is a boutique law firm focusing only on expropriation law. We provide strategic legal advice and services to private landowners, as well as municipalities and other public entities throughout Ontario.

Expropriation is a power granted to public bodies to acquire privately owned land without the consent of the owner for the fulfillment of a public purpose, such as the construction of public infrastructure.  In Ontario, the statute governing expropriation is the Expropriations Act.  The Act prescribes the process for the compulsory acquisition of land by authorities as well as the rights and entitlements of expropriated landowners.

Our team has extensive experience regarding development and infrastructure projects of all complexities, including road widenings and highway extensions, major capital works, electricity transmission corridors, pipelines, transit and residential and commercial developments.

SOK represents all types of owners, tenants and others impacted by expropriation across Ontario, including homeowners, farmers, developers, and large- and small-scale commercial landowners, to ensure experienced representation throughout the process and in the determination of final compensation. 

Our firm also acts on behalf of expropriating authorities across the province, providing legal advice and services regarding the implementation of land acquisitions and/or expropriations to accommodate a multitude of public infrastructure projects. 

SOK is committed to providing clients with excellent service, effective representation and practical solutions in expropriation law and related areas.  Our ability to consistently assist our clients to achieve positive results in the context of a complex statutory process has placed our firm as a leader in the area of expropriation law.

When lawyers with complementary areas of dedicated practice are strategically bundled together they create a team of legal expertise that extends far beyond the sum of their individual capabilities.

Effective multi-level teams are how Taylor McCaffrey LLP has come to be known as one of Manitoba’s most focused and formidable law firms.

Over the last several decades Taylor McCaffrey LLP – the firm – has achieved a reputation for excellence in law in our five Core Areas of Practice and the practice grouping of our individual lawyers.

We invite you to read more about our five Core Areas of Practice below.

Our Civil Litigation Practice Area chooses to focus on litigation on behalf of our corporate, commercial, business and individual clients. We do not practice in the area of criminal litigation. Our litigators regularly appear at all levels of court in Manitoba including provincial and federal courts and before a wide range of administrative tribunals and arbitration panels. We take pride in our many successes in matters that have proceeded to the Supreme Court of Canada.

The Corporate & Commercial Area of Practice provides focused business law services to our corporate, commercial, and business clients. The interests we serve range from proprietors of small businesses to partnerships, corporate entities, pension funds, governments, related agencies and national and multi-national corporations, professional groups, chartered banks, and insurance and trust companies.

Taylor McCaffrey LLP offers advice and specialized litigation for the simplest uncontested family proceedings to the most complex financial cases involving trusts, forensic auditing and accounting and business valuations.

The lawyers in our Family Law Practice Area have the breadth of experience necessary to assist with comprehensive resolutions of all family law issues.

Our Labour & Employment Practice Area focuses on all employer-side aspects of labour and human resources and our entire team can be mobilized quickly if a major project demands that concentration of activity, in situations such as strike management, applications for certification, or a workplace accident.

Our Taxation Practice Area offers lawyers experienced in the areas of planning, compliance, litigation and the development of complex financial instruments related to personal, corporate, not-for profit and municipal tax issues.

• Construction Law
• Entertainment Law
• Financial Services & Restructuring
• First Nations
• Insurance
• Intellectual Property & Information Technology
• Municipal Law
• Pension Law
• Personal Injury & Medical Malpractice
• Property Development & Real Estate
• Securities
• Wills, Estates & Trusts

Torkin Manes LLP is a full-service law firm based in downtown Toronto. Founded in 1974, we have built our firm by focusing on the core principles that we believe make a great law firm: a deep and personal understanding of clients’ business needs; a results-oriented approach to practice that provides practical, smart, and cost-effective advice; and, above all, responsiveness to our clients. 

Our professionals provide legal counsel to individuals, public and private companies, and buyers and sellers of independent businesses. Our clients range from owner-operators and founders to investment funds and high net worth individuals, who value and trust our deep knowledge, experience and expertise in the Canadian mid-market. We advise our clients on day-to-day legal matters, as well as during the most transformative transactions and critical disputes of their businesses and lives. 

When clients require legal services in other jurisdictions, we leverage our affiliation with Meritas, an international network of select law firms of which Torkin Manes is a member, to facilitate the procurement of excellent legal service and counsel worldwide.  

Our client-driven approach has brought professional accolades. Torkin Manes has been named the 2024 Regional Law Firm of the Year (Central Canada) at the Canadian Law Awards, in addition to our long-standing recognition as Top Regional Law Firm (Ontario) by Canadian Lawyer Magazine. This firm is also consistently shortlisted as one of Canada's Regional Law Firms of the Year by Chambers and Partners. Our Construction, Corporate & Commercial, Family Law and Real Estate Groups are all recognized on the Globe & Mail’s Best Law Firms in Canada list.

Many of our lawyers are well known throughout the profession and community at large as highly respected leaders in their practice areas, as well as teachers, authors and advocates for the Law Society of Ontario and the Ontario Bar Association.