Canadian law firms Ogilvy Renault and Macleod Dixon may be gone as stand-alone entities, swallowed up by global giant Norton Rose Group, But the London-based international firm has just named a Canadian to its helm.
Norman Steinberg, chairman of Norton Rose Canada, has been appointed the first non-British group chairman of the global firm, a move his firm says is proof of the success of their merger.
"We were never 'taken over' by Norton Rose," Mr. Steinberg, 62, said in an interview. "In fact the whole basis of our agreeing to merge with Norton Rose ... was that we were going to have an important role in the global management of the firm."
Mr. Steinberg takes over from Briton Stephen Parish. After a period of rapid expansion, the global firm Mr. Steinberg now oversees is one of world's largest law practices, with 2,900 lawyers and branches in Europe, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Central Asia – but not yet in the United States.
Mr. Steinberg said the firm's focus remains on finding a U.S. law firm to join and allow the global firm a presence there.
"The United States obviously is critical to our future ... We have to ensure ... when we go into the U.S. that we merge with a firm that shares our culture and will be a perfect fit within our global firm," he said.
Jeff Gray