We understand that it is not easy to get the lay of the law firm landscape in downtown and Metro Vancouver. Firms come in all sizes, from micro to massive. They may have one office or many – across BC, the West, Canada, or the globe. They may focus on one area of law, or many. And while they may seem similar before you cross their doorstep, each firm has its own personality and approach.
To help get the conversation started, here are nine things to know about Clark Wilson.
- We are big Our single office in downtown Vancouver houses almost 100 lawyers, around 170 staff, and is one of the largest in the city—as big as or bigger than many Vancouver offices of the national and international firms.
- We have a long and storied history Clark Wilson began in 1911 when General John Clark opened his firm Clark & Clark. In 1952, General John Clark and Alexander Wilson merged their neighbouring firms to create Clark Wilson. To learn more about our firm’s distinct history and roots dating back to World War I and World War II, visit our About Us page.
- We stand tall in the heart of the city Our office is located in the centre of downtown Vancouver’s business district in the HSBC building, situated on the traditional and unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and sə̓lílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh).
- We work to make a difference Our clients are entrepreneurs, multinationals, family-owned enterprises, publicly traded companies, First Nations, and public institutions. Tangible evidence of our work is all around us – Vancouver’s skyline, transit line and airport, and many of the companies and brands we encounter every day. We are proud to be involved with core sectors of the business community, from tech to infrastructure, universities to consumer goods and services, real estate to natural resources, our lawyers are regularly called upon by top local, national and international companies and highly sought-after by media for their expertise. This year, 35 of Clark Wilson’s lawyers were named to the 2024 Best Lawyers In Canada List, and 10 of our associates were peer-selected as Ones to Watch for their outstanding professional excellence in private practice.
- Bring your whole self to work and thrive Our lawyers are from small towns and big cities, with a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds and life experiences. Seven of the last 10 lawyers appointed as equity partners at Clark Wilson identify as women (three of whom identify as BIPOC). About 25% of our lawyers identify as BIPOC, and more than half of those are Partners. About 6% of our lawyers identify as LGBTQ2S+. Overall, about 40% of our lawyers are women, 50% of our Equity Partners are women, one-third of whom have taken parental leave in the last three years. One was appointed during parental leave. Our DEI initiatives include in-house learning on topics as diverse as implicit biases, LGBTQ2S+ inclusiveness, Indigenous perspectives on legal practice, and recognizing and managing mental health issues.
- We have alumni from all Canadian law schools except for Lakehead and Toronto Metropolitan University, as well as schools in the US, the UK, and elsewhere in the Commonwealth.
- We are passionate about our Pro Bono Program At Clark Wilson, we believe in giving back to our community. We have always supported our lawyers’ pro bono work, and encourage more people to get involved. We are currently on the rosters for Access Pro Bono and the BC Court of Appeal.
- We have strong values. Caring, excellence, service, teamwork, trust and integrity. These values inform the way we recruit, make decisions and work with our clients and each other.
- We have fun together We team up at charity and pro-bono events, host holiday and summer parties, and provide our students with plenty of team building opportunities with lawyers and staff. Our most frequent touchpoint is our weekly Friday Social for the whole firm.
Learn more about How We Recruit, our Student Program, and our Current Students.
