Jennifer McPhee
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (July 17/02) - Long-time Yellowknife law firm Gullberg, Wiest, MacPherson and Kay announced a merger this week with Lawson Lundell, a leading business law firm based in Western Canada.

GWMK's Ed Gullberg said as the Northern economy expands, some cases are beyond the expertise of a small general practice law firm.

Merging with a larger business law firm -- with specialized expertise in areas such as tax law -- will allow former GWMK lawyers to pursue more challenging work.

Lawson Lundell employs more than 100 lawyers in Calgary and Vancouver. One is also based in Yellowknife and will now work from the GWMK office. Twelve of Lawson Lundell's lawyers are licenced to practise in the NWT and Nunavut.

Lawson Lundell's Northern clients include the GNWT and the firm currently provides legal services

to Diavik Diamond Mines Inc. in a broad range of areas, including environment and construction.

Brad Armstrong, managing partner at Lawson Lundell, said the firm has watched the tremendous growth of the Northern economy and sees opportunities in oil and gas, mining, pipeline development and general business development.

Combining with the local firm gives the larger company an edge.

"They have a tremendous depth of knowledge about legal issues in the NWT," said Armstrong.

He said the new development is not an acquisition.

"They are joining our firm as equals," he said.

GWMK was a general practice firm formed in 1976 that employs 10 lawyers.

The two firms have worked together since 1998 -- referring clients back and forth.

Eight years ago, Lawson Lundell suggested a merger.

At the time, Gullberg said he "strongly rebuffed" the offer.

"I thought the Yellowknife market was a market of smaller firms and local clients," he said.

Since then, he's seen more national firms operating out of Yellowknife and legal issues have become more sophisticated.

Mixed emotions

Gullberg said there's "still a lot of mom and pop law" in the North but also "a lot of big business issues, more so than when I first came here."

Still, he admits to having mixed emotions about joining the larger firm.

"We had a great deal of pride that this was our firm ... that part of me is nostalgic."

No jobs will be affected by the merger and the firm has no plans to change fees.

To mark the announcement, Lawson Lundell will establish a continuing education award through the Northwest Territories Branch of the Canadian Bar Association.

Lawson Lundell will fund two $1,000 awards each year for continuing legal studies -- one in the NWT and the other in Nunavut.