Largest law firms in Canada 2021-2024, by number of lawyers

In 2024, the largest Canadian law firm by number of lawyers was Toronto-based Fasken Martineau DuMoulin, where 902 lawyers were employed. The largest law firms in Canada have tended not to be the global behemoths that dominate the U.S. market, but often home-grown firms. 

Lawyers in Canada

In Canada, the term lawyer refers to both barristers, who specialize in higher court appearances, and solicitors, who focus more on providing legal advice, the preparation of cases, and appearances in lower courts. Generally, laws firms will employ less than one administrative staff for each lawyer working at the firm.

Canadian versus U.S. legal market

Unlike the United States, which is widely held to have an oversupply of lawyers, it is believed that there is significant demand for lawyers in Canada. A part of this may be due to the overlap between the worlds’ largest law firms and the U.S. law firms which employ the most lawyers, meaning that there are more opportunities in the U.S. to work at a large, international Big Law firm. Combined with the higher wages generally paid to lawyers in the U.S. and the relative ease for Canadian lawyers to move, this creates a strong incentive to relocate.