Insights & Press
RainMaker Group provides practical commentary on the people, firms, and market forces shaping legal careers and recruitment in Canada.
With more than 25 years in legal search, RainMaker Group is regularly asked to comment on hiring, firm strategy, career movement, and the Canadian legal market. Selected recent coverage appears below.
Knowledge archive
RainMaker's long-form guidance on legal careers, lateral moves, partnership, in-house counsel, interviewing, compensation, and the Canadian legal market.
Press
Canadian law firms pivot amid U.S. trade uncertainty, building new strategies in trade, energy, and litigation to meet shifting client demands.
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Among current and former partners – as well as within the legal community in general - there is significant consternation and confusion with respect to Mr. Temins’s departure in particular. “Not in my 25 years of bein
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This October, weed will become legal across Canada. In anticipation of that moment, the country’s licensed cannabis producers — there are now 113 of them — have turned to Bay Street with an endless list of legal question
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One partial solution has been to offer counsel positions to partner-averse associates. The counsel role, in essence, mimics the in-house working experience. It has all the benefits of a dynamic career in private practice
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Survey says litigation will be focus of recruiting in near future Written By Alexia Kapralos A recent Canadian survey conducted by Robert Half Legal indicates that litigation, primarily in the areas of securities/c
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Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP and Goodmans LLP, two of Canada’s leading national law firms, seem to be breeding grounds for in-house counsel in the country’s commercial real estate sector. Four lawyers now prominent i
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If you’ve been off from work for some time like me, one unexpected delight of returning to a job might be the opportunity to dress up again, and the chance to wear some of your favourite heels. You might have missed the
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Wildeboer Dellelce LLP and Moodys Gartner Tax Law LLP are pleased to announce that they have entered into a strategic alliance.
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Norton Rose Fulbright will merge with Chadbourne & Parke of New York in the second quarter of 2017 with a combined revenue of just under $2 billion.
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Paola Cecchi-Dimeglio, explains years of findings when it comes to the best practices for attracting, retaining and promoting women leaders at elite firms.
Read insight →Things You Should Know
Sun Life Financial Inc. announces Melissa Kennedy, Executive Vice-President, Chief Legal Officer & Public Affairs, one of Canada's Most Powerful Women.
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It's an honour to be acknowledged by the Canadian Lawyer Readers' Choice Awards for the 2016-2017 year for our excellence in the Legal Recruiters category.
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Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan (OTPP) announced it would acquire the Canadian business, Constellation Brands Inc. in a $1.03 billion deal.
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On September 12, 2016, Norton Rose Fulbright, a London-based firm, acquired Bull Housser, Vancouver's sixth largest law firm.
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On the evening of Monday June 20th, RainMaker Group was honoured to be the presenting sponsor of the 2016 Precedent Setter Awards for the seventh year in a row. The event took place at The Spoke Club on King Street West
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Congratulations to John Levy, CEO of our client, theScore , who received an honorary doctorate from DeGroote School of Business - McMaster University at the university's convocation ceremony on June 13, 2016. To find
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The 2 nd Grand Slam Celebrity Softball Tournament took place on Saturday May 14 th , 2016, an event that raised funds for child, adolescent and adult mental health services at Michael Garron Hospital (Toronto, ON). The s
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Attending your firm or company’s holiday party, just like happy hour , provides you with a wealth of opportunities, whether you are new to the law firm or are an associate who has been there since your days as a student.
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Canada's New Justice Minister Blog, Legal News, Jody Wilson-Raybould
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In a recent article done in Precedent Magazine (article link below), they compared call backs from the past 5 years. With a steep decline from 224 students in 2010 to only 204 students in 2013, the numbers have plateaued
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In the recently published September 2015 Lexpert issue, Adam Lepofsky, President of RainMaker Group, provided insightful advice on approaching your mentor or a senior partner if you are feeling under appreciated. Adam
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This year’s Precedent Setter Awards Gala 2015, was held at the always popular and entertaining SPiN, as a well suited venue representing this year’s theme – Friendly Competition. The night began with pleasant chatter acc
Read insight →Law & Policy
Alternative fee arrangements (AFAs) are nothing new with Simon Chester, an independent consultant, formerly a partner at Heenan Blaikie, stating, “ We’ve been predicting since the early ‘90s the absolutely imminent demis
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California is booming, with press on Silicon Valley and its start-up community illustrating the awe inspiring growth that California has been experiencing, and legal is no exception. With over 58,000 new jobs created in
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5 things you should know about partnership, is it for you? Yet despite the hurdles in getting there, partnership remains the goal of many lawyers.
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5 things you should know about contract positions, there are certainly pros and cons, but you need to make informed decisions on whats best for you.
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5 things you should know about Interviewing, from working with HR to personal grooming and appearance, 5 simple tips to give you an edge interviewing.
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When hired for a job whether at a Partner or Associate level you are hired for your technical abilities, but also for a perceived fit within the company.
Read insight →Legal News
For the last three weeks the Financial Post, has been reporting on the recent changes to U.S. tax code as they apply to corporate “tax inversion.”
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Adam Lepofsky, president and founder of RainMaker Group spoke with Daniel Fish, of Precedent Magazine in the Fall 2014 edition of Precedent Magazine on articling jobs and junior associate positions in Toronto and on Bay
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Cloud computing and the future of law as a profession, as well as the way we practice has been hotly debated by everyone as of late, but what are the risks.
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In the August 22, 2014, The Lawyers Weekly, Whitney Borins was quoted discussing the issues surrounding leaving legal practice to explore other career paths, after completing your LL.B. On having a law degree, "It is
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In the August 15, 2014 edition of The Lawyers Weekly, Whitney Borins was quoted discussing taking a break or leave of absence from your practice, and the steps you need to take to ensure a smooth transition. For her ful
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For many law firm associates, at least a few moments of the distracted thought which rounds off their billables is spent considering whether they are at the right firm. But often the curiosity is smothered by the view th
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To move in-house can be a daunting challenge for some, there are different expectations of legal counsel, and reporting structures vary not only from private practice, but also between companies. It is easy to feel anxi
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Back in February 2012, the International Bar Association (IBA) published their results of their, “Impact of Online Social Networking on the Legal Profession & Practise,” survey, looking at how its members and affiliated
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"But legal recruiter and industry watcher Adam Lepofsky, founder of Toronto-based Rainmaker Group, isn’t so sure that firms such as Conduit will end up transforming Canada’s legal industry. New concepts have come and gon
Read insight →Legal News
The legal and business communities are buzzing, with the new “Canada Anti-Spam Laws,” (CASL) that’s implementation will begin this July, carrying through to 2017. Law firms have focused on educating their staff and clien
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In October 2013, the provincial law societies and the Barreau du Quebec signed the new, “National Mobility Agreement of 2013,” that will serve to replace all prior mobility agreements formulated, either by Quebec or the
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Rumors have swirled for the better part of the last two weeks about the future of the national firm, Heenan Blaikie , and it would seem the rumors have come true. With a late night vote held Wednesday, the partners voted
Read insight →Things You Should Know
In the age of the “selfie” you and your online persona are everywhere and as a lawyers that is just as true, in some cases more so. The internet is plagued with stories of those who have had job opportunities in hand on
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Adam Lepofsky was quoted discussing the issues surrounding mandatory retirement ages that although many industries no long enforce, many firms still do.
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Among the very rare things in life - like pleasant subway commutes, comfortable winters in Toronto and low-fat donuts - a true mentor is something that is hard to come by. All that said, I still recall wanting a mentor w
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" There are definitely payment differences between law firms and in-house. " But there are other perks. " To have a bit more balance and predictability, maybe you're willing to take a bit less-in some cases a lot less-
Read insight →Things You Should Know
What am I worth? It’s a tough question – one that is better answered by a sober assessment of your skills rather than the sentimental opinion of your mother. When you factor in our general malaise for talking about money
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Post economic collapse the role of compliance officers has expanded and become more widely respected, with greater government oversight and industry regulations constantly being reviewed and revised. Vivia Chen a former
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RainMaker Group’s Adam Lepofsky was recently interviewed by The Lawyers Weekly, In House Counsel – discussing his point of view on in-house counsel and the challenges and expectations of potential employers that come wi
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Congratulations to Kevin Derbyshire, Vice-President and General Counsel of Acklands Grainger, on his recent feature in Advantage Magazine, which highlighted both his career and his involvement with educating, and improv
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Complaints about Gen Y and Millennials mount the list of top complaints for HR, managers and business owners attempting to curb employee turnover ranging from their unwillingness to do “grunt” work, to the entitlement is
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"Regional firms, mid-market firms and entrepreneurially minded small firms can come very close to match the pay at the largest firms. And some of the boutiques can match or pay better than the large firms. If you're afte
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Each year the BTI Consulting Group issues a report entitled, “ Benchmarking Corporate Counsel Management Strategies ,” for this year’s report they interviewed over 240 corporate counsel at large and Fortune 1000 companie
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"Ratios of associates to partners are rising, They want to try their hardest to keep the good talent they've got. The market’s very volatile right now. It’s looking better than it was. A corner has been turned since 2008
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Back in July it was leaked to the Sunday Post a UK based newspaper that new crime novel, “ The Cuckoo’s Calling ,” by Robert Galbraith was in fact written by billionaire author J.K. Rowling of Harry Potter fame. After th
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"People’s practice areas are going up and down in terms of revenue. It’s similar to what free agent athletes face. Do you have leverage or not? A senior partner moving to a new firm is like a mini-merger. You have to con
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“Because of the quiet purge of associates that has been going on, firms are still able to pay more for the elite talent, so salaries are increasing. But as far as hiring goes, the firms are staying lean because associate
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"The difference between an LL.B. and a JD are just the letters. I don’t think it matters. Optics and perceptions are important and a JD is more familiar in the U.S." Law schools switch from LL.B's to JDs - Lexpert
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“They want you to play nice in the sandbox... Everyone will always say they hope it’s a good fit, they hope he or she is a good person. Some managing partners out there say, ‘We don’t buy a book. We buy the person.’ Othe
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“There is definitely a thrill and an excitement to being part of a management team. It’s a commitment that not everyone’s willing to do, and that’s what separates out those from the ones who really thrive in the law firm
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Love to hate them but lists of the tops in any profession are still compulsive reading. Canadian Lawyer is stepping into the fray with the Top 25 Most Influential in the justice system and legal profession. As this is th
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"Big law firms in New York are not hiring. If anything they’re still culling their ranks. AM100 law firms are not going to hire a Canadian law grad over a Harvard, Yale or Stanford (University) law grad in this market an
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“The wild card is the people skills. Being an effective practice group leader means you can manage other lawyers, whether they are more senior, the same vintage or junior to you. Those management skills are often tough t
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“Everyone’s a lot more particular about hiring, and everyone is holding their cards close to their vests right now,” Sweating Bullets - Canadian Lawyer Magazine
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'The firms have slowed down,” says Adam Lepofsky, president of RainMaker Group, a legal recruitment firm. “2008 was still a very good year for everybody, off of 2007. 2007 was so tremendous — you run on the fumes — and 2
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“This was a person who was on the cover of Lexpert, managing partner of the year, always on panels,” “He’s been the guy there for a dozen years. That means you take all the glory and then all the blame. Every time you
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"The competition is intense," "To survive you have to be incredibly focused, business-oriented and have very strong leadership." "That a profitable firm with so many partners decides to shut down tells you how toug
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“Essentially what drives the business of law is the quality of people. Finding the best people determines whether or not a firm will have a competitive advantage.” Lexpert
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"I would advise the students to call everyone they know in law – whether it be firms, former colleagues and classmates, and professors. But my biggest piece of advice is to have a plan and be aggressive and ambitious – n
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Adam Lepofsky, director and founder of RainMaker Group, a Toronto based legal recruitment firm, acknowledged that the recent recruitment trend of US law firms was directed at both Canadian lawyers already practicing in C
Read insight →October 22, 2025 · The Globe and Mail
Adam Lepofsky discusses how leading Canadian firms are responding to trade uncertainty and increased demand across infrastructure, restructuring, litigation, and trade law.
Read the coverageApril 16, 2024 · The Globe and Mail
Adam Lepofsky provides legal-market context on an unusual leadership transition and the resulting pressure on the Toronto firm.
Read the coverageContact RainMaker Group for recruitment inquiries or informed commentary on the Canadian legal talent market.
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