Our culture of teamwork, legal excellence, disciplined entrepreneurship and optimism was just a spark of inspiration a century ago. Today, Bennett Jones is a proud firm dedicated to the growth and success of our clients, the evolution of the Canadian legal system and the betterment of our communities.
The first iteration of Bennett Jones was established in 1922 in Calgary, in part by Richard Bedford (R.B.) Bennett, an extraordinary lawyer and public servant who was known for his work ethic and civic engagement. In addition to his legal and political activities, Bennett sat on the boards of Hudson’s Bay Co., Royal Bank of Canada and several other burgeoning companies. He went on to become Canada’s 11th prime minister in 1930.
The 1920s and 1930s saw sharp economic swings as the firm set down roots in windswept western Canada and weathered the Great Depression, while establishing the firm as key legal advisors in the region.
Post-WWII, as Alberta’s economy surged during Canada's energy development phase, it was an exciting time to be a law firm. Bennett Jones set out to become the go-to natural resources advisor.
Imperial Oil discovered the country’s first major crude oil and natural gas field near Leduc, Alberta in February 1947, marking the birth of the nation’s oil and gas industry. When Imperial Oil sought Bennett Jones' assistance. Ground rules had to be created for the entirely new legal domain of oil and gas exploration, land ownership, leases, drilling and extraction. Bennett Jones opened its Edmonton office the same year.
It was around this time when our other eponymous founder, Maclean (Mac) Everett Jones, was identified. Mac, the University of Alberta Law School’s youngest-ever graduate at age 21, is described as the father of Bennett Jones' culture: business-minded, straight-talking, egalitarian, independent and tenacious.
Mac left an indelible mark through the succeeding decades, supporting scores of exploration and development companies as they set up operations in Alberta, which triggered a tidal wave of investment that fueled the growth of Calgary and Edmonton. He and others pioneered a variety of legal frameworks for energy extraction, environmental regulation and resource revenue sharing. And as client needs intensified, Bennett Jones developed other specialized expertise, including in financing, securities, mergers and acquisitions, regulation and real estate.
By the 1980s, Bennett Jones had become known as a key player in major resource development projects and corporate transactions across Canada. We opened our Toronto and Ottawa offices in 1989 and grew our corporate and commercial practices significantly. As British Columbia was becoming an increasingly strategic growth market, Bennett Jones added a Vancouver office in June 2014.
While we continued to build our depth in energy, natural resources and project development, our standing rose, as we consistently ranked among Canada's top law firms in various practice areas. In 2018, the firm merged with Vancouver securities firm McCullough O'Connor Irwin and opened an office in New York.
In 2022, we celebrated our centennial anniversary, having developed into one of Canada's premier full-service business law firms, with seven offices in Canada and the United States, and enviable relationships to support cross-border and global work.
The next chapter in the development of Bennett Jones saw further expansion of our national practices and the opening of a Montreal office in 2024. Out of the gate, we built several strong relationships with the Quebec business community, helping clients in established and emerging sectors.
Our reputation as the firm that businesses trust with their most complex legal matters—earned in courthouses, hearing rooms, town halls, offices and boardrooms across Canada and abroad—has been maintained for over a century by people dedicated to client service and to each other.
We remain at the forefront of Canada’s most critical industries as a trusted advisor to business and government. Our 500 lawyers and legal professionals help clients navigate some of the most multidimensional challenges in Canada and beyond, bringing deep sector expertise and cross-border fluency to our work.
Our uniquely collaborative culture is rooted in our values of excellence, respect, business focus and transparency. We are true to and recognized for these values, and for our workplace culture, which embraces diversity and inclusion within the legal profession.
From landmark energy projects to cutting-edge technology and infrastructure developments, we will proudly help shape the next century of progress with a pragmatic, business-minded approach to law, and a passion for getting the deal done.
Our engagements extend beyond legal practice. We actively support local and national causes across Canada, through strategic charitable donations to, and partnerships with, organizations that address critical social issues such as education, healthcare access and economic development.
We also walk the talk about diversity, equity and inclusion—through our hiring practices, culture, and sponsorship of community programs that promote equal opportunities and amplify underrepresented voices.
As importantly, our extensive pro bono program ensures that quality legal representation is accessible to many who cannot afford it, with our lawyers volunteering significant hours.
Finally, recognizing that innovation drives positive change, Bennett Jones invests in technology initiatives that benefit our clients, our own practice and the legal profession as a whole.
At Bennett Jones, legal solutions are our starting point. What drives us forward is knowing our clients inside and out—their ambitions, obstacles and success metrics.
For more than a century, we have shaped outcomes that matter in business, in law and in the broader Canadian landscape. And our commitment extends beyond legal matters: we invest deeply in the communities in which we live and work.
