Gowling WLG International Limited

History and Structure

Gowling WLG traces its lineage to some of the oldest law firms in both Canada and the UK. The Canadian arm, Gowlings, was founded in 1887 in Hamilton, Ontario, and grew to become one of Canada’s largest law firms. The UK predecessor, Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co, was created in 2014 by the merger of Wragge & Co (founded in 1834 in Birmingham) and Lawrence Graham (established in 1730 in London). The 2016 combination of Gowlings and WLG created a truly global firm built on the principle of being “in tune with your world, aligned with your opportunity.” The firm’s international structure is modelled on a Swiss Verein‑like arrangement: Gowling WLG International Limited is a non‑trading English company limited by guarantee, while all legal services are delivered by the two financially separate LLPs in Canada and the UK. This allows the firm to maintain strong local partnerships while coordinating global strategy and client service.

Practice Areas and Specialization

Gowling WLG’s practice encompasses virtually every area of business law, including corporate/M&A, banking and finance, competition/antitrust, construction, intellectual property, real estate, employment, litigation, and dispute resolution. The firm is particularly noted for its deep sector specialisation: it dedicates cross‑disciplinary teams to key industries such as life sciences, financial services, energy, infrastructure, government, technology, real estate, natural resources, and automotive.

Innovation and Technology

Innovation is a hallmark of Gowling WLG. The firm built one of the first fully automated legal practices in‑house in the 1990s and continues to invest in technology. Among its proprietary client‑facing platforms are Saturn, an online brand protection service that combines legal expertise with intelligent software to combat counterfeiting, fake domains, and illegal streaming; and Smart Raise, a platform that streamlines the generation and delivery of legal documents for private placements. The firm also uses artificial intelligence (AI), natural language processing, machine learning, document assembly, and workflow automation to improve efficiency. Gowling WLG has a history of collaborating with technology start‑ups and maintains internal software development capabilities.

Recent Leadership and Financial Performance

The firm’s financial performance has been strong. In the most recent reporting period, UK revenues rose by 9% to £225 million, with profit per equity partner increasing accordingly. Gowling WLG consistently ranks among the largest law firms in Canada (first), the UK (15th), and the world (88th by revenue as of 2025). In 2025, the firm appointed Sarah Felger as its first standalone Chief Operating Officer (UK) to lead operational strategy and technology adoption. The UK CEO, David Fennell, will be succeeded by Chris Towle effective May 2026. In Canada, Steve McKersie serves as Chief Executive Officer. The firm’s international board is co‑chaired by McKersie and the UK CEO. The firm’s Chair is Emma Pioli.

Corporate Responsibility and Notable Alumni

Gowling WLG is also committed to corporate responsibility, having delivered over 14,000 pro bono hours, and maintains active diversity and inclusion programs. Its alumni include several notable political and judicial figures, such as former Governor General of Canada Ray Hnatyshyn, former Attorney General of Ontario Roy McMurtry, and former federal cabinet ministers. Despite its broad international reach, Gowling WLG closed its Russia office following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, consistent with many law firms exiting the market. The firm continues to expand in key regions, recently promoting five lawyers to partnership in May 2026 across its UK, Dubai, and Frankfurt offices.