Years of Service and Trust
A message from Chairman and CEO Hugh MacKinnon
A message from Chairman and CEO Hugh MacKinnon
It is an honour to introduce you to the story of Bennett Jones, a business law firm born and bred in a small prairie town a century ago that went on to become a national force in Canadian law and business.
Firm First — it’s a philosophy that holds as paramount the interests and welfare of both the firm and our clients. It has animated our progress since 1922 and continues to define who we are today.
Bennett Jones enjoys a unique culture. Our Western roots incubated an egalitarian character, a fiercely independent spirit, and an unrelenting work ethic. With our expansion beyond Alberta we incorporated the best practices of other jurisdictions into our own storied traditions to create something truly special. With a pragmatic, business-minded approach to law and a passion for “getting the deal done,” we established a reputation as the firm that businesses trust with their most complex legal matters. That reputation — earned in courthouses, hearing rooms, town halls, offices, and boardrooms across Canada and abroad — has been maintained over the course of a century by people dedicated to client service and to each other.
The impact of Bennett Jones on our clients and our nation has been profound. We see it all around us: in the accomplishments of each generation of members stepping up to do their part in building a firm that sees itself not as a mere platform for personal pursuits but as an institution dedicated to the growth and success of our clients, our contributions to the Canadian legal system, and the betterment of our communities through our pro bono and volunteer work. We also see the impact of Bennett Jones on each other every day through our enduring culture of teamwork, legal excellence, disciplined entrepreneurship, and optimism.
In our 100-year history, we have more than once found ourselves on the border between chaos and order: the Great Depression, the Second World War, economic recessions and other severe challenges threatening our clients, the global financial crisis of 2008, and most recently a global pandemic that has transformed the way we live, communicate, and work. Through it all, time and again, our people have remained unwavering in their commitment to each other and to our clients. This is because our qualities are timeless and define who we are.
As we begin the second century of Bennett Jones, we find ourselves more resilient, engaged, and united than ever.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Bennett Jones LLP