Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt

What Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt does

Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP is a leading Canadian business law firm founded in 1860, operating as a privately held limited liability partnership with 500+ legal professionals across six offices in Toronto (headquarters), Montreal, Calgary, Vancouver, Ottawa, and New York. The firm provides full-service business law across 40+ practice areas including M&A, capital markets, venture capital, disputes, tax, intellectual property, employment, competition/foreign investment, and emerging practice areas such as artificial intelligence, digital assets, and climate change/carbon markets. Its client base spans large-cap enterprises, mid-market companies, and more than 2,000 emerging and high-growth ventures, with representative mandates including Amazon's $14B inaugural maple bond, Alphabet's $8.5B inaugural maple bond, and Choice Properties' $9.4B REIT acquisition.

Name

Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt

Legal name

Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP

Website

https://osler.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1860

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP is a leading Canadian business law firm with 500+ legal professionals across six offices, serving large-cap enterprises, mid-market companies, and 2,000+ emerging ventures with full-service corporate, capital markets, M&A, disputes, and AI legal advisory.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Business Legal Services

NAICS

Legal Services (5411), Offices of Lawyers (541110)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) & Securities Law (BPAHAAAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Employment & Labor Law (BPAHAAAD)

Keywords

• Business law firm
• Corporate legal services
• Mergers and acquisitions
• Capital markets law
• Venture capital legal

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Legal Services Fees: Osler generates revenue through professional legal services fees, including hourly billing, fixed-fee arrangements for certain services (particularly for emerging companies), and transaction-based fees for M&A, capital markets, and financing transactions.
2. Startup Program Services: Fixed-fee basis legal services for emerging companies through the startup program, providing strategic advice on incorporation, financing rounds, and scaling.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP is a Canadian business law firm founded in 1862 that provides legal counsel across corporate, commercial, regulatory, and dispute matters. The firm delivers full-service representation in mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, emerging and high growth companies, private equity, tax, intellectual property, employment, disputes, and other specialized practice areas. It also operates technology-enabled service delivery platforms (Osler Works – Transactional and Osler Works – Disputes) and serves clients through offices in Toronto, Montréal, Calgary, Vancouver, Ottawa, and New York.

Product overview

Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP is a leading Canadian business law firm offering comprehensive legal services across multiple practice areas and industries. The firm's offerings span transactional services (via Osler Works – Transactional), litigation support (via Osler Works – Disputes), venture capital advisory (Deal Points Reports, Seed Series Financing Templates), and specialized AI legal services. The core service portfolio includes Corporate/M&A, Capital Markets, Tax, Intellectual Property, Privacy and Data Management, Employment, and over 40 additional practice areas organized under Services, Industries, and Markets categories. The firm operates from six offices across Canada (Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, Vancouver, Ottawa) and New York, serving domestic and international corporations, governments, and organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Osler Works – Transactional: An innovative approach to delivering transaction services including due diligence, closings, compliance and entity management services.
• Osler Works – Disputes
• Osler AI

Products and services

• Mergers and Acquisitions Legal counsel for buyers, sellers, and targets in domestic and cross-border M&A transactions, including private and public company acquisitions, take-privates, and corporate reorganizations, for corporate clients and institutional investors.
• Capital Markets Legal advisory for securities offerings, IPOs, secondary issuances, debt and equity financings, and ongoing securities and regulatory compliance matters for issuers and underwriters.
• Emerging and High Growth Companies Full-service legal representation for venture-backed and high-growth technology, life sciences, and other emerging companies, including financings, corporate governance, and exit transactions. The firm represents 2,000+ ventures and has supported 900+ preferred share financings totaling US$16.5 billion over the past five years.
• Disputes Commercial litigation, arbitration, regulatory defense, class actions, and appellate representation for corporate clients across the firm's key sectors.
• Artificial Intelligence Legal Services Legal counsel on AI deployment, intellectual property, data, regulatory, ethics, and liability issues for organizations developing or adopting artificial intelligence technologies.
• Real Estate Legal advisory on commercial real estate acquisitions, dispositions, financings, leasing, development, and real estate investment trust matters, chaired by Paul Morassutti.
• Tax Corporate, personal, cross-border, and transactional tax planning and dispute resolution for businesses, institutions, and high-net-worth individuals.
• Employment and Labour Counsel on employment standards, labor relations, executive compensation, workplace investigations, and employment litigation for employers.
• Intellectual Property Patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret, and IP litigation services, including portfolio strategy and licensing for technology, life sciences, and consumer products clients.
• Privacy and Data Management Counsel on privacy compliance, data protection, cybersecurity, cross-border data transfers, and breach response for corporations and institutions.
• Franchise and Distribution Legal advisory for franchisors, licensees, and distributors on franchise agreements, distribution structures, regulatory compliance, and dispute resolution.
• Construction and Infrastructure Legal counsel on construction projects, public-private partnerships, infrastructure development, project finance, and construction disputes.
• Competition Counsel on competition/antitrust matters including merger review, cartel defense, abuse of dominance, and competition compliance programs.
• Digital Assets Legal counsel on cryptocurrency, blockchain, tokenization, and other digital asset matters, including regulatory, securities, and transactional issues.
• Startup Package Fixed-fee legal service package for early-stage companies, including incorporation, organizational documents, founder agreements, and initial financing templates.
• Osler Works – Transactional Technology-enabled service delivery model for transactional legal work, combining process design, technology, and dedicated teams to support high-volume or recurring transactional engagements.
• Osler Works – Disputes Technology-enabled service delivery model for litigation and disputes work, integrating legal project management and document review technology into dispute engagements.

Quantifiable outcome

• 500+ legal professionals serving clients across Canada and internationally
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Digital Commerce Group (DCGroup)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 June 2026Osler partnered with DCGroup and other organizations to offer a $100,000 non-dilutive fintech grant for early-stage Canadian fintech startups, with Osler contributing a $5,000 Startup Package. The grant aims to support founders facing challenges accessing capital, visibility, and strategic industry connections.
• BrookfieldcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOsler hosted a keynote at Invest Canada '25 featuring Brookfield's Craig Frenette discussing AI-driven electricity demand and energy infrastructure strategy. The partnership involves thought leadership on energy transition investment opportunities.
• Invest CanadacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOsler hosted a keynote session at Invest Canada '25 in Calgary, bringing together industry leaders to discuss Canadian energy investment opportunities and AI-driven electricity demand.
• NEXT CanadacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOsler sponsors NEXT Canada, an accelerator program supporting innovative companies. Partnership provides Osler with access to emerging companies while supporting ecosystem growth.
• Creative Destruction LabscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOsler sponsors Creative Destruction Labs, a seed-stage program for technology ventures. Partnership supports early-stage companies with legal expertise.
• League of InnovatorscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOsler partners with League of Innovators, an organization providing resources and programs for entrepreneurs and innovators.
• Mila (Quebec AI Institute)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOsler has a partnership with Mila to support AI companies and startups with legal expertise in artificial intelligence, intellectual property, and commercialization.
• Ivey Business School Alumni Toronto ChapterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOsler collaborated with Ivey Business School Alumni Toronto Chapter to convene a panel examining Canada's housing crisis and proposing actionable solutions.
• StartupfestminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOsler partnered with Startupfest to offer a $5,000 Startup Package as part of the $100,000 fintech grant program for early-stage Canadian startups.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP: Davies is a Toronto-based elite Canadian business law firm with a similarly concentrated focus on M&A, securities, and corporate work for major Canadian and international clients, directly competing with Osler in league table rankings and on major Canadian M&A and capital markets mandates.
• Stikeman Elliott LLP: Stikeman Elliott is one of Canada's leading business law firms, with a national footprint across Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, and Vancouver and a particularly strong M&A and capital markets practice that directly overlaps Osler's core offerings and competes for the same mid-market and large-cap Canadian clients.
• McCarthy Tétrault LLP: McCarthy Tétrault is one of Canada's largest full-service national law firms with offices in all major Canadian cities, providing directly comparable services across corporate, M&A, capital markets, disputes, and regulatory — competing head-to-head with Osler across virtually every practice area and geography.
• Torys LLP: Torys is a top-tier Canadian business law firm with comparable full-service practice across M&A, capital markets, and private equity, and is consistently ranked alongside Osler in Band 1 of Chambers Canada — competing directly for the same Canadian enterprise and emerging-tech clients.
• Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP (Blakes): Blakes is a leading Canadian business law firm with offices across Canada, New York, London, and other international financial centers, with deep M&A, capital markets, and disputes practices that compete directly with Osler for marquee Canadian and cross-border mandates.
• Bennett Jones LLP: Bennett Jones is a leading Canadian business law firm with particular strength in energy, mining, and infrastructure, headquartered in Calgary with offices across Canada and New York — competing with Osler in energy transactions, M&A, and high-growth company mandates in Western Canada.
• Goodmans LLP: Goodmans is a Toronto-based elite business law firm with strong M&A, securities, and corporate practices, frequently competing with Osler on high-profile Canadian M&A, take-private, and capital markets transactions for TSX-listed and emerging-technology clients.
• Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP: Fasken is a leading Canadian full-service law firm with offices across Canada, London, and South Africa, with strong mining, energy, and corporate practices that directly compete with Osler for Canadian enterprise and resource-sector clients.

Broad incumbents

• Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP: Norton Rose Fulbright is a global full-service law firm with a substantial Canadian practice (including legacy Fulbright & Jaworski and Norton Rose merger integrations), offering a broader international platform than Osler and competing for the same large Canadian and cross-border mandates across M&A, finance, and disputes.
• Dentons Canada LLP: Dentons is the world's largest global law firm by headcount with a significant Canadian practice, offering a polycentric international footprint and full-service capabilities that compete with Osler in M&A, capital markets, and corporate work, particularly for clients seeking global reach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/osler_law
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/osler
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/12804
• Instagraminstagram.com/osler_law

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt