Aird & Berlis LLP

What Aird & Berlis LLP does

Aird & Berlis LLP is a leading Canadian business law firm founded in 1919, headquartered in Toronto with a secondary office in Vancouver, and operating as a limited liability partnership with 501-1,000 employees. The firm delivers strategic legal advice across more than 30 practice areas and 14 industry sectors, spanning capital markets, corporate/M&A, financial services, real estate, Indigenous law, projects and infrastructure (P3), insolvency and restructuring, intellectual property, litigation, municipal and land use planning, tax, technology, and workplace law. It serves multinational corporations, startups and emerging companies, federal/provincial/municipal governments, Indigenous nations, and high-net-worth individuals, with active cross-border mandates for clients in Australia, the United States, and Europe.

The firm's product portfolio is organized around specialized legal service groups, most notably a Technology Law Group and a Privacy & Data Security Group covering AI, privacy, cybersecurity, breach notification, and CASL compliance; a Communications & Media Group and a Sports, Media & Entertainment Group handling broadcasting, streaming, esports, and gaming regulatory matters; and a wholly-owned intellectual property subsidiary, Aird & McBurney LP, that delivers patent and trademark prosecution, IP litigation, and technology transfer. The firm also operates three vertical-specific thought-leadership platforms — TheSpotlight, EnergyInsider, and StartupSource — that function as client-acquisition and brand-building channels for its sports/media/tech, energy, and emerging-company practices.

Revenue is generated through professional services billing via hourly rates, fixed fees, and contingency arrangements depending on practice area and matter complexity. The go-to-market is sales-led and partner-driven: client relationships are anchored by individual partners, with a directly delivered enterprise channel across Canada and selective international mandates. Representative engagements include Linamar's $640 million Bourgault Industries acquisition and $260 million Salford Group acquisition, Allied Properties REIT's $1.35 billion datacentre portfolio sale, Osisko Development's US$300 million convertible notes offering, the MIXI Australia AU$430 million takeover of PointsBet, and multiple restructurings and receivership placements for institutional clients such as RBC.

Name

Aird & Berlis LLP

Legal name

Aird & Berlis LLP

Website

https://airdberlis.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1919

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Aird & Berlis LLP is a Canadian business law firm founded in 1919, headquartered in Toronto with a Vancouver office, delivering full-service legal counsel across 37 practice areas to multinational corporations, startups, governments, and Indigenous nations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Business Legal Services

NAICS

Legal Services (5411), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate Development & Strategic Partnerships Advisory (JVs, Alliances, Carve-outs) (BPAHAOAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Transaction Services (Financial, Tax & Commercial Due Diligence) (BPAHAOAB), Third-Party/Vendor Risk Management (TPRM) & Due Diligence (BPAKADAH)

Keywords

• Corporate legal services
• Mergers and acquisitions law
• Intellectual property law
• Capital markets law
• Litigation and dispute resolution

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Legal Services: Professional legal services billed through hourly rates, fixed fees, and contingency arrangements depending on practice area and client needs. Services span corporate, litigation, IP, tax, real estate, and specialized regulatory matters.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Aird & Berlis LLP is a Canadian full-service business law firm that provides strategic legal advice to multinational corporations, startups, governments, Indigenous nations, and high-net-worth individuals across more than 30 practice areas including capital markets, corporate, M&A, private equity, financial services, insolvency and restructuring, intellectual property, technology and privacy, real estate, energy, tax, litigation and dispute resolution, municipal and land use planning, and public policy. Intellectual property services are delivered jointly with its wholly-owned affiliate Aird & McBurney LP. The firm bills clients via hourly rates, fixed fees, and contingency arrangements.

Product overview

Aird & Berlis LLP operates as a multi-disciplinary Canadian law firm offering comprehensive legal services across more than 30 practice areas and 14 industry sectors. The firm's product portfolio centers on specialized legal service groups including: (1) Intellectual Property Services delivered jointly with Aird & McBurney LP covering patent/trademark prosecution and IP litigation; (2) Technology Law Group addressing AI, privacy, cybersecurity, licensing, and CASL compliance; (3) Privacy & Data Security Group providing breach notification and regulatory compliance counsel; (4) Communications & Media Group handling streaming, broadcasting and telecom regulatory matters; and (5) Sports, Media & Entertainment Group serving sports organizations, broadcasters, and entertainment clients. The firm also publishes three thought leadership blogs—EnergyInsider.ca, StartupSource.ca, and TheSpotlight.ca—extending its client engagement beyond traditional legal service delivery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Spotlight: Sports, Media, Entertainment, Technology, Privacy and Intellectual Property Law Blog
• EnergyInsider
• StartupSource

Products and services

• Intellectual Property Services (Aird & McBurney LP) Combined patent and trademark prosecution, IP litigation, technology transfer, and IP-related corporate transactions covering patents, trademarks, copyrights, industrial designs, trade secrets, and domain names. Delivered jointly with wholly-owned affiliate Aird & McBurney LP.
• Capital Markets Legal Services Legal counsel on securities offerings, capital pool company / reverse takeovers, REITs, and venture finance transactions for issuers and underwriters.
• Corporate and M&A Legal Services Corporate transactional advice including mergers & acquisitions, private equity, private business services, startups and emerging companies, and ongoing corporate commercial support.
• Financial Services Legal Practice Banking & finance, insolvency & restructuring, investment management & registration, and franchising services for financial institutions and corporate borrowers.
• Technology Law Group Services Legal counsel on AI, privacy, cybersecurity, technology licensing, e-commerce, CASL compliance, and technology transactions for investors, suppliers, and operators in the technology and communications industries.
• Privacy & Data Security Group Advisory services on Canadian privacy laws, cyber security obligations, breach notification requirements, complaints and investigations management, and proactive cyber security measures.
• Communications & Media Group Regulatory guidance on digital media, streaming services, broadcasting, cable/satellite distribution, territorial rights for global sports and entertainment content, and telecommunications regulatory frameworks.
• Sports, Media & Entertainment Group Legal services for professional sports organizations, leagues, athletes, coaches, multi-sport event organizers, broadcasters, and entertainment industry clients covering governance, transactions, sponsorship, and dispute resolution. Includes Gaming and Esports & Gaming sub-groups.
• Energy Legal Practice Legal services covering climate change and cap-and-trade, electricity and natural gas regulatory matters, energy contracting and M&A, energy efficiency, conservation and clean technology, and renewable energy mandates.
• Real Estate Legal Practice Real estate transactional and advisory services including construction, distressed real estate, expropriation, real estate and commercial leasing litigation, and development mandates.
• Litigation & Dispute Resolution Services Full-service litigation including alternative dispute resolution, class actions, commercial/corporate/securities litigation, insurance defence, mediation/arbitration, professional liability, and real estate and commercial leasing litigation.
• Tax and Private Client Services Tax planning and dispute services, private client/wealth and succession planning, and charities and not-for-profit advisory.
• Municipal, Land Use Planning & Development Services Advisory on municipal accountability, land use planning, development approvals, expropriation, and procurement matters for public and private sector clients.
• Indigenous Practice Legal services for Indigenous nations, communities and organizations on Aboriginal law, constitutional and administrative law matters, governance, and corporate/commercial work.
• Public Policy & Government Relations Strategic advice on public policy, government relations, regulatory advocacy, and constitutional matters for corporations, industry associations, governments, and Indigenous nations.
• Projects & Infrastructure Legal Practice Legal counsel on P3/infrastructure projects, including procurement, project finance, construction, and PPP mandates, recognized in Chambers Global.
• Labour & Employment and Workplace Law Legal advisory on labour relations, employment law, workplace safety, human rights, and workforce matters for employers.

Named customers15 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP: Major Canadian law firm with offices across Canada and in London, Paris, and Johannesburg. Comparable as a full-service business law peer serving enterprise clients on M&A, energy, mining, technology, and litigation matters.
• Torys LLP: Toronto-headquartered Canadian business law firm with offices in Calgary, Montréal, New York, and Halifax. Comparable peer for sophisticated corporate, M&A, capital markets, and litigation work for major Canadian enterprises and financial institutions.
• Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP: Toronto-headquartered Canadian business law firm with offices in Calgary, Montréal, Ottawa, Vancouver, and New York. Directly comparable across M&A, securities, financial services, tax, and litigation practices for enterprise clients.
• Goodmans LLP: Toronto-based Canadian business law firm known for M&A, securities, restructuring, and entertainment/media work. Directly comparable to Aird & Berlis for high-end corporate transactions and Toronto-headquartered sophisticated clients.
• Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP: One of Canada's largest and most prominent business law firms, with offices in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Montréal, Ottawa, and New York. Directly comparable to Aird & Berlis as a full-service Canadian business law firm serving multinational and domestic clients on M&A, capital markets, litigation, and regulatory matters.
• McCarthy Tétrault LLP: National Canadian law firm with offices across all major Canadian cities plus London. Closely comparable to Aird & Berlis in serving sophisticated business clients on corporate, M&A, finance, litigation, and regulatory matters; a leading competitor in the same tier of Canadian business law.
• Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP: Toronto-based Canadian business law firm with offices in Montréal, New York, and London. Comparable as a peer for sophisticated M&A, capital markets, tax, and litigation mandates, particularly for large domestic and cross-border clients.
• Bennett Jones LLP: Canadian business law firm with offices in Calgary, Toronto, Edmonton, Vancouver, Ottawa, and New York. Closely comparable for energy, mining, and corporate transactions; a peer competitor especially in Western Canadian resource-sector mandates.
• Stikeman Elliott LLP: Major Canadian business law firm headquartered in Toronto with offices across Canada and in London, New York, and Sydney. Directly comparable across M&A, securities, banking, energy, and tax practices serving enterprise and financial institution clients.

Broad incumbents

• Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP: Global law firm with significant Canadian presence across Toronto, Calgary, Montréal, Ottawa, Québec, and Vancouver. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering overlapping corporate, finance, energy, and litigation services as part of a much larger global platform.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/airdberlis
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCdE6tkBxU_9Yh9ivstU6D0Q
• Facebookfacebook.com/AirdBerlis
• LinkedInca.linkedin.com/company/aird-&-berlis-llp
• Instagraminstagram.com/airdberlislife

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments1 record

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

Frequently asked questions about Aird & Berlis LLP