Press Release For Immediate Release

Always A Step Ahead: McCarthy Tétrault Leadership Awards

Toronto, August 15, 2005 – Recognizing that leadership is as important as academic quality, McCarthy Tétrault has announced a $5,000 award for first- and second-year law students across Canada. The McCarthy Tétrault Leadership Awards will be given annually to two students at each participating school. To be considered for the award, the students must have strong academic results combined with demonstrated initiative and leadership qualities.

“Leadership is about inspiring others to achieve their potential and reach their goals. For 150 years, McCarthy Tétrault has worked hard to build our firm and shape our business to create this type of environment for all of our lawyers and staff,” said W. Iain Scott, Chair and CEO. “And so, we feel it is important to celebrate the leadership capabilities of today’s students and to encourage others to carry on our tradition of excellence.”

One first-year and one second-year student will be selected by a committee from the faculty of law at each participating school to receive the award. The winners will be announced at the completion of the academic year and will be honoured at special receptions held by McCarthy Tétrault.

Inaugurated to coincide with the firm’s 150th anniversary, the awards continue McCarthy Tétrault’s tradition of leadership and excellence. “We are committed to helping shape the leaders of the future,” said Mr. Scott. “One way to do this is to honor those in the early stages of their legal education for demonstrating outstanding leadership qualities.”

With offices in all major Canadian financial centres, as well as New York and London, McCarthy Tétrault advises on many of the largest transactions and cases around the world. Authoritative legal directories such as the International Financial Law Review and the Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada consistently rank McCarthy Tétrault among the world’s top law firms. The most recent edition of Chambers Global: The World’s Leading Lawyers describes McCarthy Tétrault as “clearly a leader” with “an enviable position in the marketplace.” With close to 750 lawyers representing a broad spectrum of practice areas, it’s easy to see why McCarthy Tétrault is Canada’s premier law firm.

For media inquiries, please contact Nathalie Roberge at McCarthy Tétrault at 514.397.7808 or email [email protected].

McCarthy Tétrault Leadership Awards Media Kit

McCarthy Tétrault Leadership Awards Fast Facts

• The McCarthy Tétrault Leadership Awards (Leadership Awards) were introduced in summer 2005.

• Two Leadership Awards of $5,000 each will be given annually at all participating law schools across Canada. One first-year and one second-year student will receive the award based on strong academic performance and demonstrated initiative and leadership qualities through participation in extra-curricular activities within their school or community.

• The Leadership Awards are unique in Canada as they recognize both academics and leadership.

• McCarthy Tétrault understands that leadership is as important as academic quality. The firm’s position as Canada's premier law firm was gained through hard work, legal excellence and consistent strategic planning by a series of strong leaders. These are qualities we seek to reward in students.

• The winners will be announced by the law schools at the completion of the academic year and will be honoured at special receptions held by McCarthy Tétrault across the country.

• Leadership on the part of the students can be demonstrated both within their law school, as well as within their community.

• Recipients of the award will be selected and judged by a committee made up of various members from their respective schools. McCarthy Tétrault will not participate in the judging, but will entrust that to the faculty and others who make up the selection committee.

• The schools and McCarthy Tétrault have made a five-year commitment to the Leadership Awards programme and look forward to a partnership that recognizes student leadership.

For further information on the McCarthy Tétrault Leadership awards, please contact your local McCarthy Tétrault Regional Managing Partner.

McCarthy Tétrault Leadership Awards Media Kit

Regional Managing Partners

Québec Alberta Marc-André Blanchard Greg Turnbull Le Windsor, 1170, rue Peel Suite 3300, 421-7th Avenue SW Montréal, Québec Calgary, Alberta H3B 4S8 T2P 4K9 514 397-4278 403 206-5555 [email protected] [email protected]

Ontario British Columbia Kirby Chown Lisa Vogt Suite 4700, Toronto Dominion Tower Suite 1300, Pacific Centre Toronto, Ontario 777 Dunsmuir Street M5K 1E6 Vancouver, British Columbia 416 601-7738 V7Y 1K2 [email protected] 604 643-7935 [email protected]

McCarthy Tétrault Leadership Awards Media Kit

McCarthy Tétrault Background

• McCarthy Tétrault has offices in Vancouver, Calgary, London, Toronto, , Montréal and Québec City, as well as in New York and London, UK and advises on many of the largest transactions and cases around the world.

• With close to 750 lawyers representing a broad spectrum of practice areas, McCarthy Tétrault is Canada’s premier law firm.

• In 1990, ten years ahead of most other law firms, McCarthy Tétrault pioneered the national law firm in Canada, winning a case before the allowing inter-provincial firms. McCarthy Tétrault integrated two languages, English and French, and two legal systems, common and civil law. And in 2001, the firm introduced an innovative management structure with a board of directors and CEO for maximum efficiency in meeting client needs and allocating legal resources.

• McCarthy Tétrault contributed to Canada’s provincial and national framework. They advised Canadian and provincial governments in the early years of Confederation, including Canada’s first prime minister, Sir John A. Macdonald. The firm’s advice to corporate clients – from primary resource companies, through financial institutions to internet start-ups – has helped shape the Canadian economy for 150 years.

• From the era of D’Alton McCarthy and Eugène Lafleur through John J. Robinette and up to the present, the firm’s lawyers have made significant contributions to Canada’s constitutional law, to the Charter of Rights, and to landmark Supreme Court of Canada rulings.

• McCarthy Tétrault is the firm of choice for Canada’s major industries that include mining, forestry, energy, real property, telecommunication, technology and financial institutions, representing a majority of the top banks in Canada.

• The firm’s notable political figures include: D’Alton McCarthy Jr., MP, adviser to Sir John A. Macdonald; Leighton McCarthy, MP, Ambassador to the United States, friend of Franklin Delano Roosevelt; Salter Hayden, Senator, Chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce at time of introduction of Income Tax Act, 1971; Adrian Hugessen; Senator, Donald Macdonald, Minister of

McCarthy Tétrault Leadership Awards Media Kit

Finance, High Commissioner to United Kingdom; Daniel Johnson, Premier of Québec; John Manley, Minister of Finance/Deputy Prime Minister.

• Six justices of the Supreme Court of Canada practised with the firm either before or after serving on the bench: , , Williard Estey, Charles Gonthier, Wallace Nesbitt, Yves Pratte. Numerous McCarthy Tétrault lawyers have been appointed to various levels of the bench – 30 in the last 30 years – and 55 overall.

• On the world stage, the firm has been involved in some of the most innovative projects in recent years. McCarthy Tétrault lawyers are active in business transactions and advisory projects in Asia, the Middle East, Africa, North America, Central America, South America, Europe and the former Soviet Union.

• Vision, imagination and leadership are important to the firm. McCarthy Tétrault was a trailblazer in high technology when even the simplest computer filled a whole room.

• McCarthy Tétrault hired one of the first female lawyers in Canada – Edith Sheppard (1921-29), one of the first women lawyers to work in a downtown Toronto law firm. Ms. Sheppard was among the first 50 women to be called to the Ontario bar at a time when more than 99 percent of Ontario lawyers were men.

• McCarthy Tétrault’s commitment to the communities we live in is absolute and is part of the heritage that we continue to promote. In 2005, we contributed $200,000 to Pro Bono Students Canada, a group of law students who work with public interest and community groups in need of legal services.

Primary Contact Nathalie Roberge Principal Director Marketing and Communication (Québec) McCarthy Tétrault LLP Tel: 514.397.7808 Fax: 514.875.6246 E-mail: [email protected]