In the last two weeks, the MLB’s Toronto Blue Jays have made trades and acquisitions from all over the U.S. The team is on fire, the Rogers Centre is selling to its 45,000 person capacity and there is a winning energy in the air. But the Blue Jays, their fans, and their latest string of new players are not the only ones who are noticing this great city. Yesterday, Littler Mendleson, the Bay Area Headquartered AmLaw 100 Labour and Employment boutique opened its doors in Toronto and Canada. Aside from the new spellings it will need to adopt, the opening signals what I have always held true. Toronto is a world class city, with opportunity for the legal market that expands beyond the “6”. I could be lamenting the consolidation of the industry and pain of the current exchange rate or the price of oil, but today, I am (possibly naively), buoyed by the energy of the announcement and the paradigm shift it represents for this legal market. All eyes are on Toronto and thankfully this time, it’s not because of our drama generating former mayor but because of the vitality of the city and the country. There is no doubt that the legal industry is changing, if you only ever read 3 Geeks, you’ll get a pretty good sense of the angst and possibility of the current climate, and moves like this one, remind me that not all change is bad and in fact change is the necessary evil that forces us to grow and evolve. So, as the Canadian “Geek”, let me welcome you to Toronto. May you enjoy the city and its energy as much as I do and Go Jays Go!
