Major Canadian law firms are exploring opportunities beyond North America as trade tensions and changing economic relations between Canada and the United States reshape demand for international legal services. How leading Canadian firms are pursuing opportunities in overseas markets while maintaining their established U.S. relationships.
Recent developments at McCarthy Tétrault and Borden Ladner Gervais (BLG) illustrate how firms are strengthening their international capabilities to serve multinational businesses and investors.
Why Canadian Law Firms Are Looking Overseas
Canada’s legal industry maintains strong connections with the United States, particularly in mergers and acquisitions, corporate financing, regulatory compliance, and commercial litigation.
However, evolving trade policies and economic uncertainty are encouraging businesses to diversify international operations. According to Canada’s official 2026 State of Trade report, Canadian exports to non-U.S. markets increased 11.1% in 2025, while exports to the United States declined 3.7%.
Although these figures do not directly establish why individual law firms are expanding, they highlight broader changes in Canada’s international business relationships. For law firms, overseas expansion offers opportunities to advise clients on foreign investments, international transactions, and complex regulatory requirements.
McCarthy Tétrault Announces Expansion Into Chile
On October 1, 2026, McCarthy Tétrault announced plans for a new Latin American office in Santiago, Chile. The expansion is intended to strengthen the firm’s work in mining, energy, infrastructure, and international investment.
Shawn Doyle was appointed managing partner for Latin America. According to the firm’s announcement, the Santiago office will not practice local Chilean law. Instead, it will collaborate with local legal professionals while advising clients on international transactions.
McCarthy Tétrault already maintains offices in New York and London, demonstrating its continuing commitment to established international markets.
BLG Strengthens International Legal Operations
Borden Ladner Gervais also announced an international leadership appointment on October 1, 2026. The firm named Ryan Tomicic as national business leader for international operations.
Tomicic will oversee initiatives connecting international businesses, foreign legal advisers, and multinational corporations with BLG’s Canadian legal services. His responsibilities include strengthening international referral networks and supporting cross-border transactions.
Unlike McCarthy Tétrault’s planned overseas office, BLG’s announcement focuses on international business development and coordination rather than opening a new foreign location. Both initiatives reflect efforts to expand client relationships beyond traditional markets.
What Does This Mean for U.S. Law Firms?
Canadian firms’ international strategies could create both opportunities and competition for American legal practices. U.S. law firms frequently collaborate with Canadian counsel on acquisitions, investments, commercial disputes, and regulatory matters.
Expanding international networks may create additional opportunities for cross-border cooperation. However, Canadian firms developing direct relationships with overseas clients could also compete for certain international assignments.
Businesses operating across several jurisdictions may increasingly seek coordinated advice covering trade compliance, foreign investment restrictions, taxation, and dispute resolution. American lawyers will remain important participants in transactions requiring specialized U.S. legal expertise.
Challenges and Future Outlook
International expansion involves regulatory restrictions, professional licensing requirements, operational expenses, and differences between legal systems.
Firms must also manage conflicts of interest and coordinate effectively with local counsel. The success of international strategies will depend partly on client demand, cross-border investment activity, and changing trade conditions.
Further overseas office announcements, international partnerships, and major transactions will provide stronger evidence of how quickly the Canadian legal industry is diversifying.
Final Thoughts
Canadian law firms are strengthening their global ambitions as U.S.–Canada trade relations become more complicated. McCarthy Tétrault’s Latin American initiative and BLG’s international leadership appointment demonstrate different approaches to expanding overseas business.
For U.S. firms and multinational companies, the developments point toward a legal market where international partnerships, regulatory knowledge, and cross-border expertise play increasingly important roles.
