For the fourth consecutive year, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG) has earned a 5-Star Pro Bono Firm distinction from Canadian Lawyer, recognizing the firm’s deep commitment to improving access to justice nationwide.
Each year, Canadian Lawyer recognizes law firms that demonstrate exceptional dedication to pro bono services. This four-year distinction reflects the dedication of BLG professionals, who volunteer their time and legal expertise for those who need it most. In 2025 alone, the firm's professionals dedicated 8,964 hours to pro bono legal services.
“Our 5-Star Pro Bono Firm recognition reflects the meaningful connections we build with community organizations, non-profits and vulnerable individuals," said Anna Marrison, partner and national chair of BLG’s Pro Bono Committee. "We consider it both a privilege and a duty to put our legal expertise to work ensuring the legal system is accessible to everyone, regardless of their circumstances."
BLG integrates pro bono work into its daily practice, supporting community organizations, non-profits and vulnerable individuals to drive meaningful change. Recent examples of our impact include:
- Access to Justice: Our lawyers across the country assisted individuals who could not afford a lawyer through free legal advice hotlines and in court.
- Defending democratic rights: Our lawyers, including Patrick Plante, represented the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) at the Québec Court of Appeal, challenging a statute that interrupted the delineation of electoral districts to defend the constitutional right to effective representation;
- Advancing family equality: Representing Egale Canada as an intervenor, BLG lawyers including Julien Boudreault and Renaud Gravel, successfully argued in a landmark appeal that the two-parent limit in the Civil Code of Québec violates the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms; and
- Empowering Indigenous communities: Our team, including Scott Kerwin and Cindy Lowe, helped an Indigenous elder navigate complex estate administration, successfully securing funds from a residential school settlement.
BLG remains committed to building on this foundation and ensuring that access to justice continues to be central to how the firm serves Canadian communities.
Learn more about BLG’s pro bono program and its impact on Canadian communities.