Torys announces new Managing Partner

Matt Cockburn has been elected by the firm’s partnership to succeed Les Viner as Managing Partner effective April 1, 2020.

“We are thrilled that Matt has agreed to take on this new role at the firm,” said Les. “Matt has always exemplified and role modeled the very finest of the attributes to which we aspire as professionals and as colleagues. Matt is an incredibly thoughtful, decent, caring person. He is down to earth and a delight to be with and to work with.

“Beyond those qualities, Matt has a well-earned reputation as one of the leading private equity lawyers in Canada and has played a pivotal role in building our private equity group from the ground up to what it is today: an enormously successful multi-office and cross-border practice that serves many of our top clients. What’s more, he has proven leadership experience, having served as a member of the firm’s Executive Committee for eight years.”

This change comes as Les Viner, Torys’ Managing Partner for an unprecedented 22 years, has announced he will be stepping down as Managing Partner of the firm effective March 31, 2020.

“It has been and continues to be the great privilege of my career to have been able to serve such terrific colleagues and clients,” Les said. “The firm has never been stronger. We ranked first in Canada and among the top 20 in the world for M&A deal volume last year. We were recently recognized by Chambers and Partners as the top corporate law firm in Canada. No leading firm in Canada has a higher percentage of its partners recognized for professional excellence in the annual Chambers and Partners reviews. We consistently enjoy high feedback ratings from our clients and are privileged by their loyalty—more than half of our business derives from clients who have been clients of the firm for more than 10 years.”

On being named the next Managing Partner of Torys LLP, Matt said, “I’m filled with gratitude and excitement that my colleagues have chosen me to help guide our firm into the next chapter of its story.

“Under Les’ leadership, we have experienced tremendous growth and transformation while never departing from the core values that define us— integrity, mutual respect, collegiality, collaboration and professional excellence. It is my great fortune to be tasked with continuing to build on this legacy to grow our firm, which Les has done successfully for more than two decades.”