US law firm Mintz launches in Canada with Toronto office

March 20 - Boston-founded law firm Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo said Monday that it has opened its first international office, bringing on a group of five attorneys from rival firms in Toronto.

Michael Akkawi, Mitch Frazer and Cheryl Reicin are joining Mintz from Toronto-founded Torys, where each was a practice leader. Akkawi led the firm’s private equity and fund formation practice, while Frazer and Reicin were heads of the pensions and employment, and life sciences practices, respectively.

Eric Foster, who was head of Dentons' Canadian cannabis practice, will focus on capital markets and M&A. Lee Johnson, who joins from Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, will counsel life sciences clients, in part, on patent prosecution, Mintz said.

“Canadian companies and investors are increasingly looking to the U.S. and we are excited to be plugging into a platform and business network that will be beneficial to our clients,” said Frazer, who will be managing partner of the Toronto office, in a statement.

Bob Bodian, managing member of Mintz, said the firm is securing office space and hopes to have 25 lawyers working in Canada's biggest city within the next few months.

Mintz's seven other offices are in Boston, Los Angeles, New York, San Diego, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. In January, the firm announced that it would launch a Miami office later this year. Bodian said the Miami office would open by mid-fall at the latest.

A representative from Dentons Canada wished Foster well and thanked him for his contributions. Representatives from Torys and Wilson Sonsini did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

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