Every day, Dave executes on his vision for the future of our firm – one where clients and the industries in which they operate are paramount.

As CEO, Dave leads McCarthy Tétrault’s mission to be Canada’s premier provider of legal services to public and private enterprises in Canada and around the world. Dave helps the firm achieve this mission by supporting our partners and professionals across the country to deliver creative solutions and exceptional business advice so that clients can achieve their objectives. He drives the firm’s strategy to offer true borderless client service through our commitment to meeting client needs now and in the future.

Committed to doing things differently

Leading almost 800 lawyers and operations in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Montréal, Québec City, New York and London (UK), Dave has made it a priority to incorporate the perspectives, experiences and insights of people across the firm to build a cohesive plan for the future of the business. Dave is relentlessly focused on deepening client relationships and building the law firm of tomorrow. Under his leadership, the firm has realigned along the industry lines that matter to our clients, to better serve their needs.

Visionary leadership founded on integrity and inclusiveness

Dave is a vocal advocate for diversity and inclusion. He is particularly passionate about removing the barriers which have historically prevented women from advancing in traditional law firms. As an advocate for change and equality, Dave led the development and implementation of McCarthy Tétrault’s innovative and award winning Inclusion Now program, an industry leading approach to diversity, inclusion and social responsibility. In 2019, Dave was named Senior Executive of the Year (Eastern Canada) by the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion for his commitment to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. In 2021 Canadian Law Awards named him Managing Partner of the Year.

Dave received his LLB from the University of Western Ontario in 1992 and was called to the Ontario bar in 1994. Dave practised in our litigation group, representing a wide range of clients. In 2012 he was appointed National Practice Group Leader for litigation before assuming the role of CEO in 2016.