Goodman and Carr

Goodman and Carr was a Canadian law firm established in Toronto in 1965 when lawyers Wolfe Goodman and Donald Carr combined their practices. The firm developed into a prominent Canadian legal practice, particularly in tax and real estate law. At its height, it was regarded as one of the country’s largest specialist firms in those areas and employed more than 140 lawyers. The firm’s profile was associated with the strength of its tax and real estate work rather than with the broad international network characteristic of the largest full-service law firms. Its history reflects the growth of specialist professional-services partnerships in Canada and the pressures such firms could face when seeking additional scale, strategic combinations, or international affiliation. In 2007, Goodman and Carr announced that it would close after partner departures and unsuccessful discussions about a possible merger with Baker & McKenzie, the major international law firm. Approximately 85 lawyers were associated with the firm at the time of the closure announcement. The failure was widely described as the largest Canadian law-firm failure to that point, exceeding the earlier record associated with Holden Day Wilson LLP in 1996. That distinction later passed to Heenan Blaikie, which voted to dissolve in 2014. Goodman and Carr is now defunct. No current operating website, parent company, public listing, or successor organization is identified in the supplied reference material.

Goodman and Carr was founded in Canada in 1965 through the combination of the practices of Wolfe Goodman and Donald Carr. The new firm operated as a legal partnership and became particularly associated with tax and real estate work. Rather than being known primarily as a global full-service network, it occupied the position of a substantial Canadian specialist firm whose reputation rested on established domestic legal practices. Over time, Goodman and Carr expanded significantly. At its peak, the firm employed more than 140 lawyers and was considered one of the largest Canadian firms focused on tax and real estate. Its scale gave it a significant presence in the Canadian legal market, while its specialist orientation distinguished it from firms organized around a much broader international platform. The firm’s later history was shaped by organizational and strategic pressures. Partner departures weakened the partnership, and discussions took place concerning a possible combination with Baker & McKenzie, a major international law firm. Those talks did not produce a completed merger. In 2007, Goodman and Carr announced that it would close, with approximately 85 lawyers connected to the firm at the time of the announcement. The closure was treated as a major event in the Canadian legal sector. It was described as the country’s largest law-firm failure at that time, surpassing the previous record associated with Holden Day Wilson LLP’s 1996 collapse. The comparison illustrates the unusual scale of Goodman and Carr’s dissolution relative to other Canadian legal partnerships. The record was subsequently surpassed in 2014, when Heenan Blaikie voted to dissolve itself. Because Goodman and Carr ceased operations, it no longer offers legal services or maintains an identified current corporate structure. The available reference material does not document a continuing successor brand, parent organization, public listing, or current leadership team.

• 2007

  Firm announces closure

  [1]Goodman and Carren.wikipedia.org

  After partner departures and unsuccessful merger discussions with Baker & McKenzie, Goodman and Carr announced that it would close, with approximately 85 lawyers involved at the time.

• 1965

  Formation of Goodman and Carr

  [1]Goodman and Carren.wikipedia.org

  Wolfe Goodman and Donald Carr combined their practices to establish the Canadian law firm Goodman and Carr.

A Canadian specialist law firm with a strong reputation in tax and real estate legal work.

• Legal services

  Tax law

  Tax law was one of Goodman and Carr’s principal areas of practice. The firm was recognized as a major Canadian specialist in this field, although the supplied reference does not provide a detailed breakdown of its specific tax mandates or clients.

• Legal services

  Real estate law

  Real estate law formed the other major practice area associated with Goodman and Carr. The firm was regarded as one of Canada’s larger real estate boutiques during its peak period, but detailed service-line information is not available in the supplied material.

• 2007

  Unsuccessful discussions with Baker & McKenzieM&A

  Background

  Goodman and Carr faced partner departures while exploring a possible combination with Baker & McKenzie, a major international law firm.

  Action taken

  The discussions did not result in a completed merger, and Goodman and Carr subsequently announced that it would close.

  Aftermath

  The closure was described at the time as the largest failure of a Canadian law firm, with approximately 85 lawyers associated with the firm at the time of the announcement.

  Source

1. 1Goodman and Carren.wikipedia.org