Michael O'Brien joins as partner, strengthening the firm's litigation capacity amid rising complexity in energy, construction, and commercial disputes
This article was produced in partnership with MLT Aikins
MLT Aikins’s litigation group has been on a steep growth trajectory across Western Canada. Now, with the addition of Michael O’Brien as partner in Calgary, the firm is doubling down on its strategy to expand in the region’s most complex and dynamic industries.
For Jonathan Bourchier, who helped lead the Calgary office’s threefold growth since joining the firm a decade ago, the hire represents both scale and continuity. “Over the past 10 years, we’ve seen a significant rise in complex commercial disputes in energy, construction, agriculture, and Indigenous practice areas,” he says. “Michael adds additional bench strength to an already robust team, positioning us to expand our market presence across Alberta, B.C., and beyond.”
A strong fit for a growing firm
O’Brien, a seasoned litigator with more than 20 years of experience in Alberta and Western Canada, says the decision to join MLT Aikins was driven by both reputation and opportunity.
“MLT Aikins has a long, credible history in Western Canada, and you see sustained growth year after year,” O’Brien says. “That’s a good news story, and it’s exciting to be part of a collaborative culture with a commitment to excellence. For me, it felt like the right move at the right time.”
The Calgary office, once a 20-lawyer outpost, has expanded into a key hub within MLT Aikins’s approximate 150-lawyer litigation team, the only firm with a footprint across all four western provinces. The addition of O’Brien strengthens that presence at a moment when clients face heightened regulatory scrutiny, changing ESG expectations, and transformative shifts in the energy sector.
Meeting clients at a time of change
For clients, that presence has never mattered more. O’Brien points to the shifting dynamics in energy and infrastructure as examples of why Western Canadian businesses need counsel who can blend technical skill with industry insight.
“Clients are grappling with net-zero targets, evolving liability management, and new clean electricity regulations,” he explains. “These are transformative changes, and they carry not only legal implications but also reputational and operational consequences. What clients want from counsel is proactive advice that balances all those considerations.”
His approach to advocacy has been shaped by that philosophy. To be an effective advocate, you’re not just focusing on the legal argument that wins your case, O’Brien stresses. What matters, he underscores, is understanding the client’s business and creating practical solutions to their problems.
Bourchier frames it similarly, noting that, “Michael brings exactly that skill set, with deep knowledge of the region and strong relationships across key industries.”
Both partners emphasize that effective litigation today goes far beyond courtroom arguments. O’Brien says experience has taught him to see disputes through the client’s lens.
“A big part of the job is translating complex issues into clear, persuasive terms, often for judges without direct industry experience,” he says.
Anticipating complexity and delivering clarity is what clients value, Bourchier finds.
Growth through people
If scale is part of the MLT Aikins growth story, culture is the other. Bourchier, who joined the firm from a national competitor in 2015, says the appeal then was the chance to help build something new in Calgary. A decade later, he argues, the culture has stayed consistent even as headcount has tripled, including through the merger that formed MLT Aikins LLP from Macpherson, Leslie and Tyerman LLP and Aikins MacAulay & Thorvaldson.
“What keeps me here isn’t just opportunity, it’s the people,” he says. “That culture of collaboration and entrepreneurship has remained intact through all the growth. It’s what makes us different.”
O’Brien echoes the sentiment, noting that in his first week the firm “already felt like home.” He contrasts the approach with the siloed model of some large firms. “At MLT Aikins, the focus is on building teams. That’s the kind of environment I want to be part of.”
Growth, both partners stress, is also about talent development. Clients increasingly expect to see associates and students engaged in files, not just senior partners.
“Mentorship has always been a core part of my practice,” O’Brien says. “It’s important for young lawyers, but it also matters to clients. They want to know the next generation is being trained, that their legal teams are learning and contributing.”
A growth story still accelerating
O’Brien’s addition is MLT Aikins’s latest move in expanding its litigation capabilities across Western Canada, developing the scale to serve both regional and national clients. It’s a vision that the firm is relentless in pursuing.
“Our model gives clients the best of both worlds,” Bourchier says. “Deep local knowledge and the resources to handle cross-jurisdictional matters. Michael’s addition is a strong fit with our core industries and further accelerates our trajectory.”
For O’Brien, that trajectory rests on two enduring strengths: client service and strategic growth. “Those are the key things,” he says. “A lot of firms pay lip service to being entrepreneurial but put up obstacles to achieving it. Here, it’s not just talk — the firm clears space for it. MLT Aikins has a laser focus on fostering that perspective, and that’s good for both the practice and the business of law.”
