Alumnus re-elected chair of Miller Thomson LLP

Photo courtesy of Miller Thomson LLP

Gerald Courage, Law '77

The partners at Miller Thomson LLP acclaimed Gerald Courage, Law ‘77, as Chair of the firm on January 26, awarding him a second consecutive term. After leading one of Canada’s top 10 largest law firms safely through substantial growth in the past three years, he was the natural choice to face the challenges of the future.  

Courage, a tax law specialist and Harvard LL.M. graduate, explains that as chair of the firm his job involves not just developing strategy, but working to create consensus around what the strategy should be. “Lawyers need to feel engaged, that they’re participating, and their input is being heard.”

His re-election is a reflection of the firm’s forward-thinking, yet measured approach to growth. After doubling in size in the past five years, the firm recently merged with Balfour Moss in Saskatchewan, a move Courage regards as significant since it makes Miller Thomson the first firm operating in five provinces. As he explains, Saskatchewan is important because its population has grown, it’s developing more of its resources, and its production of conventional oil will amount to 90 per cent of what neighbouring Alberta produces this year and next.

Courage emphasizes that a lot of thought went into the move. “It’s important to take particular care when you’re merging with other firms. They need to have the same cultural values as your own.”

Thirty years ago, a national law firm like Miller Thomson operating in five provinces was unheard of. These days, in addition to its national presence, it can boast of a reputation as a North American “Go-to Law Firm.” It earned that distinction for three years in a row in Corporate Counsel magazine’s international reference directory, “In-house Law Departments at the Top 500 Companies.” This citation puts Miller Thomson in an exclusive group of law firms performing exceptional work for the Fortune 500.

Courage says his legal training indirectly helps him with his current position. “What I’m doing is running a business, and in that sense the legal training helps me understand lawyers and gives me a wide-angle lens to look at all aspects of the problem before we arrive together at a conclusion.”

That’s a view he credits to his Queen’s Law years and two professors of whom he has fond memories. “With law,” he reflects, “it’s not so much learning the subject matter, but rather developing a method of approaching problems. Mark Weisberg’s Socratic method was superb, and Marvin Baer I found to be a really good teacher.” 

He especially remembers some words of advice from Weisberg: “Before you come to the conclusion that a case is wrongly decided, think about all the reasons it might be rightly decided.” 

“That advice,” Courage says, “has been extremely helpful in solving any business or strategic problems.”