On Tuesday, June 6, 2000 Fraser Milner, one of Canada's largest law firms and Byers Casgrain, a leading Quebec law firm, merged to become Fraser Milner Casgrain.

Both firms recognized the competitive changes in the Canadian legal profession. Fraser Milner covered most of Canada's major business centres yet it did not have a Quebec presence. At the same time, Byers Casgrain was seeking to offer a national platform for its clients. The two law firms found the solution through the merger of their firms to form Fraser Milner Casgrain.

The agreement to merge between Fraser Milner and Byers Casgrain evolved from a natural compatibility between the two firms. Each firm is justifiably proud of its stature in the Canadian legal community. Both firms have (directly or indirectly through their predecessors) a long history, both hold a prominent position in their respective markets, and both are held in high regard as reputable firms. Their respective client list is extensive and complementary. Fraser Milner was established in October 1998 through the merger of Milner Fenerty and Fraser & Beatty. At the time of the Fraser Milner merger, Fraser Milner made public its plan to become a national law firm with the intention to establish a presence in Quebec as soon as practical. Fraser Milner was the first of many recent mergers in the Canadian legal services industry aimed at creating national firms to serve evolving client needs. Fraser Milner brought 388 lawyers to the Fraser Milner Casgrain merger.

Byers Casgrain was founded in 1905 and has grown to be one of Quebec's leading full service business law firm with 77 lawyers. The firm is multilingual and can service clients in English and French as well as Spanish, Italian, German, Greek, Polish and Romanian. Over the years, several Byers Casgrain partners have gained an exceptional reputation in their respective fields. Partners over the years include The Right Honourable Louis St. Laurent who served as Prime Minister of Canada from 1948-1957, Philippe Casgrain, Q.C. and Jean Bazin, Q.C., former president of the Canadian Bar Association.

In the top five law firms in Canada by size, Fraser Milner Casgrain has offices in Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver with 465 lawyers and 835 support staff.

Across Canada, Fraser Milner Casgrain's skilled and experienced lawyers provide advice and guidance in all areas of business law, from the most routine to the most complex business transactions. For a full description of our capabilities, please call us or visit our Web site at www.fmc-law.com.