McDougall Gauley has a rich history and traces its roots as far back as 1891.
On September 15, 1891, Norman MacKenzie and George W. Brown started the firm MacKenzie Brown in Regina, Saskatchewan.
Norman MacKenzie, K.C. was born in Sarnia, Ontario, in 1869. He studied law at Upper Canada College before being called to the Ontario bar. Soon after, he travelled west, excited about the region’s potential. MacKenzie was a prominent Regina lawyer and a pioneer patron of the arts. When he died in 1936, he bequeathed his collection, along with an endowment, to the University of Saskatchewan, Regina College, so that great works of art would be preserved and exhibited for the people of Saskatchewan. The MacKenzie Art Gallery is the legacy of Norman MacKenzie, K.C.
The Honourable George W. Brown was born May 30, 1860 in Ontario. Educated at Mount Forrest High School, Brantford College, and the University of Toronto, he journeyed west in 1882. Brown was a prominent lawyer in the community and as such was appointed a Lieutenant-Governor on October 14, 1910, and served until 1915, shortly before he passed away.
When Brown left the firm to serve as Lieutenant Governor in 1910, the firm was called MacKenzie, Thom, Bastedo, Ward and McDougall. The firm name continued to evolve over the years as law firm were required to have every partner listed in their names. Also, once a lawyer became a judge, their name had to be removed from the firm name. As a result, the firm name changed many times over the years. When this rule was changed, the firm name was shortened to McDougall Ready Wakeling. It was shortened to McDougall Ready, when Wakeling was appointed to the Court of Appeal.
Lorn McDougall was with the firm from 1919 (he served in the First World War) until the mid-1970s. William Ready started in the firm in 1953 and retired from the firm in 1999.
Meanwhile, in Saskatoon, Tom Gauley completed his education at the University of Saskatchewan just after the Depression. After he completed his articles, he was invited by Walter B. Francis, Q.C. and Mervyn Woods to form the law firm Francis Woods & Gauley effective October 1, 1945. During his 58 year practice he worked side by side with some of Saskatoon’s most distinguished lawyers and has handled some of the province’s most prominent cases.
On January 1, 2001, the firms McDougall Ready and Gauley & Co. merged to become McDougall Gauley. In 2004, the LLP was added (which stands for Limited Liability Partnership).
The firm continues to serve the legal needs of domestic and international organizations, insurance companies, individual in business, government, law and finance, as well as local, national and multinational corporations.
McDougall Gauley also continues to be involved in the legal and broader community. Our lawyers have consistently held leadership positions with the Law Society of Saskatchewan, the Canadian Bar Association, and other legal organizations. Alumni from McDougall Gauley have served as Judges at all levels of Saskatchewan court and as the Lieutenant-Governor of Saskatchewan.
While much has changed since the early days, the partnership’s consistent and passionate devotion to excellence and client service continues to make us one of Canada’s most trusted law firms.