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History of Davis LLP
Davis LLP: Founded in 1892
Born in Ontario and a graduate of the University of Toronto, Edward Pease Davis, K.C. founded Davis LLP on March 25, 1892. By 1900, clients included mayor David Oppenheimer and the Canadian Pacific Railway and the Hudson's Bay Company. In 1910, the Canadian Law Journal said of Davis, who was then 50 years old:
"It is an unusual thing in a Canadian province to find one man who is so admittedly at the head of his profession that he is not regarded as having a rival...Mr. E.P. Davis, K.C., by universal acknowledgement is easily leader of the Bar...His capacity for work is phenomenal, quite beyond the physical capacity of most men."
The Journal quoted the Registrar of the Supreme Court in Vancouver as saying that three quarters of all writs filed to commence actions came from Davis's firm.
1919 - 1945
During this period of economic turmoil, the firm developed skills in new practice areas, including insolvency and securities regulation. The firm recruited two outstanding individuals:
David Neil Hossie of Davis is remembered as the most capable all-around lawyer in the history of B.C. He was a Rhodes scholar, decorated war hero, and a master of virtually all areas of practice from negotiating commercial contracts through estate law to civil litigation.
Sherwood Lett was a Rhodes Scholar, decorated war hero, brigade commander, Deputy Chief of the General Staff, and a recipient of the Order of the British Empire. He was UBC Alma Mater President, and a UBC Senator, Governor, and Chancellor. In 1947, he travelled to Japan to advise on Canada's policy toward the peace settlement with Japan. In 1954, he led the Canadian contingent supervising the truce in Vietnam negotiated at the Geneva Conference. In 1955, he became Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of B.C. and later became Chief Justice of B.C.
Lett began the firm's close relationship with Japan as a member of the Japan Society for which he wrote a paper in 1934 on "legal disabilities of Japanese including the Second Generation in B.C."
A former prime minister of Canada, Lester B. Pearson, said of Lett:
""I know of no Canadian who has served his country in war and peace with greater distinction and more unselfishly.""
1945 - 1959
In the postwar years, Davis lawyer Bob McMaster championed the cause of Japanese-Canadians who lost their property when they were forced to resettle in the B.C. interior. Bob blocked attempts by the federal government to deport over 10,000 Japanese-Canadians. Later he persuaded a Royal Commission to recommend substantially higher compensation for the land, homes and businesses seized from Japanese-Canadians during the War.
In 1957, Davis hired George Fujisawa, a Japanese-Canadian, when no other firm was willing to take him on. Because of George and the support of the firm, the firm acted for virtually all of the Japanese companies doing business in B.C.
In 1958, the firm merged with Campbell, Brazier, Fisher, McMaster, Johnson and Alley.
1960 - 1979
During the 1960s and 1970s, the firm prospered with a client base strengthened from the merger. Davis was one of the top firms in Vancouver with a broad solicitor practice serving a large banking clientele, and a very strong litigation team led by Charles Brazier, who was one of the foremost litigators of the day and an expert in rail transportation. Coal, copper and other types of mining represented a large amount of the firm's work, much of it under the guidance of Alex Fisher.
The firm had a strong forestry practice and advised the B.C. Government and provincial commissions on general and specific matters including energy and transportation. The Japan practice area surged ahead, and the firm's association with Japanese-Canadians and Japanese companies enabled its lawyers to participate in many international transactions such as joint ventures with the U.S., and in litigation across Canada.
Under Bob McMaster, the firm's enduring relationship with credit unions and cooperative associations began. Many young lawyers joined Davis during this period, and the firm grew from about 20 to 50 lawyers. Major clients included CIBC, the Hudson's Bay Company, B.C. Telephone, MacMillan Bloedel, and British Pacific Properties.
1980 - 1990
Economic distress in the late 1970s carried into the early 1980s and the Davis bankruptcy and insolvency lawyers were very busy. With much fanfare, Expo '86 brought a new vitality to B.C. and Davis rode the wave of new investment. The firm's Vancouver office relocated its premises to accommodate its growth. Other prominent practice areas at that time were admiralty / maritime law, commercial lending, tax, and estate planning & litigation.
1990 - Today
From the early 1990s to the early 2000s, Davis sought to establish a broader geographic presence to offer enhanced regional, national and international services to its clients. The firm undertook a rapid expansion, opening offices in Whitehorse, Yellowknife, Toronto, Montreal (an acquisition of Hara-Rothschild) and Tokyo in the 1990s, followed by Edmonton (a merger with Lucas Bowker & White, founded in 1948), and Calgary in 2002. The number of practice areas within the firm also increased.
The firm's name was changed from Davis & Company LLP to Davis LLP in early 2007 in keeping with the founder's name and to emphasize the fact that Davis is a 'Limited Liability Partnership' (LLP), not a corporate entity.