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Tom Sandler

Former Ontario chief justice Roy McMurtry is leaving high-profile national firm Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP, which has more than 700 lawyers, for something smaller. Much smaller.

The 82-year-old former Ontario attorney-general and high commissioner to Britain is joining Hull & Hull LLP, which has just 15 lawyers and focuses on estates and trust law. The firm has offices in Toronto, Kingston and Oakville, Ont.

Mr. McMurtry, an ally of Progressive Conservative premier Bill Davis, was attorney-general from 1975 to 1985 and was the province's negotiator in the 1981 constitutional talks. He also oversaw reforms to family law. He was chief justice from 1994 until 2007. He had been counsel at Gowlings since leaving the bench.

There is history behind this latest move. Mr. McMurtry, who is also the chancellor of York University and who released a memoir last year, was friends with Rodney Hull, the lawyer who co-founded Hull & Hull in 1957 and who died in 2009.

Suzana Popovic-Montag, the firm's managing partner, said Mr. McMurtry's son, Harry, was also once a lawyer at the firm: "It's sort of full circle."

Ms. Popovic-Montag said it will be a big benefit for the firm's lawyers and clients to be able to draw on the wisdom and experience that Mr. McMurtry brings to the table: "We're going to be able to have this additional wealth of knowledge."

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