By JAMES FINK
jfink@bizjournals.com | 716-541-1611

Phillips Lytle LLP has opened a Canadian office - the first one in its 177-year history.

The law firm leased space in a historic office building in Kitchener, Ont., and opened Aug. 1. The space is in the middle of Canada's research triangle centered around the Waterloo-Kitchener region. Such major Canadian firms as Blackberry-manufacturer Research in Motion are based in the region.

"Being in Canada's tech triangle creates a very unique opportunity for us," said David McNamara, managing partner.

The new office is the firm's first location outside New York state, other than a brief period when it operated in Wilmington, Del.

"It's our first foray outside of New York in a very long time," said McNamara. "Actually, we see this as a natural extension of our business."

The Buffalo-based firm has more than 200 Canadian clients, many of which are corporate clients.

"Our Canadian client base has grown to the point where it made sense for us to have a bricks-and-mortar presence in Ontario," he said. "Not only will it make attorney-client contact easier, it also puts us in a position to greatly expand our services for Canadian businesses seeking legal expertise on doing business in the U.S."

Services include cross-border development, licensing, sourcing, telecommunications and intellectual property, according to McNamara. Eight to 10 attorneys, including some top partners, have or will seek registered foreign legal consultant status from the Province of Ontario and the Canadian federal government, he said. That includes himself, Doug Dimitroff and Thomas Popek. The registration must be renewed annually in Canada.

Phillips Lytle attorneys will split their time between Buffalo and Kitchener, he added.

Prior to the official opening, Phillips Lytle leased space in the "Communitech Hub" building in downtown Kitchener. Located in the historic Tannery Building, it provides a number of services to tenants including receptionists, conference rooms and private offices.

McNamara said his firm selected that building not only for its location but because of the tenant roster of startup companies, some of which may be looking to the United States as a possible expansion target.

"We're going there at a very interesting time," he said. "The area is growing and so is its business community."

The Waterloo-Kitchener region is one of the fastest-growing in Ontario, according to Statistics Canada. The population is expected to grow from 543,000 to more than 725,000 within 20 years, thanks in large part to its position as the research triangle hub of the province.

That came into play when Phillips Lytle was deciding where to open a Canadian office, according to McNamara.

"We did give some thought to metropolitan Toronto or Mississauga, and we may someday pursue those locations, but this made more sense to us," he said. "You have all this economic activity taking place, and it is really only a couple hours from Buffalo."

Besides the downtown Buffalo headquarters with more than 300 employees, Phillips Lytle has offices in New York City, Rochester, Albany and Jamestown.

The Canadian operation comes as the law firm agreed to anchor the renovation of the former Gen. William Donovan State Office Building in Buffalo.

The office building is considered a key anchor of the Canalside project. The Donovan Building is being renovated by Benderson Development Co., with Phillips Lytle agreeing to lease 85,000 square feet on the top four floors.