Balancing Profit and Purpose: Legal Insights from Norton Rose Fulbright’s Chairman, Walied Soliman, KC

LISTEN TO EPISODE 26 OF FIRING ON ALL SYLLABLES™ FEATURING SPECIAL GUEST WALIED SOLIMAN, KC ON DEMAND ICI.

As the sun rises over Toronto’s financial district, Walied Soliman begins his day with a ritual that has shaped his career: reading the business section of the Globe and Mail. 

For Soliman, this daily practice is more than just staying informed—it’s about maintaining a competitive edge in an increasingly global marketplace.

“If you live in Canada and you’re a business leader and you don’t roll out of bed and read the business section of the Globe and Mail every morning, you’re already behind before you’ve even stepped foot on the floor from your bed,” he says.

C’est justement cet engagement à rester en tête du peloton qui a permis à Walied Soliman, fils d’immigrants égyptiens, de devenir président de Norton Rose Fulbright Canada et leader d’opinion dans le milieu juridique et commercial canadien.

Au fil de son parcours, il a acquis de connaissances précieuses pouvant aider tant les jeunes professionnels que les experts reconnus à relever les défis que présente une scène mondiale en constante évolution.

L’évolution de la pratique juridique

Soliman’s path to becoming a top-tier lawyer in special situations law was far from straightforward. Initially drawn to law by a romanticized notion of sports law, he quickly discovered that reality differed from his expectations.

Toutefois, une rencontre fortuite avec un client inhabituel, une petite entreprise du secteur minier faisant face à une tentative de prise de contrôle par des investisseurs à l’aide d’une stratégie activiste, a transformé sa carrière.

“I didn’t know anything about how to defend it. And I remember I studied it, studied it really hard to understand how it was that you defend these companies,” he explained.

“We had two weeks of really hard work. I enjoyed it. We defended the company, got rid of the aggressors. And I thought, you know what? I want to do this for the rest of my career.”

Cette expérience met en évidence une leçon importante pour les jeunes professionnels : soyez à l’affût d’occasions inattendues et n’hésitez jamais à vous attaquer à de nouveaux défis.

“We had two weeks of really hard work. I enjoyed it. We defended the company, got rid of the aggressors. And I thought, you know what? I want to do this for the rest of my career.”

Redéfinir le leadership dans les cabinets d’avocats

À titre de président de Norton Rose Fulbright Canada, M. Soliman a adopté une approche unique en matière de leadership.

Rather than immersing himself in day-to-day management, he focuses on providing key inputs into the firm’s vision, governance, and oversight.

“I view my role as really just providing inputs into the vision, providing oversight and governance. And really, I try my best never to question the positions of management,” he says.

This approach allows Soliman to maintain an active legal practice while steering the firm towards his vision of becoming “the leading business law firm in Canada and the employer of choice in each of our markets.”

His leadership style emphasizes the importance of trusting and empowering management teams—a lesson that can be applied across various industries.

Le défi de la compétitivité à l’échelle mondiale

M. Soliman insiste vivement sur la nécessité pour le Canada de maintenir et de consolider son avantage concurrentiel sur le marché mondial. Il avertit qu’en l’absence de mesures décisives, le pays risque de perdre du terrain.

“We’ve got to be really careful to ensure that the fruits of everything that we appreciated and that we gained in our years here in Canada are available to future generations.” he explains.

Soliman advocates for business leaders to gain firsthand experience of emerging markets, emphasizing that Canada’s competition now extends beyond traditional rivals like the United States and the United Kingdom to include rapidly developing economies such as Brazil, India, and Dubai.

Cette perspective à l’échelle mondiale est essentielle à l’élaboration de stratégies d’affaires et de politiques publiques.

Soliman’s work on the Capital Markets Modernization Task Force for the Ontario government exemplifies how legal expertise can contribute to enhancing national competitiveness.

The task force’s recommendations, many of which have been implemented, aim to strike a balance between regulatory oversight and market freedom—a delicate equilibrium essential for attracting both issuers and investors.

La philanthropie, outil de perfectionnement du leadership

While Soliman’s professional achievements are impressive, his commitment to community involvement and non-profit work offers equally valuable lessons for aspiring leaders.

Son rôle à titre de président de la SickKids Foundation lui a permis de développer des connaissances que l’on ne saurait jamais acquérir dans une salle de réunion.

“I have learned more about being a business leader, about my community, a sector, medicine that I knew nothing about… I’ve learned more being on the SickKids board and now being the chair of that foundation than I could ever give back.”

“I’ve learned more being on the SickKids board and now being the chair of that foundation than I could ever give back.”

Sa façon de voir les choses met au défi l’idée préconçue selon laquelle l’engagement communautaire serait une distraction qui nuit au succès professionnel. 

Instead, Soliman argues that such engagement enhances leadership skills, broadens one’s understanding of societal issues, and provides a much-needed perspective on the impact of business decisions.

L’art de la résilience dans la pratique du droit

Membre d’une profession souvent définie par les victoires et les défaites, M. Soliman voit pourtant le succès d’une manière nuancée. Tout en reconnaissant l’importance de bâtir une réputation fondée sur les victoires, il met en exergue les leçons essentielles que l’on peut tirer d’un échec.

“You don’t remember your wins, you remember your losses. Even however few they are, those are the ones that you remember,” he explains. “But actually in your losses are the moments where your leadership and resilience is most demonstrated.”

This perspective on resilience and learning from failures is invaluable not just for legal professionals, but for leaders across all sectors. It underscores the importance of maintaining composure and extracting value even in challenging situations—a skill that distinguishes truly exceptional leaders.

“You don’t remember your wins, you remember your losses. Even however few they are, those are the ones that you remember. But actually in your losses are the moments where your leadership and resilience is most demonstrated.”

Se tenir au courant des dernières nouvelles dans un monde des affaires en constante évolution

In an age of information overload, Soliman’s advice on staying informed is refreshingly straightforward.

Au-delà de son insistance sur la lecture quotidienne de la presse économique nationale, il met aussi l’accent sur l’importance d’acquérir une meilleure compréhension des marchés financiers et de la situation géopolitique à l’échelle mondiale.
This approach to information consumption reflects a deeper philosophy of continuous learning and global awareness.

M. Soliman est d’avis qu’il ne suffit pas de simplement connaître les faits : il faut aussi développer une compréhension nuancée des répercussions des tendances mondiales sur les entreprises et la clientèle locales.

L’avenir des entreprises canadiennes

M. Soliman prévoit qu’à l’avenir, les entreprises canadiennes devront affronter des défis de taille, mais aussi profiter d’excellentes possibilités. Afin que le Canada demeure une destination attrayante pour les talents, les capitaux et l’innovation, insiste-t-il, une approche axée sur la collaboration entre les dirigeants d’entreprise, le gouvernement et les organismes sans but lucratif s’impose.

“We need to ensure that we are staying competitive with those places, that we are creating an environment where people want to come here, where people want to invest here, where people want to start businesses here,” he says.

Allant bien au-delà de la simple élaboration de politiques, son appel à l’action préconise un changement de mentalité parmi les dirigeants d’entreprise permettant d’adopter une approche plus ouverte et axée sur la compétitivité à l’échelle mondiale qui tient compte de l’évolution du commerce international.

Conclusion : un modèle de réussite

Walied Soliman’s journey from the son of immigrants to a leading figure in Canadian law and business offers a blueprint for success in today’s complex global landscape.

Ses observations soulignent l’importance de l’adaptabilité, de l’apprentissage constant et de l’engagement envers l’excellence.

For aspiring professionals, Soliman’s advice is clear: “Identify what it is that you can be the best at and make sure that you’re the best at it. So if you’re the best mid-market real estate lawyer in Port Carling, Ontario, be the darn best and define yourself as that and wake up every morning and be that.”

This emphasis on specialization and excellence—combined with a broader understanding of global trends and a commitment to community involvement—forms the core of Soliman’s leadership philosophy.

“Identify what it is that you can be the best at and make sure that you’re the best at it. So if you’re the best mid-market real estate lawyer in Port Carling, Ontario, be the darn best and define yourself as that and wake up every morning and be that.”

Même dans un monde en constante évolution, ces principes intemporels peuvent servir de guide aux professionnels qui cherchent à laisser leur marque, peu importe leur domaine et leur région.

À PROPOS DE WALIED SOLIMAN

Walied Soliman is the Canadian chair of Norton Rose Fulbright and co-chair of the Special Situations team, specializing in complex M&A, restructurings, corporate finance, and governance. He chaired Ontario’s Capital Markets Modernization Taskforce in 2020 and was named the United Nations Association in Canada’s Global Citizen Laureate in 2019 for his professional and community contributions.

Recognized as one of Canada’s top lawyers, Soliman has appeared in prestigious rankings like Chambers & Partners and Legal 500 and was featured in The Globe and Mail’s Power 50 list. He serves on the boards of Ryerson University, the BlackNorth Initiative, and the SickKids Hospital Foundation.

Préparez-vous à améliorer vos compétences de leadership. 

Tune in to the full podcast for Walied Soliman’s unfiltered strategies on conquering global markets and accelerating your legal career.

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