Bay Street to NY BigLaw (and Back) with Abid Ahmed
In this episode, we sit down with Abid Ahmed, Corporate, M&A and Securities Partner at Miller Thomson and former Latham & Watkins lawyer in New York, to explore the realities of building a cross-border legal career—and the decisions that shape it.
We discuss the key differences between practicing in the US and Canada, from deal exposure and client expectations to the pace and intensity of elite legal teams. Abid also reflects on his decision to move to New York earlier in his career, what he learned at Latham & Watkins, and how international experience can accelerate professional development.
As a first-generation professional, Abid speaks candidly about navigating the legal profession without a traditional roadmap — and how that experience now shapes the way he mentors aspiring lawyers in similar positions. He reflects on becoming a parent at the height of his career, his move back to Canada after practising in New York, making partner, and the perspectives he’s gained along the way.
It’s an open conversation about ambition, adapting to change, and what stepping into the world’s most competitive legal markets can teach you — both professionally and personally.
About Abid Ahmed
Abid Ahmed is a Partner at Miller Thomson, where he advises companies, private equity firms, and financial institutions on the full spectrum of Canadian and cross-border transactions. His experience includes initial public offerings, equity and debt financings, public and private M&A, shareholder activism, corporate governance, and strategic corporate matters.
Previously with Latham & Watkins in New York, Abid brings global market fluency to Canadian mandates across a range of industries, with particular focus on technology, consumer, energy, fintech, and financial services. Clients rely on his pragmatic, business-first advice, grounded in significant experience executing complex transactions on both sides of the border.
Abid is admitted in Ontario and New York and is also an active mentor and advocate for first-generation professionals, supporting the next generation of lawyers pursuing international careers.
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