Long-time partner Steve McKersie has been elected new CEO of Gowling WLG (Canada) to serve a six-year term beginning Jan. 1, the firm announced Thursday.

McKersie, who was called to the Ontario bar in 2000, has spent his entire legal career at Gowling. Based in Toronto, he has over the last five years been the Canadian leader of the firm’s U.S. sales initiative and responsible for managing the firm’s relationship with some of its largest clients.