Joe McWilliams
Lakeside Leader

You’ve probably noticed a new sign on the outside of Larry Schimpf’s law office. It now says, ‘Mathieu Hryniuk, LLP,’ Barristers and Solicitors.’ Hryniuk is a long-time legal firm based in Peace River, which recognized a nice opportunity to expand in a southeasterly direction when Schimpf was ready to retire back in 2020. That was when Braeden Reynolds started coming to town one day per week
“August 17, 2020,” Reynolds says. “Pretty quickly it went up to two days.”

If things keep going the way they are, Reynolds sees himself taking care of business in Slave Lake three days per week. Getting busier seems guaranteed, since the firm has now taken over a second local law firm, that of Allan McMillan (as of last October). Along with those two acquisitions came a couple of capable legal assistants, who keep things humming at the office five days a week – Shayla Filgate and TinaMarie Ritter.

Reynolds grew up in Sylvan Lake, but has family ties to the Manning area. He studied business at the University of Alberta and got his law degree from the University of Calgary. He recently became a partner in the firm, he says.

You won’t see Reynolds representing clients in provincial court. The firm specializes in other areas of the law.

“We do real estate, primarily,” Reynolds says. “Also corporate law, commercial transactions, wills and estate planning and estate administration.”

The law firm started about 80 years ago in Peace River. It has now grown to 10 offices, stretching from High Level to Fox Creek to Slave Lake.

And how’s it going in Slave Lake so far?

“Really good!” says Reynolds.

Reynolds has no plans to move to Slave Lake, but if things keep going the way they have, he certainly foresees spending more time here.