Justin Kates, Managing Partner at DuMoulin Black LLP, says the discipline and problem-solving skills he developed through NCAA and ATP-level tennis helped shape his approach to securities, corporate finance and M&A.
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Justin Kates, Managing Partner at DuMoulin Black LLP, describes his transition from Division 1 NCAA and ATP-ranked tennis to high-stakes corporate law as an application of the same performance playbook on a different court.
According to the profile, tennis’s constant, real-time pressure and lack of timeouts helped build mental stamina through “early morning conditioning, constant travel, and unyielding discipline,” which Kates says he now relies on for rigorous legal analysis and fast-moving deal execution.
Kates specializes in securities, corporate finance and M&A, advising businesses at “every growth stage,” from early-stage startups to major public corporations. The profile also notes that, in this work, outcomes can be unpredictable and success depends on staying calm during negotiation shifts and making strategic adjustments on the fly.
The profile says Kates’s role has changed as his career advanced from junior associate to Managing Partner, with his leadership responsibilities now requiring coordination and guidance of a legal team through complex, multi-million-dollar deals.
Kates is described as being named among the Best Lawyers in Canada for Mergers and Acquisitions Law every year since 2021, and attributes that sustained performance to legal mentorship as well as foundational soft skills developed during his athletic career.
The profile closes by saying Kates’s advice to aspiring lawyers and young athletes is to leverage the work ethic and resilience built outside the classroom and channel those strengths into professional roles in business and law.
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