Adam Pekarsky is the Founding Partner of Pekarsky & Co. Adam has been recruiting executives, advising Boards and offering thought leadership in Western Canada for over 20 years. Widely regarded as the most connected person in the Alberta legal community, Adam has managed to keep the third generation of Pekarsky lawyers in Alberta relevant, albeit in a way that does not involve practicing law as both his father and grandfather did before him.
A frequent writer, teacher and speaker on topics of interest to the legal and business communities, Adam has achieved success as a member of the management team of a national law firm, a Partner in a global executive search firm and, once upon a time, a practicing lawyer.
An active member in good standing of the Law Society of Alberta, Adam has also earned a reputation for honesty, integrity and discretion in all that he does. In a feature article on Adam that appeared in Alberta Venture magazine, a senior partner from a global law firm’s Calgary office said, “ No one knows this market and its lawyers and law firms better than Adam.”
Prior to founding Pekarsky & Co. in 2009, Adam was a Client Partner in the Calgary office of Korn/Ferry International, where he was a member of the Firm’s Global Industrial Market’s Energy Sector, as well as the Firm’s Legal Center of Expertise.
Previously, Adam was the Director of Professional Development and Recruitment for Western Canada with a national law firm and he served as Division Director with Robert Half Legal, where he led a team that specialized in recruitment of lawyers for both law firms and corporations. In his final year with the company, Adam achieved the distinction of being Robert Half Legal’s top revenue-generating recruiter worldwide.
Adam holds an LL.B. from the University of Alberta and a bachelor’s degree in political science with an emphasis on Canadian-American relations from Tufts University in Boston where he attained summa cum laude distinction for his undergraduate thesis.
While not running the day-to-day operations of the firm or helping to raise his three kids—Chloe, Sammy and Jacob—Adam can be found immersing himself in our community. Adam spent five years on the Board of Directors of Tourism Calgary, and presently serves on the YMCA of Calgary Board of Directors, where he chaired the Strategy Committee, serves on the Governance Committee and co-leads the Camp Chief Hector Capital Campaign. Adam also serves on the Board of Directors of the Calgary Municipal Land Corporation where he serves on both the Audit Committee and the Human Resources Committee. Adam is also a sessional instructor at the University of Calgary Faculty of Law where he teaches a very popular business development and client service course that he informally calls “everything you didn’t learn in law school, until now.”
In June 2015, Adam was honoured with a Business in Calgary Leaders Award and in 2016 he proudly accepted the Alberta Venture Fast 50 award, recognizing Alberta’s 50 fastest growing companies. In 2017 and 2018 Adam accepted, on behalf of the firm, a Canadian Lawyer Reader’s Choice Award for best legal search firm. And in 2019, Adam proudly accepted on behalf of the firm a nomination as Small Business of the Year from ATB Financial and the Calgary Chamber of Commerce.
Adam can be found most weekends, and perhaps some weekdays, enjoying some quiet time with his family at his home in Fernie, B.C. where he one day plans to retire, learn how to fly fish and run for Mayor.
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If a tweet falls in the forest | Strange times, these. Volunteers sought and when not found, forcibly dragged off planes by those whose motto is “fly the friendly skies”. READ MORE »
Beware the undertow | A long-standing inside joke in my family stems from the parental admonition to “ be careful of the undertow!” READ MORE »
Coming together while staying apart | Having just returned from the US, where I celebrated my 50th birthday with amazing friends and family, I’m now on Day Three of my 14 day self-isolation. READ MORE »
It doesn’t take a Rocket Scientist | In the face of mounting (and long overdue) pressure on organizations to bring diversity and inclusion to the forefront of their hiring practices, we have been asked these past few months more times than in the few years prior, “How?” READ MORE »
Frequent guest columnist and called upon for a good quote in numerous print and on-line media, a sampling of which include:
“ I believe the key to success in a people business is being an authentic person. Combined with skill, humanity, humility and humour will almost always win the day.”
403.407.1961
403.612.3016
“Adam’s human touch is remarkable in the world of recruitment. He is not a recruiter; he is a confidant, navigator and advisor in a competitive and challenging landscape. Throughout the process Adam behaved as if I was his only candidate and sole mandate. Responsive, respectful, professional and authentic…Adam genuinely wants the best outcome for both parties.”
Lawyer/ Partner and successfully placed candidate, Calgary and Vancouver
