When Ian Mitchell and Elisabeth Patrick started dating in 2007, no one was surprised to see the two WeirFoulds lawyers get together. “When I told a coworker,” Ian recalls, “he said, ‘It’s good you two figured it out. We thought we were going to have to tell you.’” The couple was also carrying on a proud firm tradition. “Back then,” says Elisabeth, “there were a lot of inter-firm relationships.”
The pair had worked together at WeirFoulds since 2004, when Ian was a first-year associate and Elisabeth was an articling student. Over the span of three years, they became great friends. Ian developed a crush and wanted to ask Elisabeth out. But, he points out, “She had to get rid of her boyfriend first.”
| Elisabeth Patrick Age: 36 TD Bank Office of the Group Head and Chief General Counsel |
Ian Mitchell Age: 39 WeirFoulds LLP Corporate Securities |
In 2007, she did. Their first date was at the ROM. “From the beginning, Ian’s been the first person I’ve wanted to tell everything to,” says Elisabeth.
“Whether it’s exciting or terrible news.” Two years after that first date, they got married.
Elisabeth now works in-house at TD Bank, but the two still work in the same building. That has its perks. They drive to work together almost every morning. “It’s also great for days when I forget my keys or there’s things to pick up,” says Elisabeth. “It’s perfect for household management.”
These days, they’re busy parents of a two-year-old son, Luke. “Back when we were associates, it was normal for both of us to work until 9 at night,” says Ian. “Now, one of us has to leave the office by 6 to pick up Luke from daycare.” It’s a good thing daycare is just across the street from their office building.
So who declared “I love you” first? “I don’t know the answer,” says Ian. “That’s terrible. I think having a child erases part of your memory.”
This story is part of our feature on Bay Street couples, from our Spring 2017 issue.
Photography by Daniel Ehrenworth, hair and makeup by Michelle Calleja