Adria Leung Lim is a partner at Aird & Berlis LLP and member of the firm’s Capital Markets Group. She is well versed in negotiating and closing complex transactions for both public and private companies across various industries, including mining, life sciences, and technology. Her work also includes advising on securities compliance issues, corporate governance matters, royalty and streaming transactions, and joint venture arrangements.

Adria is co-chair of the Aird & Berlis Women’s Initiative, which provides women lawyers with a platform to connect, support one another, and overcome challenges. As part of the firm’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee and Asian Heritage Firm Member Resource Group, she is committed to promoting inclusion and raising awareness through meaningful discussion and programming. Adria is also a long-standing member of the firm’s Student Recruitment Committee, acting as a mentor for junior lawyers.

Adria has a long track record of involvement in philanthropic and volunteer initiatives. She was recently a Director for the Ontario Federation for Cerebral Palsy, which aims to improve the day-to-day lives of those with cerebral palsy through services, support systems, and resources. She’s also volunteered with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Habitat for Humanity, and the YMCA.

Sarah is a founding partner of Beaton Burke Young LLP. Beaton Burke Young LLP is a team of family law professionals offering comprehensive family law services with a focus on effective, efficient, and compassionate client service. Sarah has taken on a management role in the firm and believes strongly that communication, mentoring, and a team approach are integral to client and employee satisfaction. She is generous with her time and takes a thoughtful and intentional approach to the success of Beaton Burke Young LLP.

Sarah has more than a decade of experience helping clients find solutions for challenging situations. She provides timely and practical advice and is equally able to assist clients with cohabitation agreements, marriage contracts, parenting plans, property division, and support arrangements. She also frequently acts for third parties drawn into family law litigation.

Sarah prides herself on understanding her clients’ unique goals and circumstances and on providing strategic representation that is aligned with their overall objectives. She excels at tackling complex legal and financial issues and navigating complicated family dynamics.

In addition to advocating for her clients, Sarah brings her depth of experience and results-oriented approach to her mediation and arbitration services. She also acts as a parenting coordinator.

Sabrina A. Bandali is an International Trade partner at Bennett Jones LLP. Her practice embraces the full spectrum of international trade law matters, focusing on customs, anti-corruption, export controls, sanctions, trade remedies, supply chain/forced labour, and international disputes, including investment treaty arbitration. A skilled and passionate advocate, Sabrina helps Canadian and international clients navigate the trade issues that affect their businesses and develop creative solutions to maximize the benefits of international treaties. Clients say, “She is a good listener who can translate what a client is looking for into a functional and practical output” and “Sabrina Bandali is a highly competent advocate and an up-and-coming star.”

Sabrina is a frequent speaker on matters related to international trade law and policy; she has testified before the Canadian Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade concerning Canada’s economic sanctions regime. She is an adjunct professor at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law where she teaches international and domestic anti-corruption law. Sabrina is a past chair of the Canadian Bar Association Women Lawyers Forum and currently serves on the board of directors of The Mabin School.

Ashley White is the Energy Practice Group Leader and a leading commercial energy lawyer in Canada, known for her pragmatic, deal-oriented approach. Ashley’s practice relates primarily to corporate and commercial transactions, with a specific focus on project development, joint ventures, and private mergers and acquisitions in the energy industry.

Ashley regularly represents clients in the negotiation and drafting of energy contracts relating to the development of oil & gas and renewable resources, including ownership, operation, and other types of project agreements. Ashley assists clients in the acquisition and divestiture of energy-related projects and assets, including the negotiation and completion of complex purchase and sale transactions as well as general corporate/commercial matters in connection with corporate reorganizations.

She brings to her practice complementary experience in advising clients on, and the negotiation of, joint ventures between industry and Indigenous communities in connection with equity ownership and investments in energy projects in Canada.

Ashley is actively involved in the Calgary community, including as a committee member of the Canadian Energy Law Foundation Jasper Seminar. She is on the board of directors for the Women’s Centre in Calgary. Ashley is also the Chair of the Student Recruitment Committee in the Calgary office.

Dave Stern provides solutions for complex matters in the areas of Sports, Entertainment, and Corporate/Commercial Law at Blaney McMurtry. In particular, Dave’s practice focuses on audio-visual production, distribution and exploitation (films, television series, digital media projects), brand licensing, influencer representation, and commercial transactions. He also has experience with software licensing, the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights, sponsorships, contests and promotions, collective bargaining, athlete/player contracts, broadcasting, and distribution. Dave also represents labels, bands, producers, and artists in the negotiation of recording, management, and publishing agreements.

Dave understands clients’ objectives and knows how to get deals done. Clients rely on Dave to support every aspect of their business. He recently served as production counsel for Blackberry, one of the most critically acclaimed Canadian films over the last several years. He also serves on the board of directors for the Toronto Jewish Film Festival.

Recognizing the obstacles and challenges in the industry, Dave gives his time generously to groups that he feels can benefit from his knowledge and expertise. Early on in his career, Dave noticed that aspiring and amateur filmmakers didn’t have equal access to legal resources, and that aspiring female and BIPOC filmmakers were particularly disadvantaged. This often resulted in them being unable to complete their films/television series. With a strong desire to support those who he sees as underrepresented and under-supported, Dave has made an extra effort to help these filmmakers by connecting them to senior industry executives who may not otherwise respond. Over the past seven years, Dave has provided complimentary advice and connections to 750+ filmmakers around the world by lecturing at film and law schools, conferences, seminars, and award ceremonies.

Dave is also keenly aware of the challenges and limitations for lawyers wanting to practise entertainment law. Dave achieved his own success through a unique path, and he looks for opportunities to help young lawyers find similar success through mentorship, coaching, and lecturing. Each year, he speaks to students at multiple universities offering sports and entertainment programs and offers them his support.

Within Blaneys, Dave mentors associates and students, he is involved in summer student recruiting, and he provides firm-wide educational seminars.

Dave’s path to success hasn’t always been a linear one. During law school, he “cold-called” the legal department of the Oakland Raiders and was rewarded with multiple stints as a legal intern with the Raiders in California. He then “cold-called” MLSE and obtained a sales role. He received multiple awards as a top sales performer, which garnered the attention of the legal department. He then offered to simultaneously work on legal files for free, hoping to impress their General Counsel. This led to him being hired into their legal department, making Dave the youngest in-house lawyer in both the NHL and NBA at that time. Through his position as legal counsel for MLSE, he found his passion in representing filmmakers and left to work at a boutique entertainment law firm to represent independent production companies in the film and television industry. He built a successful book of business, which led to Dave joining Blaneys to establish a larger-scale entertainment practice.

Jennifer Wasylyk has quickly established herself as one of Canada’s leading project finance lawyers, with particular expertise in mining and natural resources. She employs her technical background in chemical engineering to the complex issues that arise on mining project finance transactions and is able to distil technical concepts into easy-to-understand drafting. Clients appreciate her commitment to ensuring that the job is done and is done well.

Jennifer is Cassels’ resident go-to expert and a recognized thought leader on the cessation of the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) and the Canadian Dollar Offered Rate (CDOR). She serves as a member of the Canadian Alternative Reference Rate Working Group, created to ensure Canada’s interest rate benchmark regime is robust, relevant, and effective in the years ahead.

At Cassels, Jennifer has implemented several key initiatives to improve the associate experience, promote EDI, and ensure equitable access to work. Jennifer’s commitment to pro bono and community work was never clearer than through her recent work as an integral member of Project Exit, a firmwide pro-bono initiative involving 85+ lawyers and firm members to assist vulnerable Afghans to restart their lives and find refuge, peace, and security in Canada.

After moving to Canada to reunite with his family in 2014, Mohammad Ali Raza was called to the Nova Scotia bar in 2016. His practice is focused on supporting businesses in a wide variety of sectors, most notably in the energy, infrastructure development, and ocean technology sectors. From drafting complex contracts to advising on project structuring and financing, Mohammad Ali is keen to provide practical solutions to the challenges his clients face at every stage and aspect of their business operations. Mohammad Ali, having worked extensively in fast-paced business environments, is sensitive to the need to be responsive. He believes passionately in working hard to understand the business of his clients – a trait that he feels is a distinguishing characteristic of a successful business lawyer.

Tenacious. Relentless. A team player and a leader. These are some of the terms David Levangie’s colleagues use to describe him, and that make him a Leading Lawyer Under 40.

Levangie sees the profession as a calling. With a focus on complex commercial litigation, Levangie regularly acts on the firm’s largest litigation matters – and his results set him apart from his peers. He has extensive experience in arbitrations ranging from a $30 million commercial tenancy dispute with a personal injury component, to the acrimonious break-up of a Toronto litigation boutique, to recent success before a panel of arbitrators in a dispute between partners fighting for control of a significant development project. Levangie has successfully acted in multiple complex disputes arising from the sale of businesses; served as counsel for a bank, pursuing a fraudster through bankruptcy to secure full recovery; and obtained a $12 million judgment for a large international casino against a foreign-based billionaire after which he obtained a Mareva Injunction to freeze approximately $35 million in assets that he discovered the defendant had moved to Canada. Skilled at synchronizing the work of multiple players, Levangie oversaw a complex Indigenous governance litigation matter that required coordinating the efforts of multiple firm partners from the environmental, corporate, Indigenous, and litigation groups.

Indispensable to clients, Levangie does more than secure favourable outcomes — he cements himself as a key advisor invested in their success. He goes beyond simply fulfilling clients’ mandates: leaning on his strong emotional intelligence, he fosters true relationships and remains in tune with their needs, making him adept at spotting challenges and opportunities on the horizon.

Having served in the Canadian Armed Forces Reserves where he received numerous awards, Levangie is passionate about veterans’ rights and acts pro bono or quasi pro bono pursuing benefits or recognition for deceased or injured police and military members. In one stand-out matter, Levangie successfully represented Captain Kimberly Fawcett, who was involved in a tragic accident involving the loss of life and limb and had been fighting the military for benefits for over 15 years. In recognition of his fierce advocacy, Levangie was invited by the University of Ottawa to be the keynote speaker for its Remembrance Day ceremony.

A member of the LGBTQ community, Levangie served on the OBA’s SOGIC section and is the capital partner representative on the firm’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee where he spearheaded an inclusive-pronouns initiative for public-facing content and drafted a self-identification and inclusion survey for members of the firm. This year, he was appointed chair of the firm’s AI Taskforce responsible for developing firm policy and strategy for integrating generative AI.

A regular presenter for the firm’s continuing professional development program, Levangie is also an active student recruiter and dynamic mentor for summer/articling students and associates. This year, he was nominated for Foglers’ mentoring award with one of his former mentees perhaps summing Levangie up best: “David is dedicated to excellence, passionately committed to his clients, and the ideal mentor – he’s exactly the kind of lawyer you want to work with.”

Owais Ahmed is a partner with Harper Grey principally practising in commercial and securities litigation. Owais has successfully represented clients in securities litigation and commercial litigation disputes including those involving shareholders; regulatory matters involving the Ontario Securities Commission, IIROC, and the TSX; and securities class actions. He has also defended clients against allegations of white-collar crime.

Prior to joining Harper Grey, Owais practised at a leading securities litigation boutique in Toronto. After receiving his law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School, Owais clerked at the Ontario Securities Commission.

Sandra Desjardins is a partner at Langlois Lawyers and a member of the firm’s renowned litigation group. Her practice focuses mainly on class action cases, several of which have set legal precedents and have contributed to case law development that can aid in formulating early withdrawal arguments. She has represented major financial institutions and private companies in litigation alleging violations of the Consumer Protection Act, the Securities Act, the Bank Act, and the Insurers Act. 

Sandra also serves as a business advisor, promoting the adoption of best practices and risk management procedures that encompass strategic, legal, financial, and reputational risks. As an author, she addresses key legal issues, such as the legal framework for authorizing a class action in Quebec, the legal framework applicable to the stay of multi-jurisdictional class actions, and the differences and similarities in the information obligations provided by the Consumer Protection Act and the Securities Act. Outside of the courtroom, Sandra champions the advancement of women lawyers in private practice. She participates in the Quebec Bar Association’s Justicia Project, which develops best practices to help law firms with the implementation of programs tailored to women’s needs such as parental leaves, work schedules, business development, and access to partnership. 

Chris Masich is a partner at McKercher LLP focused on acquisitions, divestitures, business transactions, project development, and project finance in Saskatchewan’s key economic sectors – energy, renewable energy, mining, natural resources, infrastructure, and agriculture. Chris delivers legal acumen, skillful advocacy, and strategic business and technical insight to his work advising clients on their most important and complex matters. Chris also provides special counsel on Saskatchewan environmental and climate change regulations, applying that expertise across all industry sectors and all types of commercial agreements, and helping his clients to advance their objectives in an increasingly complex landscape.

It’s Chris’ client-first, business-first approach to legal work, combined with his transactional work and legal acumen, that has firmly positioned him as a leading lawyer among Saskatchewan’s top business lawyers. He is recognized by his peers as a leader in his fields by Lexpert, Best Lawyers, and Chambers Canada. Chris often collaborates and integrates with international and national law firms providing local Saskatchewan counsel advice to global companies with Saskatchewan projects.

A partner in the Calgary office, Jody Sutherland is a Practice Group Leader for the Commercial Litigation Group and an active member of the Labour and Employment Practice Group.

Jody has fostered a number of long-term client relationships with various national and international insurers and large-scale organizations. She recognizes the importance of gaining knowledge of and understanding her clients’ operations, priorities, and goals in order to provide effective client service.

Jody is an exceptionally skilled litigator. She has conducted trials involving claims of breach of contract, negligent misrepresentation, and defamation, and she regularly acts as defence counsel in complex, multi-party professional liability claims, including representation of professionals in the financial and healthcare industries.

Since 2022, Jody has been recognized annually by Best Lawyers in Canada as a leading practitioner in Employment Law. The Labour and Employment team, of which she is a member, is also recognized provincially and nationally by Chambers Canada, Lexpert, and The Globe and Mail. In her own management-side employment law practice, Jody acts for a variety of employers, including many large, sophisticated corporate clients. She has extensive experience representing those clients in claims of wrongful termination, discrimination, and breach of restrictive covenants, and she has built a practice as a trusted and highly skilled workplace investigator, investigating complex complaints.

With exceptional commitment to community involvement and leadership, Jody has, since 2016, served as an executive member of the Calgary Bar Association (CBA), a volunteer not-for-profit organization aimed at advancing the interests of the legal profession in Calgary. Jody recently ended her term as president of the CBA, a high-profile role in which she was responsible for overseeing philanthropic and event-planning commitments, welcoming Justices of the Supreme Court and notable members of the bench and bar to Calgary, and speaking on behalf of the membership at events in the community aimed at recognizing the achievements of fellow lawyers and members of the judiciary.

Jody is a dedicated mentor. She is a current Principal and the formal mentor to a number of the firm’s associates. She frequently champions, prepares, and presents educational seminars on various topics both internally to her firm’s associates and externally to other members of the bar.

Jody is also regularly sought out for her visionary and level-headed advice on all aspects of the firm’s management. She is a member of several committees focused on the growth and improvement of the firm’s business and culture overall and is viewed as a leader in the firm.

Annik Forristal is a co-Group Head of McMillan’s Infrastructure and Construction Group whose practice is dedicated to the construction, infrastructure, and development industries. A practising engineer before becoming a lawyer, Annik provides advice and representation on project delivery, contractual allocation and management of risk, municipal land-use planning and related approvals, project administration, claims management, and dispute resolution. Annik has deep expertise negotiating, drafting, and advising on complex construction contracts and development agreements, including custom-drafted and standard-form construction contracts (such as CCDC, CCA, OAA, and ACEC). Her extensive project experience includes mixed-use and residential developments, university and hospital developments, entertainment facilities, industrial facilities, and solar, wind, geothermal, and district energy installations. Annik is also fully versed in the front-end approvals and permitting necessary for development and construction projects. She helps her clients obtain official plan amendments, rezonings, severances, and minor variances, as well as authorizations from heritage and conservation authorities. Annik also fervently supports her clients in project and contract administration with a focus on dispute avoidance, employing a results-oriented, creative, and cost-effective approach to claims negotiations, mediation, and related dispute resolution proceedings.

Pablo Tseng is a partner at McMillan LLP. He devotes his practice to IP strategy development and IP protection and enforcement as well as representing clients in connection with complex technology- and IP-focused transactions. Pablo proudly manages and prosecutes the patent and trademark portfolios of companies, institutions, and organizations in the cleantech, energy, life sciences, health and wellness, technology, forestry, and agriculture sectors. He is a valued and trusted advisor to decision-makers on challenging and complex intellectual property matters. Pablo is also highly active in the intellectual property community in Canada and regularly writes on a variety of intellectual property topics. His legal publications have been cited and referenced by the Parliament of Canada.

Kaitlin Long is experienced in complex, high-stakes litigation. With a practice focused on litigation and dispute resolution in the energy industry, as well as regulatory energy law and Indigenous law matters, she has represented clients at all levels of court. Kaitlin regularly provides advice on the duty to consult, Aboriginal and treaty rights, and agreement best practices. She is a key contact for a number of notable Calgary clients and also acts as a key contact for Norton Rose Fulbright’s international offices in the areas of regulatory and Indigenous law.

Passionate about contributing back to the profession, Kaitlin has long been an executive of the CBA Alberta Aboriginal South Section and recently became its chair. She is also the co-founder and co-chair of the Norton Rose Fulbright Canada’s Indigenous Relations Network, which works to implement the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.

A mentor, a teacher and a sponsor, Kaitlin is focused on building relationships and assisting her peers and juniors. She is consistently involved in spearheading firm initiatives and openly shares her knowledge and experience to forge a strong legacy.

Peter Riddell is the Montreal local co-chair of Norton Rose Fulbright Canada’s business law group and focuses on mergers and acquisitions, joint venture and other complex commercial arrangements, carve-out transactions, and corporate and commercial law. He represents clients in a wide variety of industries, including aerospace, agriculture, technology, pharma, renewable energy, and entertainment. Having practised out of the firm’s New York office, Peter brings clients a cross-border experience that allows him to manage and lead transactions around the world.

In his time outside of the firm, Peter is a board member of The Depot Community Food Centre, a non-profit organization addressing food security in Montreal. Dedicated to helping shape the legal practice of his juniors, Peter has been a key member of the firm’s student committee and continues to mentor up-and-coming students, articling students, and junior lawyers. Peter is an encouraging and inspiring pillar, dedicated to the growth and success of those around him, as a well as the firm itself.

Sharon Kour solves complex problems. Clients rely on Sharon for her sharp intellect, keen sense of pragmatism, and ability to efficiently navigate a path to success. Sharon is a founding partner of Reconstruct LLP. Prior to joining her partner, Sharon spent close to a decade at McCarthy Tétrault.

Sharon’s expertise is in insolvency and restructuring and commercial litigation. She frequently acts as counsel to debtors and various stakeholders in insolvency and restructuring proceedings under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act and the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act. Sharon also acts for court officers in wide-ranging court-appointed, regulatory, and public inquiry mandates.

Sharon’s peers respect her ability to build consensus in complicated situations. She has been recognized by Best Lawyers in Canada for her work in corporate and commercial litigation. Sharon is the secretary of the Insolvency Section of the Ontario Bar Association and actively participates as an OBA liaison for various judicial and legal initiatives.

Guillaume Boudreau-Simard is a partner at Stikeman Elliott, a global leader in Canadian business law with offices in multiple locations, including Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary, Vancouver, New York, London, and Sydney. He specializes in litigation and dispute resolution, particularly class actions involving manufacturers and banking institutions. Guillaume’s practice encompasses various aspects of litigation, including advising, drafting procedures, and representing clients in court. His expertise extends to commercial and contractual, competition, consumer, and administrative law. He has a wealth of experience representing clients in both trial and appellate courts and administrative tribunals. Additionally, Guillaume has handled inquiries related to ethics and compliance, both internal and external. Stikeman Elliott is renowned for providing top-quality counsel, strategic advice, and practical solutions to clients. The firm excels in various primary practice areas, such as mergers and acquisitions, securities, business litigation, banking and finance, competition and foreign investment, tax, restructuring, energy, mining, real estate, project development, employment and labour, and pensions.

For more information about Stikeman Elliott, please visit their website at www.stikeman.com.

Maxime Jacquin is a partner at Stikeman Elliott, a global leader in Canadian business law with offices in various locations, including Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary, Vancouver, New York, London, and Sydney. Maxime specializes in corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, and infrastructure and energy projects. He represents institutional lenders, private equity funds, project sponsors, and public and private companies in diverse transactions, such as acquisition financings, project financings, public-private partnerships, public debt offerings, and mergers and acquisitions. Maxime has extensive experience in renewable energy, infrastructure, and utilities. He is also a member of the Montreal office’s Knowledge Management and Legal Innovation Committee. Stikeman Elliott is known for providing top-quality counsel, strategic advice, and practical solutions in various practice areas, including mergers and acquisitions, securities, business litigation, banking and finance, competition and foreign investment, tax, restructuring, energy, mining, real estate, project development, employment and labour, and pensions.

For more information about Stikeman Elliott, please visit their website at www.stikeman.com.

Thompson Dorfman Sweatman’s Melissa Beaumont has a diverse practice in labour and employment law. She serves as employer counsel for several large institutional clients, including Shared Health (Manitoba), the Province of Manitoba, the University of Manitoba, and various municipalities. She represents clients in the manufacturing and mining sectors. Additionally, Melissa handles employee-side work, reviewing employment contracts and severance packages and serving as external legal counsel to a national union and local employee association. This dual perspective allows her to empathize with individuals’ workplace experiences.

Looking ahead, Melissa aims to expand her practice as a workplace mediator and arbitrator. She has a strong commitment to community service and has dedicated her time to boards: Ronald McDonald House Charities Manitoba and Food & Beverage Manitoba.

Melissa emphasizes practical and effective solutions for her clients, recognizing that they seek trusted advisors to help them navigate complex legal issues. She believes that labour and employment law is about people and relationships, and she goes the extra mile to understand her clients’ needs by visiting their businesses and learning about their operations firsthand. Melissa’s dedication to understanding her clients’ worlds makes her stand out as a resolution-oriented attorney with a passion for learning and problem-solving.

Danielle Kline is a partner in Torys’ Toronto office. Danielle’s practice focuses on corporate law, with an emphasis on private equity. She has acted for targets, acquirors, and financial advisors. Her experience spans domestic and cross-border acquisitions and divestitures, joint ventures, and majority and minority investments.

Danielle also advises private equity sponsor clients (including existing private equity funds and newly forming funds) on their structure, governance, and carry and other economic arrangements.

Zehra Sheerazi is a partner in Torys’ Toronto office. Zehra focuses on corporate and securities law with an emphasis on private equity and M&A and plays a key role in advising and working with public and private companies, financial institutions, and pension funds. Zehra advises clients in all aspects of investing and divestiture transactions, including asset and stock transactions, co-investments, shareholders arrangements, joint ventures, majority and minority equity investments, and restructurings.

Zehra has experience working closely with clients through every stage in their development, from initial investments onward, including on complex matters like capital markets and M&A transactions and ongoing corporate, securities, compliance, and governance work.

She also has significant cross-border experience, including having previously worked in Torys’ New York office on clients’ US capital markets transactions and governance matters.

Sarah Whitmore is a litigation partner at Torys where she has developed a formidable track record of strong advocacy in complex, high-stakes corporate and commercial litigation matters with an emphasis on class action defence. She represents the defendants in a number of precedent-setting class actions, many of which have led to significant developments in the law and successes for her clients.

Sarah also maintains a leading pro bono practice. She’s acted on behalf of a Canadian Olympic athlete, civil liberties associations, other equity-seeking organizations, and refugees, including in cases heard by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, appellate courts in British Columbia and Ontario, and the Supreme Court of Canada. As a pioneer for using anti-SLAPP legislation, Sarah helps victims of gender-based violence who face defamation lawsuits after reporting or speaking out about their abuse.

Recognized as a leading lawyer, Sarah has been ranked by Chambers Canada, The Legal 500, Best Lawyers, and The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory. She is also often sought out to author industry publications and present in various programs on an array of litigation topics. Through her dedication to knowledge sharing, Sarah is also an avid mentor to many junior lawyers.

Megan Mah is a partner in the Employment & Labour Practice Group at WeirFoulds LLP with a diverse practice that focuses on human rights, employment, civil litigation, administrative, and constitutional law.

Megan advises clients on a range of litigation matters, including workplace disputes, discrimination and accommodation, sexual harassment and violence, wrongful and constructive dismissals, breaches of contracts, and professional discipline. Megan also has experience drafting policies, employment agreements, and termination letters. She regularly advises her clients on a number of workplace-related issues, including accommodation, performance management, and discipline. She also has experience in facilitating training sessions focused on respect in the workplace and in conducting workplace investigations. Representing both employers and employees, Megan’s clients have included private individuals, private companies, public institutions, professional regulators, not-for-profit organizations, and universities.

Megan is called to the bar in Ontario and New York. She has been recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Canada in the categories of Administrative and Public Law, Corporate and Commercial Litigation, and Labour and Employment Law. Megan was the recipient of the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers (FACL) 2021 Young Lawyer of the Year Award and is currently the chair of FACL’s Advocacy & Policy Committee.

Laurence Ste-Marie is a partner at Woods LLP, with over a decade of experience in resolving disputes in civil and commercial matters. Admitted to the Quebec, Ontario, and Paris bars, she appears before the Quebec and federal courts, including before the Supreme Court of Canada, as well as in international arbitration.

Building on a diversified background, Laurence has consistently shown a facility to adapt her legal services to complex situations and provide tailored strategies and solutions. She is frequently called upon to act in international and multi-jurisdictional matters and has assisted clients in a variety of fields and industries, including financial services, engineering, construction, renewable energy, telecommunications, and professional liability. Known and appreciated for her discernment, she regularly advises clients in sensitive matters raising reputational stakes.

She previously practised international arbitration in Paris and clerked at the Supreme Court of Canada for the Honourable Marie Deschamps.