Background
Victoria is a partner in the Toronto office practicing in the Corporate Commercial Group. She was called to the Ontario Bar in 1987 and has a B.Sc. (Hons.) and LL.B from the University of Toronto.
Victoria has a general business law practice, serving as counsel to a wide variety of clients in various industries where she provides diverse corporate services and acts as a business advisor. She is the Business Department Leader in the Toronto office, a member of the Toronto Regional Management Committee, and the National and Regional Leader of the Charities and Not-for-Profit Law focus group as well as the Toronto Regional Leader of the Advertising and Sponsorship Group. Victoria was a leader of the Corporate Commercial Group in Toronto for several years.
Victoria is married, has two children and is also very active in the community, as outlined below under "Professional and Community Activities".
Areas of Practice
Victoria has a broad corporate practice that often involves acting as an outside general counsel for clients. Her work includes corporate governance, not-for-profit and charities, advertising and sponsorship, technology, trade marks and licencing. Her clients span a wide range of industries that include the manufacturing sector, financial services, technology, school boards, post-secondary institutions, foundations and charities. Among other things, she advises these entities on governance and strategic initiatives, advising on day-to-day business issues and reviewing and drafting agreements.
Rankings and Recognitions
- Recognized in the 2011 Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory (Corporate Mid-Market)
Professional Experience
Some examples of recent professional experiences include:
- Assisting a national research charity with its first strategic planning initiative in ten years
- Reviewing and revising the constitution and governance structure for a national charity
- Guiding an association through a contentious governance review
- Providing advice on succession planning to a health charity
- Working on updated policies and procedures for an academic institution
- Drafting, review and negotiation of distribution and supply agreements for multi-national manufacturing organization
- Advising clients in a variety of industries on advertising to ensure legislative compliance
- Preparation and review of promotional contests for fulfillment houses as well as clients directly
- Assisting manufacturing clients with distribution chain, pricing and related issues
- Advising mult-nationals on the establishment of businesses in Canada
- Reviewing licencing and related documentation
- Acting for a range of clients from small private entrepreneurs to multi-national corporations in acquisitions and divestitures of business. These have included:
- acting for a multi-national security services firm in over two dozen acquisitions
- acting in the acquisition of post-secondary institutions
Professional and Community Activities
- Member, OBA and CBA Charity and Not-for-Profit Law Section Executive
- Chaired Toronto Office United Way Campaign (for over 10 years)
- President, Director and administrator of The BLG Foundation
- Secretary and Director of Kids Up Front (Toronto)
- Past President and Director (formerly Secretary, National First Vice President and President) of The Crohn's and Colitis Foundation Canada
- Member of Strategic Planning Committee, Governance Committee and Finance, Audit and Risk Committee of The Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of Canada
- BLG Reads to Kids volunteer (since program's inception)
- Graduate of the Institute of Corporate Directors Governance Essentials Program for Directors of Not-for-Profit Corporations
- Lectured and written on various marketing, business and not for profit law issues
- Involved in various local and community charity organizations