Janene Charles

First Year of Call
Ontario, 2007

Areas of Practice
Mergers & Acquisitions, Capital Markets

Description
Janene Charles is the Director, Corporate Services Practice & Innovation* in the Toronto office. In this role, Janene is responsible for leading initiatives to support our corporate practice, including implementing the firm’s legal entity management platform and overseeing the change management process, identifying and leading business process improvements and innovation initiatives, including with respect to automation tools and other legal technologies designed to enhance work product and better support lawyers and law clerks in their practices.

Janene works with the Knowledge Management Group on curriculum design and ongoing training and education for the corporate services department, as well as writes and edits firm blog posts, develops corporate precedents, and develops and delivers content to clients, lawyers and students on corporate law and new legal developments. Janene also advises clients on corporate law generally, including on corporate, commerical and governance matters, and not-for-profit corporations.

*Janene is an independent contractor from J. Charles Consulting LLC.

Professional Activities
Janene is a member of the Law Society of Ontario. She is also a member of the firm’s Law Clerks Committee.

Background
Janene articled with Stikeman Elliott and practiced as an associate in the firm’s Corporate Group, where her practice focused mainly on securities law, public and private mergers and acquisitions, and corporate finance. As an associate, she was also seconded to the firm’s New York office. Janene subsequently made the switch to her role as Director, Student Programs and Diversity & Inclusion, where she was responsible for managing all aspects of the student program, including the recruitment, development, performance management, and education of summer and articling students. In this role, she also worked to develop, implement, and advance the firm’s diversity, inclusion and equity strategy.

Prior to her current role, Janene spent several years working with the Knowledge Management Group, where she was responsible for developing and managing precedents and practice resources for the Corporate and Securities Groups. Janene was previously a member of the Diversity & Inclusion Committee, Students Committee, Education Committee, Sub-Committee on Women’s Initiatives and the Community Involvement/Pro Bono Committee.