Leila Rafi

First Year of Call
2006 Ontario

Areas of Practice
Capital Markets

Description
Leila Rafi practices securities laws and has a highly transactional practice. She advises on corporate finance, regulatory and corporate governance matters frequently. In 2022, Leila was named one of “Canada’s Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers in Canada for Business Law”. Among many other distinctions, she is also recognized by Best Lawyers in Canada (2022-2024) as a leading lawyer in the area of corporate law.

Leila has an expertise in investment fund and asset management with considerable experience advising privately offered funds (both domestic and offshore) and domestic and foreign investment dealers. Also, she assists managers with respect to their regulatory obligations and ongoing compliance.

Leila sits on the Advisory Board for the Expansive Women Project and is a mentor for the University of Toronto Women’s Association. She also sits on the Board of VersaFi (formerly Women in Capital Markets).

Currently, Leila is adjunct professor for an introductory securities regulations course at Toronto Metropolitan University’s Alexander Lincoln School of Law. Formerly, she taught an introductory securities law course at the Queen’s University law school. Also, for approximately five years, Leila previously served as an adjunct professor for the advanced business law course offered by the University of Windsor law school and the January term securities law course offered by the University of Western Ontario law school.

From 2019 to 2021, Leila served a three-year term on the Securities Advisory Committee, which provides advice to the Ontario Securities Commission on legislative and policy initiatives and capital market trends.