Nancy Sarmento Barkhordari
Biography
Litigator at Gosai Law. Special interest in crown liability, and torts.
Ben Markusoff
Biography
Ben is a litigator at Beard Winter LLP. His practice focuses on employment and civil litigation. Ben represents both employers and employees in employment disputes. He is sought by employers to provide timely advice. He assists his clients to avoid employment disputes at the outset and ensure the employer is in a strong position if litigation is unavoidable. Employees seek Ben out because he provides practical advice tailored to the unique needs of his clients. Ben understands his role is not only to secure the best outcome for his clients, but also to help them navigate the challenges after dismissal. Ben has a particular interest in representing executives and employees who have been dismissed for cause. Ben also maintains a broad civil litigation practice assisting individuals, corporations, and other organizations with shareholder disputes, real estate and lease disputes, professional negligence claims, and a myriad of other matters. Ben has experience before all levels court in Ontario (including the Court of Appeal) and Alberta (including the Court of Appeal). He also has experience before administrative tribunals and private arbitrators. Ben is active in the legal community. He is the Vice-Chair of the Ontario Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division (Central) Executive. He also volunteers as a Team Lead for the Ottawa Pro Bono Employment Clinic and has participated in Pro Bono Students Canada’s Indigenous Human Rights Clinic for a number of years.
Tinju Thomas
Biography
I am a Corporate Commercial Lawyer with over a decade of legal experience. I hold a Master’s degree in Law from Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., and am qualified to practice in both India and Ontario. Before beginning my practice in Canada, I worked in Bahrain and India, advising a wide range of businesses on corporate structuring, compliance, and governance matters. My practice focuses on Corporate Commercial Law, including corporate transactions such as incorporations, amalgamations, rollovers, share transfers and revivals. I also draft and review a variety of legal documents, such as agreements, resolutions and termination letters. Additionally, I support not-for-profit organizations and charities with by-law drafting, compliance guidance, and regulatory updates.
Emily M. OKeefe
Biography
Emily is a lawyer with McLeod Green Dewar LLP practicing in the areas of family law and child protection. Prior to joining McLeod Green Dewar LLP, Emily articled and practiced at a leading family law firm in downtown Toronto, where she gained experience in all aspects of family law and estate litigation. A tenacious advocate, Emily has successfully represented clients at the Ontario Court of Justice, the Superior Court of Justice, and the specialized Estates List. Emily was chosen as the Platinum Winner for the 2021 Waterloo Region Readers Choice Award for Best Family Law Lawyer and was nominated by her peers in The Best Lawyers in Canada: Ones to Watch for 2024 and 2025. In addition to her private practice, Emily is a frequent speaker at legal conferences across Ontario and has been invited numerous times by the Ontario Bar Association as both a chair and speaker. Emily sits on the executive committee for the Ontario Bar Association’s Family Law Section and the Young Lawyer’s Division, and is a member of the Canadian Bar Association, the Advocates Society, and Young Women in Law. A firm believer in the importance of pro bono work, Emily volunteers as legal counsel for Luke’s Place, wherein she provides legal information to women experiencing intimate partner violence and has tailored her Legal Aid work to representing incarcerated parents in federal and provincial institutions seeking parenting time with their children. In her free time, Emily likes to read, support the arts through her involvement as a patron as the National Ballet of Canada, and spend time with her family and friends.
Abhi Ranade
Biography
Hey there! I’m a legal professional with a diverse background, and I’ve picked up a unique set of skills and experiences along the way. I have a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Manitoba, a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and Economics from the University of Toronto, and an Independent Music Production certificate from Seneca@York University– a combo that definitely shapes the way I approach law and life. If you're interested in exploring how we could work together, whether as colleagues or clients, to achieve excellence in our shared pursuits, let's connect!
Oksana Romanov
Biography
I am a criminal defence lawyer and a former Assistant Crown Attorney with work experience in two Ontario jurisdictions. I also served with distinction as a Judicial Law Clerk to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. I hold the Juris Doctor degree, with distinction, from the Lincoln Alexander School of Law, Toronto Metropolitan University. I have a Masters in Communication from the State University of New York at Albany, where I studied as the recipient of the U.S. Fulbright Fellowship, one of the most prestigious academic scholarships for graduate students internationally.
