Dover Legal

About Dover Legal

Dover Legal is a solo law practice based in Ajax, Ontario, founded by lawyer Shanelle Dover to focus on civil litigation, regulatory defence, and mediation. Before starting the firm, Dover worked at a national Toronto based law firm on trial advocacy, legal research, and written submissions, then moved to a firm that represented professionals in registration, disciplinary, and investigative matters. A litigation article bylined to Dover and published through the legal news platform Mondaq in November 2022 lists that national firm as McCarthy Tetrault LLP. Dover also spent close to a decade in banking, most recently in anti money laundering work, building skills in risk assessment, compliance, and financial investigations before returning to legal practice.

The firm now handles civil disputes such as contract, negligence, and defamation claims, and defends regulated professionals in health care, education, and finance who face complaints, investigations, or licensing issues. Dover holds the Qualified Mediator (Q.Med) designation through the ADR Institute of Ontario and offers mediation and conflict coaching for civil, workplace, regulatory, and human rights disputes as an alternative to a full hearing. The practice runs mostly virtually across Ontario, with an Ajax office available by appointment, and its stated approach is trauma informed and anti oppressive, meaning it aims to account for how identity, power, and institutional dynamics can shape a person's legal experience.