SV Law

Practice areas

Business & Corporate Law Real Estate Law Construction Law Employment & Labour Law Family Law Civil Litigation & Dispute Resolution Administrative & Regulatory Law Wills, Estates & Trusts Agricultural Law

Milestones & recognition

• The firm has served Guelph since the 1960s, through the Smith, Valeriote, and SmithValeriote partnerships that became SV Law in 2018.
• It was named to the Best Law Firms - Canada ranking by Best Lawyers in both the inaugural 2025 edition and again in 2026.
• In 2026 it was also recognized as one of Waterloo Area's Top Employers and among Canada's Top Small and Medium Employers.
• A firm partner has served as president of the Wellington Law Association, the local bar association.
• Frank Valeriote, co-founder of a predecessor firm, served as the Member of Parliament for Guelph, first elected in 2008 and re-elected in 2011.

In the community

• The firm funds the SmithValeriote Education Bursary through the Guelph Community Foundation. In one recent year that bursary was doubled, giving $20,000 to four students across Guelph and Wellington County.
• Its lawyers have sat on the boards of local organizations, including the Guelph General Hospital Foundation, The Children's Foundation of Guelph and Wellington, and Chalmers Community Services Centre, which runs food banks in Guelph.

Good to know

Wheelchair accessibleParking availableVirtual appointmentsBy appointmentIn-person services

Lawyers 44

This firm’s lawyers at a glance

Called to the bar

1981–2025 · median 8 years in practice 43 of 44 lawyers

Law schools

University of Western Ontario (10), University of Ottawa (8), University of Windsor (7), Osgoode Hall Law School (5), Queen's University (3), University of British Columbia (2) and 7 more 44 of 44 lawyers

Languages on the roster

Cantonese, Mandarin

Who handles what

• Real Estate Law
  Christopher Mendes, Curtis Tomlinson, Danielle Marks, Diane Kennedy Squires, Ernest (E.J.) J. Stross, Eva M. Lane, Fiona Burnett, Francis M. Valeriote, Jamie Cockburn, Jennifer Maas, Jonathan Pettit, Kevin Thompson, Lisa Gazzola, Mark Muir Rodenburg, Marni Outerbridge, Meghan Praught, Michael James Ruhl, Nathan Martin, Nicola Melchers, Randy Brant, Robert Graham, Robert Mullin, Thomas D. Hunter, Vince Starratt, Xander Winter, Yinan Li
• Wills, Estates & Trusts
  Curtis Tomlinson, Diane Kennedy Squires, Ernest (E.J.) J. Stross, Francis M. Valeriote, Kaitlyn Armstrong, Lisa Gazzola, Mark Muir Rodenburg, Michael James Ruhl, Nathan Martin, Nicola Melchers, Nivala Persad-Maharaj, Randy Brant, Robert Graham, Thomas D. Hunter, Trenton Johnson, Vince Starratt, Yinan Li
• Civil Litigation & Dispute Resolution
  Benjamin M. Henley, Daniel Moholia, Danielle Marks, Eva M. Lane, Fiona Burnett, Jamie Cockburn, Kayla Cockburn, Kristopher Kinsinger, Mark Muir Rodenburg, Marni Outerbridge, Matt McMahon, Meghan Praught, Nelson Wan, Trenton Johnson
• Business & Corporate Law
  Curtis Tomlinson, Diane Kennedy Squires, Ernest (E.J.) J. Stross, Francis M. Valeriote, Lisa Gazzola, Nathan Martin, Nicola Melchers, Robert Graham, Spencer Walker, Thomas D. Hunter, Vince Starratt, Yinan Li
• Administrative & Regulatory Law
  Chris Manning, Eric Davis, Francis M. Valeriote, Giovanni C. Giuga, Jamie Cockburn, Jennifer Maas, Kevin Thompson, Kristopher Kinsinger, Robert Mullin, Trenton Johnson, Vince Starratt
• Family Law
  Ashley Timm, Kaitlyn Armstrong, Mark Muir Rodenburg, Michael James Ruhl, Nivala Persad-Maharaj, Nora Sleeth, Rachel Smylie, Randy Brant, Ritu Singh, Samaa Kabbar
• Construction Law
  Daniel Moholia, Danielle Marks, Matt McMahon, Nelson Wan, Trenton Johnson
• Employment & Labour Law
  Eva M. Lane, Mark Muir Rodenburg, Marni Outerbridge
• Indigenous Law
  Jamie Cockburn

Offices 3