Hansell LLP
2 lawyers · City of Toronto
One of 2,345 law firms listed in Toronto, and one of 764 handling Business & Corporate Law.
About Hansell LLP
Hansell LLP is a Toronto law firm that advises corporate boards, management teams, institutional shareholders, and regulators on governance matters, including special committee mandates, board investigations, governance design, and shareholder engagement. Its clients include public and private companies, Crown corporations, and not-for-profits. The firm is part of the Hansell McLaughlin Advisory Group, alongside a sister practice, Hansell McLaughlin Advisory, that handles government relations and strategic communications. The two practices go back more than 30 years and came together under one umbrella in 2013.
The firm's senior partner, Carol Hansell, articled at Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP before joining Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP in 1994 and becoming a partner there. Hansell holds degrees from Western University, the University of Toronto, Osgoode Hall Law School, and the Schulich School of Business, and is admitted to the bar in Ontario and New York. The firm's other lawyer, James J. Keaney, was a partner at the litigation firm Hughes, Amys before receiving a judicial appointment in 2003, presiding over criminal trials, appeals, and preliminary inquiries until retiring in 2021. The office is in Toronto's Financial District, at 302 Bay Street.
Practice areas
Milestones & recognition
- Canadian Lawyer Magazine named Hansell LLP a Top Corporate Boutique for 2026-2027, a recognition the firm has received repeatedly since at least 2016-2017.
- Carol Hansell is a Fellow of the Institute of Corporate Directors and has served for more than 25 years as the American Bar Association's Special Canadian Advisor to its Corporate Laws Committee.
- York University awarded Carol Hansell an honorary doctorate in 2024.
- In 2025, the firm's senior partner published Corporate Governance for Directors, now in its 3rd edition, and Board Evaluations, co-authored with Hemant Sud.
In the community
- Carol Hansell serves on the boards of two Toronto hospital charities, SickKids Foundation and Michael Garron Hospital.
- Carol Hansell chairs the Dean's Global Advisory Council at the Schulich School of Business and has taught in the ICD-Rotman Directors Education Program.
Good to know
Wheelchair accessibleLawyers 2
This firm’s lawyers at a glance
- Called to the bar
- 1977 · median 49 years in practice 1 of 2 lawyers
- Law schools
- Osgoode Hall Law School, University of Ottawa 2 of 2 lawyers
Who handles what
The neighbourhood
The firm's office is in Toronto's Financial District, at 302 Bay Street. The building dates to 1917, when it went up as the Toronto Trust and Guarantee Building, and it received a heritage designation in 1976. It's the kind of address where corporate and securities work has clustered in Toronto for more than a century, a fitting setting for a firm whose entire practice is built around corporate governance rather than a general commercial docket.
Frequently asked questions
- What kind of law does Hansell LLP practise?
- Hansell LLP advises corporate boards, management teams, institutional shareholders, and regulators on governance matters, including special committee mandates, board investigations, governance design, and shareholder engagement.
- Does Hansell LLP take on individual clients, like a family law or real estate matter?
- No. The firm's clients are public and private companies, Crown corporations, and not-for-profits, along with their boards, management, investors, and regulators. It doesn't handle personal legal matters.
- How big is Hansell LLP?
- Hansell LLP is a small firm, part of the Hansell McLaughlin Advisory Group along with a sister consulting practice. Together the group includes lawyers, consultants, data analysts, and other professionals working across law, governance, communications, and government relations.
- Where is Hansell LLP located?
- The firm's office is at 302 Bay Street, Suite 1102-03, in Toronto's Financial District. General inquiries can be directed to the firm by phone at 416-649-8500.
- Has Hansell LLP been recognized for its governance work?
- Canadian Lawyer Magazine has named Hansell LLP a Top Corporate Boutique multiple times, most recently for 2026-2027.
- Does Hansell LLP publish anything on corporate governance?
- Yes. The firm's senior partner has written Corporate Governance for Directors, now in its 3rd edition, and Board Evaluations, both published in 2025 and available through the firm.
Where to find them
302 Bay Street, 1102-03, Toronto, ON M5H 0B6 · 416-649-8500
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