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A Legacy of Leadership Continues: Yola Ventresca appointed Managing Partner of Lerners LLP Office

January 12, 2022 – Toronto and London – Lerners LLP is proud to announce that effective January 1st, 2022, our tradition of exceptional leadership continues with the appointment of Yola Ventresca as Managing Partner of our London office.

A first-generation Canadian of Lebanese origin and a first-generation lawyer, Yola is an accomplished litigator and certified workplace investigator with a track record of successful strategic leadership, business development and, above all, service – to her clients, to the legal profession, and to the wider community.  Yola is a member of the Health Law, Professional Regulation, Commercial Litigation, and Class Actions Groups. She is also the founder and lead of our Workplace Investigations practice and the Lerners Women’s Symposium.  She continually demonstrates an unwavering commitment to improving the lives of others through her significant contributions to leadership, education, mentorship, and advocacy, especially around issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion. Yola is deeply engaged with the larger London community, and is dedicated to a variety of impactful charities, causes and organizations, including The Advocates’ Society, St. Joseph’s Hospice, and Huron University College. A graduate of Western (LLB) and the University of Toronto (LLM), Yola is a prolific speaker and author; she has also been a lecturer at Western Law.

Yola has been the recipient of numerous accolades including being named a Lexpert Rising Star and being chosen by her peers for inclusion in the Best Lawyers in Canada and Lexpert Legal directories, respectively.

Yola assumes the helm of Lerners’ London office from long-time Managing Partner and corporate lawyer Graham Porter, whose dedication to the firm’s growth and success, as well as to our many community initiatives will continue as Chair of the firm. “Yola is an outstanding choice to lead the London office as we continue to embrace change and emerge from the pandemic. She is a skilled lawyer, a community leader, and an agent of change,” said Graham. “We are in the best of hands and I look forward to working with her in this new capacity.”

Lerners LLP has a long-standing history and reputation for promoting and advancing women in leadership roles in both its Toronto and London offices since the early ‘70s. We were the first Canadian law firm to reach gender parity amongst our partners, as well as one of the first to have a female managing partner, and more than half of our firm leadership positions are held by women. The firm takes great pride in creating and fostering an environment where legal professionals can flourish, be entrepreneurial, and build practices that reflect their values. That this environment also supports the careers and goals of so many women lawyers is a deliberate and nurtured approach to building our firm.

About Lerners LLP

Lerners LLP has grown to become one of Ontario’s largest law firms with offices in London, Toronto, Strathroy and Waterloo Region. Ours is a history of 90 years of successful client service and representation and today we are more than 120 exceptionally skilled lawyers with abundant experience.

To arrange an interview with one of our lawyers or for more information, please contact:

Orna Dobner
Chief Brand and Culture Officer
Lerners LLP
416-601-2393
odobner@lerners.ca