Olivia Ells

Olivia is a key player in the Competition, Antitrust & Foreign Investment team at Blakes, a firm distinguished as the Regional Firm of the Year – Americas by Global Competition Review. Her expertise encompasses a broad spectrum of competition law areas, including the scrutiny of mergers, tackling abuse of dominance issues, orchestrating joint ventures and strategic partnerships, as well as managing both criminal and civil litigation related to competition. Olivia's proficiency extends to navigating cartel investigations, advising on marketing and distribution practices, and ensuring regulatory compliance. Additionally, she offers guidance on foreign investment merger reviews in accordance with the Investment Canada Act.

Before her tenure at Blakes, Olivia gained significant experience in competition, antitrust, and foreign investment law at a comprehensive service law firm located in Toronto, where she contributed her skills right from her summer position through to her articling and subsequent practice.

In her professional capacity, Olivia actively contributes to the legal community as a vice chair of the Young Lawyers Committee within the Canadian Bar Association's Competition Law and Foreign Investment Review Section.

Her academic background is as impressive as her professional endeavors, with a JD from the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University, and a BA from St. Francis Xavier University. Since her admission to the Ontario Bar in 2021, Olivia has dedicated her practice to areas such as abuse of dominance, competition and antitrust law, competition law compliance, foreign investment, as well as merger review and control, showcasing her comprehensive knowledge and commitment to the field.