Janene Charles

Janene Charles holds the position of Director, Corporate Services Practice & Innovation in the Toronto office, where she spearheads initiatives aimed at bolstering the corporate practice. Her responsibilities encompass the adoption of the firm’s legal entity management system, steering the change management endeavors, identifying and implementing business process enhancements, and pioneering innovation initiatives. These projects particularly focus on the integration of automation tools and other legal technologies to elevate the quality of work and augment support for lawyers and law clerks.

Janene collaborates closely with the Knowledge Management Group to craft curricula and provide continuous training and education within the corporate services department. Her contributions extend to writing and editing for the firm's blog, creating corporate precedents, and crafting and presenting content on corporate law and recent legal advancements to clients, attorneys, and students. Her advisory role covers general corporate law, including corporate, commercial, and governance issues, as well as matters concerning not-for-profit organizations. Notably, Janene operates as an independent contractor through J. Charles Consulting LLC.

In her professional undertakings, Janene is affiliated with the Law Society of Ontario and plays an active role in the firm’s Law Clerks Committee.

Janene's journey with Stikeman Elliott began with her articling period, progressing to an associate within the Corporate Group, focusing on securities law, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate finance. Her tenure included a secondment to the firm's New York office. She transitioned to Director, Student Programs and Diversity & Inclusion, managing the student program and furthering the firm’s diversity, inclusion, and equity initiatives.

Before her current role, Janene contributed significantly to the Knowledge Management Group, developing and managing practice resources for the Corporate and Securities Groups. Her involvement has extended to the Diversity & Inclusion Committee, Students Committee, Education Committee, the Sub-Committee on Women’s Initiatives, and the Community Involvement/Pro Bono Committee, reflecting her comprehensive engagement with the firm’s core values and operational excellence.