Susan Kushneryk is a partner at Hansell LLP and Government Relations Advisor at Hansell McLaughlin Advisory.
Susan draws on her unique blend of litigation, regulatory and government experience to advise directors and boards, particularly in special situations. Susan regularly advises individual directors, special committees and boards in connection with crises and disputes. Susan also regularly conducts internal investigations and assists directors and boards with regulatory investigations and prosecutions.
Susan started her career in the litigation groups at two of Canada’s leading law firms, where she represented clients in commercial and class action disputes. She then worked as Enforcement Counsel at Canada’s most significant capital markets regulators, the Ontario Securities Commission and the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada. In her regulatory role, Susan prosecuted a number of multi-jurisdictional frauds, along with other market misconduct including in connection with the 2008 asset-backed commercial paper collapse.
Prior to joining Hansell, Susan was Director of Policy in the office of the Attorney General of Ontario, where she worked with stakeholders and assisted with policy development within the Ministry, with the Office of the Premier of Ontario and across ministries, and advised the Minister in connection with various pieces of important new legislation. Prior to joining government, Susan served briefly on the board of the Technical Standards and Safety Authority.
Susan has appeared in the Supreme Court of Canada, at all levels of courts in Ontario, the Courts of Appeal and Queen’s Bench of Alberta, and the Federal Court of Canada. Susan has also appeared before a number of tribunals, including the OSC, IIROC, the Ontario Energy Board and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario (now the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario).
Susan has spoken frequently on issues in governance, including directors’ duties, governance of Crown corporations and governance generally. She has also spoken on topical issues in securities and commercial litigation. Susan has taught Administrative Law at the University of Toronto program for internationally trained lawyers. In addition to her professional work, Susan has always been engaged in the community, including in politics at the national and provincial levels.
Susan obtained her LLB at the University of Toronto in 2000 and was admitted to the Ontario bar in 2002.