Gillian T. Hnatiw

One of Canada’s leading litigators, Gillian is renowned for her empathy, fearless
advocacy, and dedication to her clients. Gillian maintains a diverse civil litigation
practice involving administrative and public law, professional liability (as preferred
counsel for LAWPRO), health law, employment law, and general commercial litigation. Most notably, Gillian is one of Canada’s leading experts in gender-based violence and frequently takes on cases involving sexual assault, abuse, harassment, family violence, voyeurism and the non-consensual distribution of intimate images.
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Gillian argues cases before all levels of court across the country, including numerous appearances before the Supreme Court of Canada. She has also appeared before a variety of administrative tribunals and has been involved in numerous Coroner’s Inquests, most notably the Inquests into the deaths of Ashley Smith (2013) and Katelynn Sampson (2016). From 2021 to 2023, Gillian was honoured to serve as Senior Commission Counsel to Nova Scotia’s Mass Casualty Commission, leading the gender-based violence aspects of the Commission’s mandate.

​In addition to her skilled advocacy, Gillian frequently acts as a “neutral” by conducting complex workplace investigations, providing independent legal advice to professional regulators, training decision-makers, and mediating private disputes. She is particularly adept at managing complex stories and navigating high stakes emotional conflict. Clients trust her to offer advice that is both principled and pragmatic.
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Gillian is actively involved in the profession and the community. She is frequently invited to speak at conferences and events and regularly contributes her expertise to mainstream and industry media. Passionate about gender equality, Gillian is the past Chair of the Women's Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF) and often consults on issues of equality, equity and diversity within the legal profession. She has acted pro bono in significant matters for both LEAF and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association.

In September 2023, Gillian was named one of “Canada’s 25 Most Influential Lawyers” by Canadian Lawyer magazine. In March 2020, Gillian was hailed as a “formidable champion of women’s civil rights” and presented with the Honsberger Award by the Toronto Lawyer’s Association in recognition of her advocacy skills, knowledge, and dedication to her community. In 2015, Gillian was named to Lexpert’s annual list of “Rising Stars: Leading Lawyers under 40”. For many years she has been ranked in Best Lawyers, Lexpert, and Benchmark Legal for her expertise in a remarkable range of areas, including public and administrative law, personal injury, employment law, corporate commercial litigation and health care law. Since 2022, Benchmark Legal has named her to its annual list of Top 100 Women Litigators in Canada.