adilorenzo@adl-legal.com | 514-927-9900
About ADL LEGAL
Meet
Assunta Di Lorenzo, LL.L., ICD.D.
-
ABOUT
Assunta Di Lorenzo is a seasoned business lawyer and the founder of ADL Legal, a boutique law practice based in Montreal, specializing in corporate, commercial, securities and merger & acquisitions law. With a focus on commercial transactions, strategic alliances, joint ventures, contract law, commercial leasing, regulatory compliance and corporate governance, Assunta helps businesses grow and succeed in today’s competitive global market.
​
Whether you're an entrepreneur, investor, or a local or foreign company, Assunta provides forward-thinking legal and business advice to help you finance, establish, and expand your business in Canada. Her solutions are designed to mitigate risks, protect your interests, and overcome complex legal challenges.
​
With extensive experience advising highly regulated companies—including investment and fund managers, insurers, brokerage firms, pension funds, family offices, and public transport organizations—Assunta ensures her clients’ interests are safeguarded in their contracts with partners, suppliers, employees and other parties, while keeping their activities in full compliance with applicable legislation across Canada.
​
For companies without in-house legal teams or those requiring additional support, Assunta offers flexible in-house counsel services. This cost-effective solution provides clients with on-demand legal expertise for day-to-day operations or special projects—at a fraction of the cost of hiring a full-time executive or relying exclusively on large law firms.
​
A trusted advisor to boards of directors and management teams, Assunta counsels on a wide range of legal and business matters, including:
​
-
Developing corporate governance frameworks and policies.
-
Advising on risk management, compliance programs, and regulatory obligations.
-
Preparing compliance manuals and board of directors’ handbooks.
-
Guiding clients through privacy legislation, including Quebec’s Law 25.
​
Assunta is a member of both the Quebec and Ontario bars.
Assunta holds a law degree from the University of Ottawa and Advanced Management Studies and Executive Development diplomas from McGill University. She also earned the ICD.D designation from the Directors Education Program at the ICD-Rotman School of Management.
​
A recognized authority in regulatory compliance and corporate governance, Assunta is frequently invited to speak at industry conferences and contributes to legal publications.
​
Fluent in French, English, Italian, and Spanish, Assunta offers a multicultural and cross-jurisdictional approach—making her an ideal partner for clients operating in diverse markets.
​
In her leisure time, Assunta enjoys spending time with her family and friends, as well as playing golf and tennis.
​
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
​
Assunta is a seasoned corporate lawyer and entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience in private practice and C-suite executive leadership. She brings a unique blend of legal expertise and business acumen to her clients.
​
Throughout her career, Assunta has advised clients across a wide range of industries, including financial services, insurance, investment management, pension funds, HVAC, construction, and transportation.
​
In private practice, she began her career at Stikeman Elliott and Ogilvy Renault (now Norton Rose Fulbright)—two of Canada’s largest and most prestigious national law firms. She then became a partner at Fraser Milner Casgrain (now Dentons) and McMillan, two other leading national firms. Throughout her private practice, she provided strategic business and legal counsel on corporate transactions, commercial matters, regulatory compliance, and governance. She advised businesses of all sizes—from startups to multinationals—helping them structure deals, mitigate risks, and navigate complex legal challenges.
​
Assunta also held executive leadership positions at major Canadian institutions, including a large pension fund, a bank-owned investment management firm, and both federal and provincial Crown corporations. In these roles, she led key corporate functions, including legal, corporate governance, privacy and compliance, government relations, communications, and real estate. This first-hand operational experience gives her a deep understanding of the business realities her clients face.
​
Her international experience is extensive. She has successfully closed public and private transactions in real estate, private equity, and infrastructure across Canada, the U.S., Europe, Asia, and South America. She also assists Italian-based companies in expanding their business in Canada.
​
Assunta is highly skilled in navigating complex regulatory processes. She has represented clients before Canadian regulators—including OSFI (Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions), the OSC (Ontario Securities Commission), the AMF (Autorité des marchés financiers), and The Treasury Board of Canada—on compliance issues impacting financial institutions, investment managers, insurers, and brokers.
​
Assunta has also served as a nominee director for Canadian and foreign corporate subsidiaries and as a board member for not-for-profit organizations, including the Montreal Sacré-Coeur Hospital Foundation.
​
She is an active member of the Canadian Bar Association, the International Bar Association, and the Institute of Corporate Directors.
She is also deeply involved in Montreal’s business community through her memberships in the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal, the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Canada, and the Réseau des femmes d'affaires du Québec.​
Previoulsly, she has served as an officer of the Insurance Committee of the International Bar Association and is an alumna of Catalyst WomenOnBoard.
​