Janelle is a lawyer and member in good standing with the Law Society of Saskatchewan. She is also a designated Governance Professional (GPC.D) and holds a certificate in regulatory compliance and legal risk management.

Janelle helps organizations achieve their strategic objectives while maintaining compliance with legal and regulatory obligations and alignment with stakeholder expectations. Janelle believes that good governance is more than a legal or compliance exercise and can be achieved though clear and effective structures, practices, and procedures tailored to an organization and its unique needs, objectives, and context. Janelle seeks first to understand these aspects of your organization so that she can recommend practical solutions to a wide range of governance, compliance, and corporate matters.

Prior to joining Procido LLP in 2023, Janelle honed her technical and strategic governance and compliance expertise through in-house service to a federally regulated bank: three years directing and overseeing governance and two years managing regulatory compliance. Janelle also served for two years as Crown Counsel to the Government of Saskatchewan Ministry of Justice managing the Ministry’s Innovation Agenda, advancing several public policy initiatives, and collaborating with a range of justice organizations, leaders, and stakeholders across Saskatchewan.

Janelle began her legal career as an articling student and associate in general legal practice with a mid-sized Saskatoon law firm. Janelle has also served as a summer student to a small immigration law firm in Saskatoon, a research assistant on five distinct research grants through the University of Saskatchewan, and a project development intern to a small Saskatoon real estate developer. Janelle has served her community through a range of volunteer engagements, including coordinating a legal advice clinic, and service on various non-profit boards.

PRACTICE AREAS 

• Corporate Governance
• Environmental Social Governance (ESG)
• Regulatory Compliance Management and Risk Management
• Mergers & Acquisitions
• Employment Law
• Corporate/Commercial Law

REPRESENTATIVE WORK

Corporate Governance:

• Experience with all aspects of developing a functional board and organizational governance framework, including board and organizational policies and procedures, board operations best practices, minutes and records management, and subsidiary governance.
• Experience with advising on all governance aspects of corporate structuring, including appropriate governance considerations in the establishment of complex corporate structures, partnerships, or joint venture relationships, particularly in the context of project development.
• Certified as a governance professional through Governance Professionals of Canada
• Provided in-house strategic and operational governance leadership and advised the Board of Directors and management of a federally regulated bank as an executive officer and Vice-President (Corporate Secretary), including coordinating all board, committee and shareholder meetings, maintaining corporate records and regulatory filings, and managing governance policies and practices to support effective board oversight, operations, reporting, and stakeholder relations.

Environmental Social Governance (ESG):

• Experience advising on the development of ESG strategies, including conducting ESG materiality and risk assessments, scenario analysis, adaptation plans, and disclosures.
• Completed a comprehensive global ESG designation program through Competent Boards covering the following areas of oversight: ESG, Climate Change, Diversity, Human Rights, Supply Chain, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Anti-Corruption, Responsible Data Use, Cybersecurity, Tax, Investments, Compensation, Stakeholder Engagement, and Financial Disclosures.
• Collaborated with a cross-functional team to support the development of an ESG strategy for a federally regulated bank and developed a framework for ESG oversight by the Board of Directors.

Regulatory Compliance Management and Risk Management:

• Experience conducting organizational and compliance risk assessments and developing policies and procedures for the identification, assessment, mitigation, and oversight of legal, organizational, and regulatory compliance risk
• Certified in Regulatory Compliance and Legal Risk Management for financial institutions.
• Managed the Regulatory Compliance Management (RCM) program of a federally regulated bank, including supporting the design, development, testing, and roll-out of a comprehensive Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) tool.

Mergers & Acquisitions:

• Experience advising on all aspects of mergers & acquisitions, including deal structuring, legal due diligence, drafting and negotiating purchase and sale agreements, sale auction processes, and facilitating all associated transactional matters.
• Experience advising on and facilitating organizational merger transitions and integrations, including integration governance and oversight, operational integration, human resources integration, and stakeholder engagement and communications.

Employment Law:

• Experience with the development of executive compensation packages, employee incentive and performance management structures, employee share ownership programs, and employee retention programs.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE

• Cohort Leader, Dispute Resolution Program, College of Law, University of Saskatchewan (2021-2023)
• Director, Governance & Risk Committee Chair, Friends of the Broadway Theatre (2020-2021)
• Representative, Legal Services Task Team Working Group (Joint Initiative of Ministry of Justice and Law Society of Saskatchewan) (2018)
• Representative, Chief Justice of Canada’s National Action Committee on Access to Civil and Family Justice (2016-2018)
• Board Member, Public Legal Education Association of Saskatchewan (2017-2018)
• Member and Co-Coordinator, Saskatchewan Access to Justice Working Group (2016-2018)
• Member, Children’s Wish Foundation Saskatchewan Chapter Advisory Board (2016-2018)
• Member, Dean’s Forum on Access to Justice Steering Committee (2013-2015)
• Editorial Board Member, Saskatchewan Law Review (2013)
• Coordinator, Legal Advice Clinic, CLASSIC: Clinical Legal Assistance Services for Saskatoon Inner City (2012-2013)

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

• Member, Law Society of Saskatchewan
• Member, Governance Professionals of Canada
• Member, Canadian Bar Association
• Member, Canadian Bar Association
• Member, Institute of Corporate Directors (past)
• Member, Canadian Banker’s Association (past)

BAR ADMISSIONS & EDUCATION

• Global Competent Boards Designation & Certificate (GCB.D), Competent Boards, 2023
• Designated Governance Professional (GPC.D), Governance Professionals of Canada, 2022
• Regulatory Compliance and Legal Risk Management for Financial Institutions (Certificate), Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, 2019
• Saskatchewan Bar, 2015
• Juris Doctor (Great Distinction), University of Saskatchewan, 2014
• Bachelor of Arts (Honours), Regional and Urban Planning, University of Saskatchewan, 2010

TEACHING

• Sessional Lecturer, University of Saskatchewan, College of Law, (2015), Special Topics: Dean’s Forum on Access to Justice

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

• Presenter, “Leading and Influencing Without Formal Authority” (2023) Women in Leadership Conference, Saskatoon and Regina
• Brea Lowenberger, Michaela Keet & Janelle Anderson, “Collaborative Policy-Making, Law Students, and Access to Justice: The Rewards of Destabilizing Institutional Patterns” (2017) The Windsor Yearbook on Access to Justice
• Anderson, Janelle, “Clinical Legal Education: Perspectives from Former Clinical Law Students” (2013) 37:1 Manitoba Law Journal
• Anderson, Janelle, “Book Note: Oral History on Trial: Recognizing Aboriginal Narratives in the Courts” (2013) 76:2 Saskatchewan Law Review
• Panel Presenter, “The Clinic in the Community” (2013) Association of Canadian Clinical Legal Educators (ACCLE) Conference: Core Foundations and New Directions, Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University
• Panel Presenter, “Professional Identity Formation and Clinical Education” (2012) Association of Canadian Clincial Legal Educators (ACCLE) Conference: Raising the Bar: Innovations and Best Practices in Clinical Legal Education, Robson Hall, University of Manitoba

PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS AND AWARDS

• Member Spotlight, Governance Professionals of Canada (2021)
• Harris and Lauretta and Raymond Earl Parr Memorial Scholarship in Law (2013)    
• BLG Research Fellowship (2012)
• University of Saskatchewan Scholarship (Academic achievement) (2012)
• APCPS Andy Campbell Award (Highest academic performance) (2011)
• Canadian Institute of Planners Student Award (Highest academic performance) (2011)
• Regional and Urban Planning Convocation Award (Highest academic performance) (2011)
• University of Saskatchewan Scholarship (Academic achievement) (2010)
• University of Saskatchewan Scholarship (Academic achievement) (2009)
• M.J. Coldwell Prize in Canadian Affairs (Highest academic performance) (2009)