Lawyer Profile
Deanne MacLeod
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Overview
Deanne MacLeod is a Partner at Stewart McKelvey with over 25 years of experience advising clients across a broad range of corporate and commercial matters. Recognised as one of Canada’s leading corporate lawyers, Deanne brings a practical, business-minded approach to complex transactions and ongoing strategic matters.
Deanne works with a diverse group of clients, including entrepreneurs and owner-managed businesses, publicly traded companies, and real estate investment trusts. She is valued by her clients not only for her technical expertise, but for her ability to cut through complexity, anticipate risk, and deliver clear, commercially sound advice at every stage of a transaction or business relationship.
Her transactional practice is extensive. Over the course of her career, Deanne has led transaction teams on acquisitions, divestitures, and corporate reorganisations involving local, regional, and national businesses across a range of industries. She has particular depth in commercial real estate, having advised clients on the acquisition and divestiture of commercial real estate portfolios, complex leasing arrangements, and secured financing transactions.
Beyond individual transactions, Deanne serves as a trusted long-term advisor to many of her clients, providing ongoing strategic and commercial counsel as they grow, evolve, and navigate new opportunities and challenges. Her clients consistently turn to her for thoughtful guidance on governance matters, commercial contracts, and the full range of issues that arise in the day-to-day life of a business.
Harvard Business School Executive Education Program: “Making Corporate Boards More Effective”, 2025
Chair, Partnership Board, Stewart McKelvey, 2024 – present Member, Stewart McKelvey Partnership Board Trustee, Phoenix Youth Programs Charitable Foundation Director, Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo Past Chair, Mount Saint Vincent University Board of Governors Past Chair, Phoenix Youth Society Past Chair, Art Gallery of Nova Scotia Member, Institute of Corporate Directors Member, Canadian Bar Association
King’s Counsel, 2023 Lexpert rating: Corporate Commercial Law, 2019 – 2026 Lexpert rating: Mergers & Acquisitions, 2012, 2015 – 2017, 2019 – 2020, 2023 Lexpert rating: Competition Law, 2020 – 2025 Lexpert Magazine’s ‘Rising Stars: Leading Lawyers Under 40’, 2009
Practice Areas
Bar Information
Called to the bar: 1997 (NS)