HALIFAX, May 24, 2023 – McInnes Cooper is pleased to announce that Hanaa Al Sharief has joined the firm as a Partner.
Hanaa joins the firm’s immigration and estates and trusts practice groups. She will continue to assist corporate and individual clients in all areas of business and personal immigration law. Her estates practice will focus on serving the Muslim community in Atlantic Canada and their unique needs.
Following two strategic mergers, the hire emphasizes the firm’s objective to engage the best talent and expand service offerings to key areas of demand in the Atlantic region.
“We are always looking at opportunities in the marketplace to better position ourselves to serve our clients with excellence,” says Kevin Kiley, McInnes Cooper’s Managing Partner. “As a result, our firm continues to grow; we are attracting the best talent across the board. We’re excited to have Hanaa join our team.”
Hanaa is a well-respected lawyer with over 12 years of experience, gained while working in Canada and internationally. Fluent in Arabic and English, Hanaa represents a wide range of clients. She regularly advises businesses on the transfer and recruitment of foreign workers to Canada. Hanaa also helps individuals and their families develop strategies to obtain temporary and permanent resident status in Canada.
As the first female Muslim lawyer in Nova Scotia, and one of the very few lawyers offering legal services in Arabic in Atlantic Canada, Hanaa has a personal understanding of the complexities and religious obligations that Muslims face with wills and estate planning.
When asked about the transition, Hanaa commented, “There’s a considerable gap in the availability of culturally and religiously sensitive legal services for the growing Middle Eastern and Muslim communities in Atlantic Canada. Specifically, there is a great demand for Islamic compliant wills and estate planning services. McInnes Cooper was not just willing to develop this practice area, but excited to pursue the opportunity and do great things together for my community. The efforts of McInnes Cooper to foster diversity, equity and inclusion demonstrate that the firm doesn’t just talk the talk; they walk the walk.”
Beyond her legal practice, Hanaa is passionate about giving back to the community. Through her involvement with the Canadian Muslim Lawyers Association, she is dedicated to helping her community navigate the legal system and get access to justice.
Hanaa will support McInnes Cooper’s pursuit of excellence and enhance value for clients within and outside Atlantic Canada.
About McInnes Cooper
McInnes Cooper is among the 25 largest law firms in Canada and a member of Lex Mundi, the world’s leading network of independent law firms. Providing strategic counsel to industry-leading clients from Canada and abroad, the firm continues to thrive through its relentless focus on client success, talent engagement and innovation. With an integrated team of more than 200 lawyers and over 200 professional resources across seven offices in Charlottetown, Fredericton, Halifax, Moncton, Saint John, St. John’s and Sydney, McInnes Cooper is positioned – both in size and experience – to offer clients a full range of legal services.
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