Kari Melissa Abrams

Kari is responsible for the full life cycle of people management at the Firm, including recruitment, onboarding, professional development, employee engagement, performance management, and compensation for legal professionals and business services staff. She is also a committed contributor to the Firm’s pro bono and diversity and inclusion initiatives. Having spent many years in private practice, Kari brings a first-hand understanding of our lawyers’ needs at every stage of their careers.

Kari began her career at Blakes as a first-year summer student and went on to become a partner in the Employment and Labour group at a national law firm before rejoining Blakes in 2010 as the Director of Students. More recently, Kari was responsible for the associate and student programs in the Toronto office and acted as Employment Counsel for the Firm. She also led our best-in-class first-year and mid-level training programs for associates nationally.

Kari is a member of the National Association for Law Placement (NALP) and the Professional Development Consortium (PDC).

She serves on the Blakes Student Committee and the Legal Personnel Committee. Kari has completed the Certificate in Mental Health First Aid.

Admitted to the Ontario Bar – 2001 LLB, Osgoode Hall Law School – 1999 MIR (Industrial Relations), University of Toronto – 1996 BA (Industrial Relations), McGill University – 1995