Shannon Leo

Shannon Leo is a Client Partner at Pekarsky & Co. where she leads executive search and leadership advisory mandates in our Toronto office. Shannon is a lawyer by training and was most recently the Chief Talent Officer for one of Canada’s top national law firms, where she oversaw the lawyer recruitment, development, and retention initiatives for the firm nationally. During her tenure, Shannon helped the firm grow and increase in profitability through strategic talent acquisitions, while also developing programs to get the most out of the firm’s talent. She was particularly dedicated to bolstering inclusion and diversity initiatives and is passionate about furthering gender and racial equity at the executive and board levels.

Shannon is uniquely qualified to consult on performance and mental wellness initiatives; she completed her master’s degree in counselling psychology at the University of Toronto and is a Qualifying Registered Psychotherapist with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario. She also has professional coach training from the Co-active Training Institute and is qualified to perform leadership assessments, having completed the Hogan certification.

Shannon is interested in the intersection of human potential and business and is well versed in the corporate world, having spent since 2010 in recruitment and talent roles at corporate firms. She also recently obtained the “Leading with Finance” certificate from Harvard Business School.

Before her most recent position, she managed the student program for another large law firm for five years and was the Director of Career Services at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Law from 2006 to 2010. She has been involved with the National Association of Legal Professionals (NALP) since 2005 and is a past chair for the Canadian Section’s On-Campus Interview Advisory Group. She is a regular speaker at NALP events and law schools across the country.

When Shannon isn’t working, you will likely find her outdoors hiking, skiing, running, and trying to keep up with her family. She also loves reading and podcasts to keep up with current trends in business, psychology, and human capital.