Vanessa Voakes

Vanessa Voakes has a diverse work experience in the legal field. Vanessa is currently the Director, Legal at Alamos Gold Inc., where they support the management of the legal department and provides strategic legal advice on corporate and commercial matters. Prior to this role, they were a Corporate Counsel at the same company.

Before joining Alamos Gold Inc., Vanessa worked as a Senior Associate at Baker McKenzie, specializing in commercial, regulatory, and competition law. In this role, they advised clients on various legal issues and drafted complex commercial agreements. Vanessa also provided guidance on regulatory compliance, including competition, foreign investment, and privacy laws.

Vanessa began their legal career as an Associate at Stikeman Elliott LLP, where they focused on litigation. Vanessa represented clients in civil and corporate commercial litigation matters and provided advice on privacy issues and regulatory compliance. Vanessa also gained experience in defending product liability, privacy, and securities class actions.

During their career, Vanessa also had brief stints as a Visiting Lawyer at Slaughter and May and as a Summer Student at Lerners LLP. Vanessa started their legal journey as an Articling Student at Stikeman Elliott LLP, where they assisted with various litigation-related matters and gained experience in securities law and commercial lending transactions.

Outside of their legal career, Vanessa served as a Vice President of University Affairs at the University of Windsor Students' Alliance. In this role, they advocated for students, assisted with academic appeals, and participated in government lobbying efforts.

Overall, Vanessa Voakes has extensive experience in the legal field, ranging from litigation and commercial law to regulatory compliance and corporate counsel work.

Vanessa Voakes completed their education at various institutions. Vanessa earned a Bachelor of Arts with Honors in Communication Studies and Political Science from the University of Windsor in the years 2002 to 2006. Later, they pursued a Juris Doctor degree from the same university between 2006 and 2009. Additionally, Vanessa obtained a Master of Laws in Business Law from York University's Osgoode Hall Law School from 2023 to 2025. Vanessa has also obtained certifications including the Certificate in Mining Law and the Certificate in Negotiating & Drafting IT Agreements from York University's Osgoode Hall Law School. Furthermore, Vanessa is recognized as a Barrister and Solicitor by the Law Society of Ontario since 2010.