Ismail is a lawyer within the Business Law group and is co-lead of the Housing Team. Ismail brings a practical approach to the law using his experience as an engineer, a lawyer, and an executive.
Ismail has extensive experience in the housing sector through various roles, including General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, at Toronto Community Housing where he provided strategic legal advice to the entire organization and its Board of Directors. During this tenure, Ismail managed the legal services division, the procurement department, the risk management and insurance group, the privacy and freedom of information unit, and the Office of Diversity, Fairness, and Human Rights. As Corporate Secretary, Ismail was responsible for managing all aspects of corporate governance for the corporation and its 20+ subsidiaries.
Prior to law, Ismail was an engineer in a nuclear plant. He uses his engineering experience to assist his clients in renewable energy law matters by bridging the gap between the legal and technical aspects of transactions.
Ismail has a MBA from the University of Oxford and uses this business management knowledge to provide practical and strategic legal advice to his corporate clients.
Outside of work, Ismail is an avid chess player, who has played in local, national, and international tournaments, including playing in the World Chess Olympiads.