About Rob

Rob Granatstein is a seasoned lawyer and senior executive with over four decades of experience in the legal and not-for-profit sectors. He completed his undergraduate and legal education at McGill University, earning two law degrees (common law and civil law) in 1981. He later obtained a graduate degree in law from Harvard University in 1986, with his thesis published in the Manitoba Law Journal.

Rob began his legal career as a summer student at Ogilvy Renault (now Norton Rose) in Montreal, and then at McCarthy Tetrault in Toronto, where he articled and practiced business law from 1981 to 1983. He then worked at Goodwin Procter and the Bank of Boston in Boston, gaining valuable international experience. In 1986, Rob joined Blake Cassels & Graydon LLP (Blakes), a leading law firm based in Toronto. As a business law partner until 2001, he advised businesses on growth, financing, strategic planning, and legal needs.

From 2001 to 2020, Rob served as the National Managing Partner at Blakes, overseeing daily operations and key functional groups such as Marketing, IT, Finance, HR, and more. Under his leadership, Blakes expanded to approximately 600 lawyers and 675 staff members, operating then from multiple offices across Canada, New York, Chicago, London,  the Middle East, and China. Rob's role required strong skills in strategic planning, consensus-building, and organizational management, as he facilitated consensus among the firm's 175 partner/owners.

Since 2021, Rob has co-chaired Heart to Heart, an organization focused on leadership development and peace-building for Palestinian and Israeli teens. He also serves as Treasurer and Vice-Chair of Gilda’s Toronto, supporting cancer patients and their families. His early volunteer work included fundraising for social action organizations and involvement in political and health-related initiatives.

Rob for OLP Secretary

• Commitment to community

  A life-long volunteer, Rob's experience in the not-for-profit sector highlights his dedication to building stronger communities and his ability to work collaboratively with diverse groups to raise funds and build capacity.

• Grounded governance

  Rob's deep understanding of governance practices makes him exceptionally well-suited to Executive Council. His role on the board of partners and executive committee at Blakes required him to navigate complex frameworks, ensuring compliance and mitigating risks.

• Skilled leadership

  Rob has extensive experience managing large, complex organizations effectively. He has successfully overseen the daily operations of a major law firm with approximately 600 lawyers and 675 staff members, ensuring smooth coordination among various functional groups.