excellence awardee: Female Trailblazer of the Year (PRIVATE PRACTICE)

Shira Kalfa

https://www.facebook.com/KalfaLaw

@Kalfa Law Firm

@transalta

Shira Kalfa founded Kalfa Law Firm in 2018, serving as its principal lawyer in the area of corporate-commercial and private M&A law. Shira’s firm manages over 75 business transactions each year across a variety of industries including construction, hospitality, education, manufacturing, healthcare, fitness, retail, wholesale, and real estate, each transaction with an enterprise value of between $1 million and $30 million. Also having a background in tax law, Shira advises on tax planning to minimize obligations particularly surrounding exits, and specializes in tax-driven reorganizations under sections like 85, 86, and purifications. Shira graduated summa cum laude from York University in 2012 and from Western Law in 2015. She gained experience at a large central Ontario firm before launching her practice. Her recognitions include Best Lawyers’ Ones to Watch in Corporate Law for 2023, 2024, and 2025; Lexpert’s Rising Stars as a Lawyer to Watch in 2023; features in Lexpert Finance and M&A Edition (2024) and Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory (2024, 2025); Canada’s Top 100 Professionals magazine (2023); and media appearances on Newstalk 1010, with contributions to the Toronto Star, Globe & Mail, Hill Times, and articles in Lawyers Daily. As founder of Kalfa Law Firm, Shira leads a practice nominated for Small Business of the Year (2020) and Best Law Firm (2021). She demonstrates thought leadership by speaking at Ontario Bar Association CPD seminars on tax in private M&A and at the International Business Brokers Association (Canada) on transactional law. Shira was also nominated for RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards as a Woman of Influence (in 2021, and 2023) and Businesswoman of the Year (in 2020).

youtube.com/@canterburycollege-waterford

Kalfa Law Firm

The CMP Young Guns recognized him in 2016 as one of the Canadian mortgage Industry’s 50 brightest young stars. In 2018, 2020 & 2021, he was nominated as a Finalist for the Canadian Mortgage Awards in the categories of Alternative Lending Broker Specialist and Digital Innovator of the Year and in 2018 as a finalist for the Canadian Mortgage Awards of Excellence. In 2019, he was the recipient of the Community Trust Award for Alternative Broker Specialist of the Year – Business for Self. Reza was also recognized by the Canadian Mortgage Professional (CMP) magazine on its CMP Hotlist 2021 as one of the 53 professionals who survived the twists and turns of 2020 turning difficult situations into extraordinary opportunities, and in 2022 his brokerage was also recognized as a top brokerage on their 5-Star Brokerage List. Reza is passionate about community work, philanthropy, and contributing to initiatives that help our society’s overall success. Reza served in not-for-profit organizations in the areas of business & mentoring/ innovation, civil rights and social actions, and youth for several years in different capacities. In March 2014, he was granted the Ontario Volunteer Service Award from the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration, Province of Ontario in recognition of a 5-year award for continued services.

@blackfishfinance

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