Heather Keachie

Heather is the lead partner of Gardiner Roberts’ Non-Profit and Charities practice and works exclusively with charities and non-profit organizations. She advises on a wide range of matters, including corporate governance, organizational structuring, commercial agreements, and tax and regulatory compliance. Her work regularly involves charitable registrations and CRA filings, charitable receipting, endowment funds, gifting and restricted gift arrangements, and advising on relationships with non-qualified donees. Heather also assists clients with related commercial real estate matters, including leasing, title review, development, and transactional work.

In addition to her client work, Heather is actively engaged in sector advocacy through leadership roles with the Ontario and Canadian Bar Associations’ charities and not-for-profit sections. As part of her work with the Canadian Bar Association, she was appointed to the federal government’s Technical Issues Working Group, where she worked closely with the Charities Directorate on regulatory issues affecting registered charities and other qualified donees.

Heather began her legal career as a law clerk at the Federal Court of Appeal in Ottawa and later taught law in The Gambia, West Africa, before returning to Toronto to practise in a solicitor-side general practice. She has volunteered within Toronto’s charitable and not-for-profit community for more than 15 years and is a committed advocate for the volunteer sector.

Expertise