The Luceo Legal Team
At Luceo Legal, we represent clients in complex litigation and commercial disputes, with a focus on matters where serious misconduct is an element.
Investigations, injunctions, and risk management are key priorities for the team. Our work includes providing effective solutions for urgent matters, with extensive experience addressing injunctive relief and extraordinary remedies. We represent companies and individuals in a wide range of proceedings, investigations, and disputes, including matters involving civil fraud, wrongful competition, restrictive covenants, breach of confidence, misappropriation of confidential information, breach of fiduciary duty, oppression, and other complex disputes involving shareholders, employees, directors, officers, and nuanced business relationships.
BREANNA NEEDHAM
Founder & Principal Lawyer
Breanna is a commercial litigation lawyer with a focus on matters where misconduct is an element. She has extensive experience working on cases involving investigations and injunctions, as well as strategic analysis, legal research, written submissions, and opinions in confidential, high-profile, and high-stakes matters.
Breanna has consistently been recognized for her work in the commercial litigation space. She represents companies and individuals in a wide variety of proceedings, investigations, and disputes, including in matters involving fraud, misappropriation, conversion, restrictive covenants, breach of confidence, breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract, and other complex disputes involving shareholders, employees, directors, officers, and nuanced business relationships.
She has successfully represented clients before all levels of court in Ontario, as well as in mediations and commercial arbitrations. Breanna also has experience advising on ethical compliance and conflicts of interest, including legal obligations in the political sector.
Part of Breanna’s approach to practice includes preventing problems before they happen including through offering risk management services to clients so that issues can be addressed before they become emergencies. In addition to working directly with her own clients, Breanna also offers bespoke of counsel and freelance services to other lawyers, law firms, and in-house legal departments to assist with litigation, investigations, injunctions, trials, appeals, and other complex matters.
Breanna founded Luceo Legal after practicing law at two of the largest law firms in Canada, one of the leading litigation boutiques, and the Toronto office of an international law firm.
In addition to her work, Breanna is a frequent speaker at legal conferences and educational seminars on litigation practice and procedure, as well as professionalism, equity, diversity, and inclusion in the legal profession.
To speak with Breanna, call (647) 265-9998
SONAL MASHANKAR
Associate Lawyer
Sonal is passionate about using advocacy to navigate complex legal challenges and help clients find practical solutions. Her interests lie in commercial litigation, informed by her experience across multiple jurisdictions and a sincere commitment to client service. Sonal is a dual-qualified lawyer licensed to practice in Ontario and India. Before joining Luceo Legal, Sonal articled at a national law firm in Ottawa, where she worked on a broad range of civil litigation matters. She has four years of experience as a litigator before courts in India, which not only honed her advocacy, legal research, and legal drafting skills, but also brings a unique international perspective to her work.
Sonal has successfully handled a range complex matters, including arbitrations, with a focus on commercial litigation and insolvency proceedings. She is passionate about commercial litigation and its intersection with employment law, and believes in using effective advocacy to navigate complex legal challenges and develop solutions to align with client goals and business objectives.
Sonal holds a Master of Laws (LLM) degree from the University of Ottawa, and a law degree from the National Law Institute University, India. She was called to the Ontario Bar in 2025.
To speak with Sonal, call (647) 265-9998 ext. 103
NICOLE D’ALESSANDRO
Associate Lawyer
Nicole joined Luceo Legal after completing her articles with a premier litigation boutique in Toronto. As an articling student, Nicole honed her legal research and drafting skills across various commercial litigation, bankruptcy and insolvency, and employment law matters. After being called to the Ontario Bar, Nicole had the opportunity to collaborate on civil litigation matters and engage in human rights tribunal work. She has experience independently managing complex litigation matters, providing clients with comprehensive case assessments and strategic advice. Nicole is particularly skilled at guiding clients through successful alternative dispute resolution processes, including settlement negotiations, in order to achieve timely, efficient, and effective resolution of matters.
Nicole completed her law degree at the University of Windsor, Faculty of Law, where she developed a passion for client advocacy and advancing access to justice. She represented the University of Windsor, Faculty of Law, in multiple moot competitions and has appeared before various tribunals and levels of court. During law school, Nicole also volunteered with several legal clinics and Pro Bono Students Canada.
Prior to attending law school, Nicole worked for an Ontario regulatory college, where she gained critical experience with and insight into the complaints and investigations process. Nicole completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Toronto, obtaining an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree with high distinction. Nicole is committed to the betterment of the community, with a focus on poverty alleviation. She currently volunteers with Pro Bono Ontario, and her volunteer work with Lawyers Feed the Hungry inspired her to both pursue a legal career and deepen her commitment to giving back to the community.
Nicole was called to the Ontario bar in 2024.
To speak with Nicole, call (647) 265-9998 ext. 106
FRED WU
Counsel
Fred Wu is a litigation lawyer with broad experience in civil-commercial disputes, and a particular focus in intellectual property. Fred’s experience stems from his work at top Canadian and UK boutiques, as well as large national and multinational full-service firms. He has acted for leading businesses in matters before the Federal Court, Federal Court of Appeal, Ontario Superior Court of Justice (including Divisional Court), Court of Appeal for Ontario, and UK Supreme Court. Fred is of counsel and practices in association with the firm.
Fred combines his technical acumen, legal expertise, and creative problem-solving in law practice. The University of Ottawa Faculty of Law conferred on him a JD cum laude in Law & Technology. Before law school, Fred trained as a molecular virologist, obtaining an BMSc (Hons) with distinction in Biochemistry from Western University and a MSc in Medical Microbiology & Immunology from the University of Alberta.
Fred was called to the bar of Ontario in 2017.
To speak with Fred, call (647) 265-9998 ext. 105
JUSTINE COAKLEY
Office Manager & Law Clerk
With over a decade of experience in civil litigation, Justine has a deep and practical understanding of the Rules of Civil Procedure, as well as comprehensive knowledge of court procedures and case flow management. Justine’s extensive experience ensures that client matters are handled efficiently and effectively at every stage, regardless of the type of dispute or proceeding, from intake through to resolution.
Justine is passionate about delivering exceptional service and takes pride in supporting both clients and the Luceo Legal team with professionalism, accuracy, and care. Her dedication to client-focused service and procedural excellence contributes to ensuring a consistently high level of quality work for clients.
To speak with Justine, call (647) 265-9998 ext. 104
DR. LENA SALEH, Ph.D.
Law Student
Originally from Edmonton, Alberta, Lena holds a B.A. Honours (First-Class Standing) and M.A. in Political Science from the University of Alberta. She later completed her Ph.D. in Political Science from Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario. Prior to beginning her legal studies, Lena worked at the University of Toronto and the Government of Canada with Public Safety Canada.
Lena is currently a law student at Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto, Ontario, and is heading into her final year of law school with an anticipated graduation in the Spring of 2026. Lena’s areas of academic focus include regulatory offences, legal procedure, and administrative law, with a particular interest in the intersection of litigation and public interest work.
Lena is an experienced writer and researcher, with a number of published peer-reviewed articles and book chapters on a range of topics, including human rights and electoral politics. Additionally, Lena has a variety of pending publications focused on key issues in the legal profession, including judicial independence, women’s rights, municipal regulatory offences, and the impact of provincial electoral politics on the legal profession.
To speak with Lena, call (647) 265-9998 ext. 102