Our Team

GAETANO BARRILA

LAWYER

Our forward thinking captain.

CONSTANTINE FABRIKIS

LAWYER

Our corporate wizard.

GIOVANNA GUAJARDO

LAW CLERK

The secret to her success is in her coffee. Lots of it.

MELISSA SOUSA

LAW CLERK

The glue that keeps us together.

GAETANO BARRILA

LAWYER

He runs this non-traditional, entrepreneurial law firm they call Barrila Law, which has been innovating the practice of law since 2009. Under his leadership and competitive spirit, Barrila Law has recently captured both the Vaughan Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year Award and Top Choice Award – Top Real Estate Law Firm in Vaughan (for the past five consecutive years). He is highly interested in disrupting the traditional legal industry by breaking down legal barriers that get in the way of lawyers delivering exceptional service to their clients. Have a chat with him and he’ll tell you he is not in the business of “law” but rather in the business of “people.”

Gaetano has been an entrepreneur since he was 16 having started his own business while still attending high school. He knows small business, family business, and loves helping businesses grow. A graduate of the Schulich School of Business, and a member of both the Ontario Bar and New York Bar – his training in business and law gives him a unique business acumen when advising clients from small businesses to financial institutions.

Gaetano’s practice is dedicated to the areas of real estate law, corporate/commercial law, and wills/estate law. Gaetano assists clients on transactions including land acquisitions, acquisition of commercial/retail buildings and plazas, corporate organization/reorganization, acquisitions of businesses, commercial leases, will drafting, estate planning, and contract drafting.

When he is not taking care of his clients, you can find this loyal husband and proud father of two, on the ice coaching, or playing hockey in the driveway with his boys. He loves hanging out with his health-conscious wife (who also happens to be an amazing baker) and enjoys a glass of wine from time to time. Although he has a passion for golf he is completely comfortable admitting he is a “weekend hacker.”

Gaetano is fluent in Italian.

Bar Admissions
Admitted to practice law in the Province of Ontario
Admitted to practice law in the State of New York

Education
J.D., University of Detroit Mercy School of Law
B.B.A. (with Honours), Schulich School of Business, York University

CONSTANTINE FABRIKIS

LAWYER

Constantine is an associate in the firm and his practice focuses on corporate-commercial law. We are not quite sure that anyone in the office enjoys dissecting a corporate minute book or 50 page commercial agreement more than Constantine. Constantine is experienced in assisting clients with various corporate transactions including incorporations, business asset purchases, business asset sales, business share purchases, business share sales, corporate financings, drafting shareholder agreements and internal corporate reorganizations including section 85 and section 86 tax rollovers and estate freezes.

He is a graduate of the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University and a member of the Ontario Bar. He has been working in the field since long before attending law school and is prepared to assist clients with businesses at any stage of development.

In his spare time Constantine enjoys travelling and skiing.

GIOVANNA GUAJARDO

LAW CLERK

There is not much that Giovanna can’t do. She’s living proof that if you put your mind to it and work hard enough, you can learn anything. Giovanna craves knowledge and is eager to learn. She assists senior lawyers stick handle through high level real estate and commercial transactions, business transactions, and just about anything else that rolls across her desk. She also oversees the law clerk training program at Barrila Law training junior law clerks on real estate, business, and wills/estates matters. Giovanna is a graduate of Humber College’s Law Clerk program and has been with the firm since 2011 (when she started on a plastic table)! When she’s not returning client emails at 11:00 p.m., Giovanna enjoys traveling, playing soccer, and spending time with her friends and family.

MELISSA SOUSA

LAW CLERK

If you need a breadth of fresh air, a smile, or a shoulder to cry on – look no further than Melissa. Prior to working at Barrila Law, Melissa spent four years with Vaughan’s largest law firm overseeing builder condominium projects. Melissa’s work is focused on assisting with all aspects of real estate and corporate/commercial transactions; and oversees the client service department at Barrila Law. Melissa is a graduate of Humber College’s Law Clerk program and has been with the firm since 2010. She’s the original – remembers the simpler days when the firm was two people – her and Gaetano (that’s where the tradition of celebrating birthdays with cakes started!) When she’s not working, this loving wife and proud new mother enjoys baking specialty cupcakes and spending time with family and friends, and listening to Danza Kuduro (over and over and over again). Melissa is fluent in Portuguese.