E. Melisa Celebican is a Partner and a Certified Customs Specialist at Cassidy Levy Kent’s Ottawa office. Ms. Celebican represents clients in anti-dumping and countervailing duty proceedings before the Canada Border Services Agency and the Canadian International Trade Tribunal, as well as in related judicial review proceedings before the Federal Courts of Canada. She also advises clients on customs compliance and the enforcement of trade remedy measures. In addition to her trade remedies and customs practice, Ms. Celebican advises Canadian and international businesses on economic sanctions, import and export controls, tariff and surtax mitigation strategies, remission requests, and other cross-border regulatory matters. Her experience spans industries including steel, aluminum, industrial goods, and food products.
Ms. Celebican holds a Juris Doctor (cum laude) degree from the University of Ottawa, with a concentration in International Law, and a Master of Arts degree in European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies from Carleton University. During law school, Ms. Celebican was an Assistant Editor of the Ottawa Law Review, a Research Assistant to Professor Chidi Oguamanam, and mooted extensively, representing the university in two of the largest global competitions: the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot and the Foreign Direct Investment Moot. As a participant in the TradeLab legal clinic, Ms. Celebican co-authored a project for the Centre for Trade Policy and Law, providing recommendations for an investment protocol to the African Continental Free Trade Agreement.
Government Service
Prior to law school, Ms. Celebican served in Global Affairs Canada’s Europe and Eurasia Division, where she advised on political and diplomatic matters. She was recognized for her contributions with an award from then-Assistant Deputy Minister Alex Bugailiskis.
Honors
- Recognized by “Best Lawyers” as “Ones to Watch” since 2026 in the area of International Trade and Finance Law
Professional Affiliations
- Vice-Chair, Ontario Bar Association, International Law Section
- Certified Customs Specialist, Canadian Society of Customs Brokers
- Member, Organization of Women in International Trade, Ottawa Chapter
- Co-Founder and Past Chair, Turkish Canadian Lawyers Association
- Former Executive Member-at-Large, Canadian Bar Association, International Law Section
Recent Speaking Engagements
- Moderator, “Navigating Canada’s Evolving Trade Landscape”, Ontario Bar Association, March 2026
- Speaker, “Trade Law Essentials: What Businesses Need to Know”, Queen’s University, December 2025
- Speaker, “Business Considerations regarding Canadian Trade and Customs Law”, Turkish Entrepreneurs and Professionals Association of Canada, TEPAC, April 2023
Education
- J.D. (cum laude), Concentration in International Law, University of Ottawa
- M.A., European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies, Carleton University (Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council’s Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarship)
- B.A. (Bilingual), International Studies and Psychology, Glendon College, York University
Languages
- English
- Turkish
- French (conversational)
Bar Memberships
- Ontario