Best Lawyers in Ontario, Canada for Labour and Employment Law
Hugh Christie is the managing partner of Ogletree Deakins’ Toronto office. He provides commercial and public sector clients with advice on all elements of employment law, from pre-hiring through recruitment, drafting agreements, benefit plans and policies, discipline, promotion, succession planning, termination and post-employment obligations. Hugh deals with employment issues arising out of restructuring of the workplace as a result of corporate transactions and trans-border employment...
Bettina Burgess is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Labour and Employment Law. Bettina, who practices law in Kitchener, Ontario, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Bettina is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Hugh Dyer is a labour relations and employment lawyer with extensive experience in representing both private and public sector employers, responding to their need for practical, results-oriented legal advice. Hugh advises on issues that concern union and non-union employees, encompassing labour relations, negotiation and administration of collective agreements, human rights, employment standards, health and safety, and other employment matters. Hugh frequently acts as employer counsel in grie...
Patricia (Pat) Forte specializes in employment law and insurance defence. She has also completed courses in risk assessment, risk control and risk financing to receive her Canadian Risk Management (CRM) designation, and has expertise in risk management in the profit and not-for-profit sectors. In the area of employment, her expertise includes representing clients on employment standards, contracts, policies, privacy, restrictive covenants, workplace investigations, managing leaves of absence,...
John Mastoras is a senior partner in our Canadian employment and labour law group, and acts exclusively for employers. He is known to clients as a passionate and dedicated labour lawyer. He regularly litigates and provides strategic advice in connection with labour arbitrations, labour relations board disputes, collective bargaining negotiations, human rights proceedings, occupational health and safety charges, workplace insurance, labour injunctions and common law employment actions. His pra...
aul Broad is an experienced labour and employment lawyer, with a general labour and employment practice. He works with a variety of employers in both the public and private sectors in a broad range of areas including employment standards, privacy and information management, labour relations, human rights and accessibility-related issues. In addition to providing practical day-to-day advice to clients, Paul assists with complex compliance initiatives – particularly focusing on employment...
Jennifer Mathers McHenry is an executive employment lawyer and litigator. She is also the founder of Mathers McHenry & Co., a boutique downtown Toronto firm focused on executive employment law and commercial litigation. Jennifer regularly provides strategic and legal advice to senior executives, directors, partners, and others at pivotal transition points in their careers.
Carolyn Kay is a labour and employment lawyer in Hicks Morley’s Toronto office. She advises employers on the wide range of legal rights and responsibilities associated with their relationship with employees and unions. Carolyn regularly appears as counsel on behalf of employers in a variety of forums including rights and interest arbitrations, the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, the Ontario Labour Relations Board and the Pay Equity Hearings Tribunal. Carolyn provides ongoing advice to...
Sean Bawden is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate and Commercial Litigation and Labour and Employment Law. Sean, who practices law in Ottawa, Ontario, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Sean is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
John Bruce is a management-side labour and employment lawyer in Hicks Morley’s Toronto office. John acts for an array of employers in the public and private sectors in all aspects of workplace law. John assists clients with: Advocacy, Litigation and Advice. He acts as employer counsel and advocate across Canada in grievance arbitrations, civil litigation, union issues, occupational health and safety cases, and human rights matters. Transactions and Strategy. He provides clients with str...
Michael Wright is one of the founding partners at Wright Henry LLP. Since his call to the Ontario Bar in 1991 he has become recognized as one of Canada’s leading labour and employment lawyers, noted for his direct and thoughtful advice, nuanced and strategic approach, and proven track record of achieving excellent, real-world results. In his employment law practice, Michael advises and advocates for senior executives and professionals in all employment-related matters. He has extensive ...
Mark Josselyn is a partner in the firm's Ottawa office and the Ottawa group leader of the Firm's Employment and Labour Law National Practice Group. His practice focuses in the areas of employment law, insurance defence and commercial litigation Mark is an advocate before the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, the Ontario Court of Appeal and before various tribunals, including the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario. He has significant training and experience in mediation and other conflict resol...
Matthew Mihailovich is a labour and employment lawyer in Hicks Morley’s Waterloo office and the chair of the firm’s Healthcare Practice Group. He advises a wide variety of employers in both the public and private sectors on issues relating to their workplaces. Matthew appears before labour arbitrators, in court, and before the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, the Ontario Labour Relations Board, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Appea...
Balraj practices in the areas of Labour, Constitutional, Pension and Benefits, and Aboriginal Law and Indigenous Rights. In her Labour practice, Balraj represents trade unions, with a focus in the education and health care sectors. In her pension and benefits practice, Balraj has provided advice to Boards of Trustees, plan administrators, trade unions and to individuals on a broad range of pension and benefits issues, including for example: advice around legislative compliance, trustee liabil...
Barry is a founding partner of Weintraub Huang LLP. Barry's practice includes litigation of civil & corporate/commercial, environmental and employment matters. Barry is an experienced and successful trial and appellate counsel. He has made more than 1500 appearances in various types of proceedings before various courts at all stages of litigation and has also appeared before several different administrative tribunals. Barry has acted as counsel in numerous mediations and commercial arbitr...
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.