Best Lawyers in Ontario, Canada for Labour and Employment Law

David Bannon is a labour and employment lawyer in Hicks Morley’s Toronto office. He represents employers in the private sector in a variety of litigation forums. David is certified by the Law Society of Ontario as a Specialist in Labour and Employment Law and is a board member of the Law Society of Ontario Certified Specialist Program. David regularly appears before the Ontario Labour Relations Board and private arbitrators, Provincial Offences Court defending against Occupational Healt...

Anne Gallop practises in all areas of employment and labour law, including wrongful dismissal, human rights and disability management. She routinely advises on all aspects of employment policies, ensuring compliance with the various legislative regimes. Ms. Gallop also has significant experience in corporate reorganizations and corporate mergers and acquisitions, where she advises on the labour, employment and employee privacy issues arising from such transactions. She routinely advises on em...

Pinta is an experienced trial lawyer practising primarily in the area of complex medical negligence, joining Gluckstein Lawyers as Senior Counsel in 2025. She has extensive experience advocating for plaintiffs in cases involving birth injuries, surgical errors, delayed diagnoses, hospital negligence, and catastrophic brain injuries. Pinta represents clients in actions against physicians, nurses, hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare institutions. Uniquely positioned as former defence couns...

Jane’s practice focuses exclusively on advice and advocacy to public and private sector employers in all areas of workplace law. Jane represents both union and non-union clients. Jane has extensive experience assisting clients in addressing labour law, employment law, human rights and disability management matters. She regularly advocates for clients during labour relations disputes, collective bargaining, interest arbitration and grievance arbitrations. She also regularly represents cl...

Michael Smyth is an employment and labour lawyer in Hicks Morley’s Toronto office. He has 30 years of experience advising employers on matters related to grievances and arbitrations, discipline and terminations, human rights issues and complaints, certification applications, corporate restructuring, collective bargaining and employment contracts. Michael regularly represents federally and provincially regulated employers in the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors. He acts as lea...

Karen Jones is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Health Care Law and Labour and Employment Law. Karen, who practices law in Toronto, Ontario, has been recognized since 2022. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Karen is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Neena Gupta is a partner in the firm’s Waterloo and Toronto offices. Her practice focuses on a broad range of employment and human rights matters. Neena has advised a broad range of employers, from start ups to world-renowned multinationals, on all aspects of employment law, including employment policies, offer letters, compensation plans, cross-border employment and regulatory compliance in Canada. Neena regularly advises employers on both compliance and litigation involving the Ontari...

Khiam Nong is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Labour and Employment Law. Khiam, who practices law in Toronto, Ontario, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Khiam is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Bill Gale is a Partner at Grosman Gale Fletcher Hopkins LLP since 1989, where he practices in the area of employment law . He was selected by Lexpert’s Peer Review process as one of the “Top 500 Lawyers in Canada” for each year from 2012 to the present. He has appeared in court at both the trial and appellate levels to argue many reported decisions dealing with issues such as wrongful dismissal litigation , human rights , occupational health & safety, employment contract...

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,...

Elisa Scali is a partner based in the Ottawa office of Gowling WLG. With over 18 years of experience, Elisa is highly regarded for her practical advice in the area of employment and labour law, and has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in Canada for her work. Elisa provides advice to clients regarding all aspects of employment law, including wrongful dismissal, human rights, absenteeism and disability matters, employee benefits, and privacy issues. She also assists employers in reviewing or...

Charles Hurdon is managing partner of our Canadian practice and sits on our global executive committee. He is chair of our Canadian management committee. Mr. Hurdon practises employment and labour law exclusively, advising and representing employers in both federal and provincial jurisdictions. He has extensive experience in representing and advising employers in matters relating to executive employment agreements, executive compensation and executive terminations. Mr. Hurdon regularly appear...

Arleen is a partner at Koskie Minsky LLP and the head of the firm’s Employment Law Group (an area in which our firm ranked among top-rated firms according to Lexpert/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada). In December 2020, Arleen was selected to receive a Law Society Medal , the highest honour bestowed by the Law Society of Ontario. In 2021, she was elected by the readers of Canadian Lawyer as one of the Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers in the Human Rights, Advocacy...

Ed Canning is an employment lawyer and Partner at Ross & McBride LLP. He has been an employment lawyer in Hamilton for over 25 years, representing both employers and employees. For the last 21 years, Ed has written a bi-weekly column in the Hamilton Spectator on employment law. Throughout his career, Ed has appeared before the courts and a variety of tribunals. In 2001 he argued a Human Rights Code appeal before the Supreme Court of Canada and in 2016 before the Ontario Court of Appeal. E...

Lily Harmer is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Administrative and Public Law, Insolvency and Financial Restructuring Law and Labour and Employment Law. Lily, who practices law in Toronto, Ontario, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Lily is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Jamie has more than 40 years of experience representing management in labour and employment law, working out of both the Hamilton and Toronto offices. Jamie regularly appears before the courts, arbitration boards, and federal and provincial labour relations tribunals, as well as before adjudicators in human rights, employment standards and health and safety matters. He has extensive experience in collective bargaining and in guiding employers through the process of responding to union organiz...