Best Ottawa, Ontario Labour and Employment Lawyers

Elisa Scali is a partner in Gowling WLG's Ottawa office. She is a member of the firm's national Employment, Labour & Equalities (ELE) Practice Group and the leader of the Ottawa ELE team. Elisa works closely with employers to assist them in achieving and maintaining compliance with employment laws and offers practical solutions to manage and minimize employment-related legal risks. She regularly provides advice to employers on all aspects of the employment relationship, including recruitm...

Nigel McKechnie is a fully bilingual labour and employment lawyer practising out of Hicks Morley’s Ottawa office. He is experienced in providing advice and litigating matters before the courts and administrative tribunals. Nigel is a responsive and strong advocate for clients. He has appeared as lead counsel before the Ontario Labour Relations Board, the Canadian Industrial Relations Board, the Federal Court, the Ontario Superior Court and, most recently, the Court of Appeal for Ontario...

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...

Amy Derickx is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area of Labour and Employment Law. Amy practices law in Ottawa, Ontario Best Lawyers has recognized Amy Derickx since 2027. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Amy Derickx is held by other lawyers.

Christopher Edwards is a senior partner in our Employment, Labour & Public Law , Commercial Litigation , Insurance and Workplace Investigations Groups. A seasoned litigator, he has over 20 years of experience conducting trials and hearings before administrative tribunals and arbitrators. Christopher has appeared at all levels of Courts in Ontario including the Ontario Court of Appeal and federally at the Federal Court of Appeal. Christopher is currently one of three partners on the Manage...

Boris Subara is a Partner in Fasken’s Ottawa office and is a member of the firm’s Labour, Employment & Human Rights group. He practices in all areas of labour and employment law and provides practical advice and representation to employers and management on a wide range of issues that arise during the course of the employment relationship. Among other things, Boris advises both provincially and federally regulated employers with respect to terminations, human rights issues, th...

Sean Bawden is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Corporate and Commercial Litigation and Labour and Employment Law. Sean practices law in Ottawa, Ontario Best Lawyers has recognized Sean Bawden since 2025. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Sean Bawden is held by other lawyers.

André serves a large client base in the public, broader public and private sectors with a particular focus on health care and post-secondary education. His clients value his strategic input, practical advice and responsiveness. In addition to managing a substantial grievance arbitration practice in both official languages, André supports his vast client base by providing advice and legal representation in the context of collective agreement bargaining, preparation of employment ...

A member of the Ontario, Quebec and Nunavut bars, Sébastien Lorquet is a lawyer, strategist and negotiator with more than 20 years experience assisting employers with their most challenging human resources issues. He assists the firm's clients with a wide range of issues relating to labour relations, grievance arbitration, union certification, strikes, dismissals, corporate policies, personnel management, restructuring, human rights and labour standards. Sébastien has extensive ...

John Peters is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area of Labour and Employment Law. John practices law in Ottawa, Ontario Best Lawyers has recognized John Peters since 2021. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which John Peters is held by other lawyers.

George Vuicic is a labour and employment lawyer in Hicks Morley’s Ottawa office and a member of the firm’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee. In his fully bilingual practice, he advises and represents employers on a broad range of labour and employment issues including litigation, regulatory prosecutions, arbitration and labour board proceedings. George advises school boards, colleges and universities on both labour relations and education law including special education...

Melanie Polowin is a partner in Gowlings' Ottawa office, practising in the Employment and Labour Law National Practice Group. Melanie advises Canadian and international employers, from start-ups to well established companies, on how to effectively manage all aspects of their employment relationships, from recruitment and hiring to termination. Melanie also assists businesses and investors with the employment aspects of corporate life-cycle events, including starting up, financing, mergers and...

J.D. Sharp is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Labour and Employment Law. J.D., who practices law in Ottawa, Ontario, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which J.D. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Andrew McCreary, a lawyer in Hicks Morley’s Ottawa office, devotes his practice to labour and employment law. He predominantly works with employers in the financial services, technology, medical and defence sectors as well as those in government outsourcing. This work has included the defence of numerous wrongful dismissal claims and human rights applications in addition to union organizing campaigns, grievance arbitrations and labour board proceedings. Andrew frequently addresses depar...

Bruce Sevigny is a recognized leader in the Ontario labour and employment law field, having practised exclusively in this area for more than thirty years. Bruce regularly advises both employer and employee clients on a wide range of labour and employment law issues, including wrongful dismissal litigation, employment contract issues, federal and provincial labour board proceedings (including union certification and decertification applications), human rights complaints, labour arbitration pro...

Leanne Fisher is a labour and employment lawyer in Hicks Morley’s Ottawa office. Leanne advises employers in the public and private sectors on a wide range of matters including collective bargaining negotiations, rights arbitrations, human rights issues, wrongful dismissal matters, harassment and whistle-blowing complaints and AODA compliance issues. Leanne appears as counsel before various administrative tribunals including the Human Rights Tribunal, the Ontario Labour Relations Board ...