Find Lawyers in Toronto, Ontario for Labour and Employment Law
Practice Area Overview
Labour and employment counsel provide assistance with the negotiation, drafting, interpretation, and application of collective agreements and the development of collective bargaining strategies and labour dispute contingency plans.
Counsel also assist with the development, drafting, implementation, and enforcement of workplace policies, the conduct of workplace investigations, and the determination of disciplinary matters and terminations.
They provide assistance with the negotiation and drafting of employment agreements, compensation, benefit and pension matters, and the interpretation and application of all labour and employment related legislation, including apprenticeship standards, employment equity, employment standards, immigration, labour relations, pension, privacy, workplace safety and health, and workers' compensation related legislation.
Labour and employment counsel are also regularly involved in corporate reorganizations and downsizing, mergers and acquisitions, and providing advice on all labour and employment matters that arise during such transactions.
Human rights matters often arise in the employment context and labour and employment counsel also regularly assist clients in dealing with human rights matters, including discrimination and harassment complaints and the duty to accommodate.
Labour and employment counsel also handle all labour and employment related disputes, including disputes relating to conduct during the union organizing and certification process, collective bargaining and strikes and lockouts, grievances and related arbitrations, wrongful dismissal claims, restrictive covenant issues, prosecutions under workplace safety and health legislation, employment equity, employment standards, human rights and privacy related complaints, and pension and workers' compensation issues. As a result, labour and employment counsel regularly appear as advocates for clients before arbitration boards, labour boards, employment equity, human rights, pension, privacy and workers' compensation related tribunals, and provincial and federal courts.
Given today’s work environment, labour and employment related issues can arise at any time and often require immediate attention. Effective labour and employment counsel ensure that they have a full understanding of their client’s operations and business requirements and are equipped to provide practical advice in a timely manner.
Philip Abbink, Hons BA, MA, JD, practices in the areas of professional regulation and labour law, primarily providing advocacy for health care professionals in grievance arbitrations and at professional Colleges. He also represents employees in investigations, quasi-criminal regulatory proceedings and at Coroners' Inquests. Philip is also the Co-managing Partner at Cavalluzzo. After earning a JD and a MA in International Relations from the University of Toronto, Phil articled at Cavalluzzo. D...
John-Paul Alexandrowicz is an experienced labour and employment lawyer in Hicks Morley’s Toronto office. His practice involves strategic advice and oral and written advocacy in a variety of forums including arbitration, labour boards, human rights tribunals and the courts. He acts for employers in judicial reviews, appeals and constitutional proceedings. John-Paul has significant experience representing public and Catholic school boards in collective agreement negotiations, labour arbit...
Bill has acted as strategic advisor to his clients on a wide range of work and business-related issues for over 25 years. As a senior lawyer, Bill provides practical and strategic advice to private and public sector employers in all matters related to wrongful dismissal, human rights complaints, employment standards claims, union organizing campaigns, collective bargaining, grievance arbitration and occupational health and safety. Employers and executives look to Bill for advice and direction...
Jeff has extensive experience advising Unions on an ongoing basis. He practises before the Ontario Labour Relations Board, the Canada Industrial Relations Board, the courts, the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal, at arbitration hearings and inquests. He also practises in the fields of privacy and wrongful dismissal. Jeff is the Past Chair of the Labour and Employment Law Section of the Ontario Bar Assoc...
George Avraam practices trial and appellate litigation. George is a certified specialist in civil litigation, is ranked in Benchmark Litigation, Chambers, Legal 500, Lexpert, and is a Fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers. George also holds several leadership positions at the Firm. George practices trial and appellate litigation. He is lead counsel on trials, appeals, judicial reviews, class actions, arbitrations, and administrative proceedings. While George handles trials and...
https://www.blg.com/en/people/a/axelrod-maddie Maddie Axelrod is a management-side labour and employment lawyer in BLG’s Toronto office. Her practice includes employment, labour, human rights, and education law. Maddie’s hybrid practice comprises both advice-based solicitor work and advocacy-based litigation work. Maddie also focuses on executive compensation for hospitals, school boards, and other broader public sector organizations. Within her practice, Maddie acts for private a...
David 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 Health and S...
For over 30 years, trade unions have relied on Steven Barrett to represent their interests, and the interests of their members, in all types of legal proceedings. Grievance and interest arbitration, labour relations board applications, collective bargaining – Steven does it all and makes it look easy. That’s why a member of parliament once referred to Steven as “the Wayne Gretzky of labour law”. From protecting the scope of bargaining unit work, to challenging discipli...
As a partner of the firm since 1996, Rob primarily advises private-sector employers on all aspects of labour and employment law. He frequently speaks on labour and employment law issues, and he has lectured on labour and employment law at Ryerson University and the University of Toronto. Rob was elected and continues to serve as Canada’s representative on L&E Global’s six-person, international Board of Directors. Rob has also successfully represented a number of clients to adv...
Danielle is a partner with Cavalluzzo LLP practising in the areas of workers’ and Indigenous rights, equality, health and Aboriginal law. She is also the Chair of the firm’s Student Committee. She represents unions and associations, regulated professionals including nurses and midwives, and First Nations in diverse contexts including labour disputes, government relations, human rights and constitutional law, health equity, pay equity, professional regulation, judicial reviews and ...
David has extensive experience representing unions in the federal public sector and appears frequently before arbitrators and the Canada Industrial Relations Board on behalf of postal workers and other federally regulated workers. David also specializes in education law and acts on behalf of teacher federations and their members on issues arising from their collective agreements or before the Ontario College of Teachers. David appears regularly on behalf of clients on judicial reviews in the ...
John Brooks is an experienced labour and employment law lawyer in Hicks Morley’s Toronto office. He advises and represents employers on a wide range of labour and employment matters. John regularly provides advice to employers regarding union organizing and certification and collective bargaining negotiations. He routinely acts as chief spokesperson in collective bargaining negotiations. He also advises on all aspects of the employment relationship and the handling by employers of termi...
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...
Brian is a management-side labour and employment lawyer in Fasken’s Toronto office. Brian is counsel to and a Board member of the Canadian Employers Council (CEC). The CEC is the official "voice" of Canadian business, on the international stage, including at the ILO, in respect of the world of work. In January 2021, the CEC submitted a Report to the Canadian government setting out the views and perspective of the Canadian business community on a wide variety of unfolding international a...
As the senior partner in his firm, Paul is a leading constitutional, labour and administrative law lawyer, arguing significant cases before the Supreme Court of Canada, the Courts of Ontario, and labour and administrative tribunals. Paul was appointed by Associate Chief Justice Dennis O'Connor to act as lead commission counsel to the Commission of Inquiry into the Actions of Canadian Officials in Relation to Maher Arar. Previously, Paul acted as lead commission counsel in the Walkerton Inquir...
Frank is a senior litigator in Hicks Morley’s Toronto office. He is a strategic counsel for his clients, and has significant courtroom and hearing experience representing clients in complex and high-profile cases. Frank represents his clients as a close and long-term advisor, and as a highly skilled advocate on their most important and challenging cases. Frank has particular expertise in arguing judicial review and appeals, and in litigation relating to the following: employment dispute...
Richard Charney is a senior partner in our Toronto office, where he practises management labour relations and employment law, a field in which he is widely recognized as an advocate on behalf of national and local clients. For more than 10 years, he was Norton Rose Fulbright's global head of employment and labour. Mr. Charney acts for numerous employers and employers’ organizations and appears at provincial and federal labour relations boards and the courts, including the Supreme Court ...
Kathleen Chevalier is a partner practising in the Employment & Labour Group and a member of the Associates Committee in the Toronto office. She advises clients on all aspects of the employment relationship in both unionized and non-unionized environments, and provides advice in respect of the employment impact of commercial transactions. Kathleen has been a leading employment law advisor at the forefront of managing the impact of COVID-19 on employers, and her expertise has been sought an...
Daniel Chodos, a senior partner at Whitten and Lublin, has 15 years of extensive experience in employment law. Engaged by both employees and employers, Daniel concentrates on finding the resolution that best meets the needs of his client. Daniel is thoroughly skilled in handling workplace disputes, severance negotiations, wrongful dismissals, harassment, and human rights issues. Daniel’s expert skill in wrongful dismissal cases is demonstrated in his courtroom victories. However, what s...
Nafisah Chowdhury is a lawyer practicing in commercial and employment litigation. She provides day-to-day strategic advice to businesses of all sizes on a broad range of matters, including navigating workplace issues, resolving shareholder disputes and addressing privacy law concerns. Over the course of her career with Miller Thomson, she has built a reputation as a trusted adviser who not only understands the business realities of her clients, but who can be relied upon to provide timely and...
Renowned for his ability to develop innovative strategies that solve complex labour relations problems, Brett has appeared as counsel for employers in hundreds of administrative and court proceedings at both the federal and provincial level. He frequently represents employers in collective bargaining negotiations and provides strategic advice on managing a wide variety of labour relations issues. Certified as a Specialist in Labour Law since 1998, Brett is widely recognized as one of the coun...
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...
Esi Codjoe provides pragmatic and solutions focused legal advice to employers and employees, in both non-unionized and unionized private and public sector workplaces. That work includes assisting regulated professional organizations and regulated professionals with their unique employment, regulatory and governance needs. Esi conducts workplace investigations, reviews, and assessments for both large and small employers. Her experience as a former adjudicator, including as a Vice Chair at the ...
Donna D’Andrea is a management-side labour relations and employment lawyer in Hicks Morley’s Toronto office. Donna provides practical and strategic advice to employers in all matters related to wrongful dismissal, human rights complaints, employment standards claims, union organizing campaigns, collective bargaining, grievance arbitration and occupational health and safety. Donna leads the firm’s Hospitality & Gaming Practice Group. She serves as chief spokesperson for m...
Christine Davies is a labour lawyer and civil litigator in Goldblatt Partners' Toronto office. She is known for her tenacious commitment to getting clients the best possible result. A skilled litigator who started her career as a research lawyer, Christine now has one of the broadest practices at the firm. She is equally comfortable before labour arbitrators and administrative tribunals as she is before the civil courts. Christine’s labour practice includes representing unions and their...
Effective January 1, 2024, Martin Denyes will serve as Fasken’s Firm Managing Partner, with primary responsibility for its operations across Canada and internationally. In practice, his focus has been on supporting employers and executives in solving their day-to-day issues in the workplace and the mission critical issues that drive their workplace strategies. He now does likewise for the Firm and supports its clients and the Fasken team in navigating a complex world. In his role as Fir...
Henry Dinsdale is a partner in Hicks Morley’s Toronto office. Henry has been advising and representing employers for over 25 years at both the federal and provincial levels and has appeared on behalf of employers in proceedings in every province in the country. His practice ranges from providing sophisticated strategic advice, to collective bargaining and labour and employment law advocacy. Henry has received both a Masters and Doctoral degree in law from Stanford University Law School ...
Kelly Doctor has the smarts to see all possible solutions, and the heart and practical intuition to reach the best ones for her clients. She’s driven to fight for the rights of people experiencing disadvantage and discrimination in the workplace and elsewhere in their lives. While she loves to litigate, she also works quietly behind the scenes to advise clients on how to handle difficult situations in the workplace and negotiate resolutions to them. A former Supreme Court of Canada law ...
Hugh Dyer's practice is restricted to advising and representing employers in labour relations and employment-related matters. These matters 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 issues. He frequently acts as employer counsel in grievance and interest arbitrations. He appears as counsel before the Canada Industrial Relations and the...
Robert England has a litigation practice with a special expertise in employment law and occupational health and safety matters. Robert represents corporations, public institutions, and employers in employment litigation and advises employers with respect to the implementation of policies and procedures that can help them reduce their exposure to wrongful dismissal actions, human rights and employment standards complaints and occupational health and safety prosecutions. In occupational health ...
Jackie practices in the areas of Labour, Constitutional, Public Law and Indigenous Rights. She has litigated at all levels of court in Ontario, the Federal Courts and the Supreme Court of Canada. She has also appeared before many administrative tribunals. With an extensive background in writing policy, Jackie has written many policy submissions aimed at government, inquiries and public advocacy. She was also a researcher and writer for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s final rep...
Mark Fletcher is a Partner with Grosman Gale Fletcher Hopkins LLP. Mark is an experienced trial lawyer who is regarded by his peers and ranked by LEXPERT and recognized by Best Lawyers as one of the leading employment lawyers in Canada. He advises and provides representation to both employers and employees in wrongful dismissal actions, executive compensation disputes, and in human rights cases. Mark is the co-Editor-in-Chief of the Canadian Cases on Employment Law (CCEL) and is the Editor fo...
Craig Flood practises in the area of labour law with a special expertise in the area of workplace safety and insurance. He is the Firm’s Managing Partner effective June 1, 2016 and a long-time member of the Executive Committee. Craig represents trade unions and employees in the acquisition and preservation of bargaining rights, unfair labour practice complaints, discipline and discharge, occupational health and safety, essential services, and grievance arbitration. He has appeared befor...
Daniel Fogel is a labour and employment lawyer in Hicks Morley’s Toronto office and a devoted member (and past chair) of the firm’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. He regularly advises labour relations and human resources professionals in the private and public sectors on a wide range of subjects related to provincial and federal labour and employment law. Daniel’s practice consists largely of defending employers in wrongful dismissal actions, human rights applica...
Chris Foulon is a Founding Partner and the Managing Partner of Israel Foulon Wong LLP. He represents both employers and employees in a wide range of employment and labour matters including: wrongful dismissals, injunctions, Employment Standards Hearings, disputes before the Ministry of Labour, workplace safety matters, Occupational Health and Safety charges and matters before the Human Rights Tribunal. Chris also advises employers with respect to union organization drives and responding to ap...
Mark Fryer practices employment, labour (union), human rights, occupational health and safety and OMVIC law by providing both litigation and corporate/commercial advice and representation to small to large businesses, corporations, and associations. A substantial number of Mark’s clients are involved in the retail automotive industry and the logistics industry. Mark has been a partner with the firm since 2006. Click here to learn more about Mark.
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...
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...
Douglas G. Gilbert’s serves as strategic advisor and advocate on behalf of many national and multinational employers. His practice focuses on collective bargaining, labour and employment litigation. He represents clients before federal and provincial labour relations boards, in arbitration proceedings and in employment and human rights claims before the courts and tribunals. In his practice, Douglas is committed to understanding and reflecting the priorities and values of all clients. H...
Clio Godkewitsch helps individuals and groups of employees and retirees in disputes over their compensation, including pension and other employee benefits. Whether through skillful negotiation or uncompromising litigation, Clio’s aim is to get the best possible outcome for the people she represents. Pension and benefit plan administrators retain Clio to provide practical advice concerning benefit entitlements and communications with plan members. Clio helps them make sure they are provi...
Howard Goldblatt is a leading member of the labour law Bar. His practice focuses on all aspects of labour and employment law, including grievance and interest arbitration, workplace human rights, and pensions and benefits law. Howard is also widely regarded for his expertise in collective bargaining and provides clients with strategic advice for special legislative campaigns. In addition to representing clients before a wide variety of administrative tribunals, Howard has appeared as counsel ...
Lisa Goodfellow is the Leader of Miller Thomson LLP’s National Labour & Employment Group, and a trusted adviser to employers on a wide range of human resources matters, including wrongful dismissal actions, human rights and accommodation issues, attendance management, employment standards, employment aspects of mergers and acquisitions, certification applications, collective bargaining, unfair labour practice complaints, grievance arbitrations, management training, non-competition a...
Sarah Graves' practice is focused on employment law, litigation and human rights. Sarah is a trusted advisor for clients on workplace issues and provides strategic advice on hiring, termination, investigations, reductions in force, employment standards, wrongful dismissal, human rights including sexual harassment claims and racial profiling, whistleblower claims, accommodation and disability issues. Sarah provides advice that is practical and mitigates potential liability. Sarah is a member o...
Bernie‘s practice focuses on arbitration and labour board representation for numerous private and public sector unions both federally and provincially. Bernie also specializes in education law and represents teacher federations and their members in matters arising under collective agreements and before the Ontario College of Teachers. Bernie provides policy and strategic advice to clients, in the area of collective bargaining, and collective agreement administration. He has a special in...
Alix Herber is a senior partner in the Labour, Employment & Human Rights group. She prides herself on providing high quality strategic advice to her clients in all areas of labour, employment and human rights matters. With over 20 years of experience, Alix is a strategic partner to her clients and provides practical solution oriented advice, all the while mitigating potential liability. Alix also has particular expertise in advising clients in the federal sector. In addition to providing ...
Michael Hines is a senior management-side labour lawyer working in Hicks Morley’s Toronto office. Michael has nearly 40 years of experience advising employers on all aspects of labour and human rights law, with a particular focus on the police and school board sectors. His practice involves a broad range of employment law issues, with an emphasis on human rights matters, complex arbitrations, judicial review applications, and constitutional litigation. Michael has acted as counsel to mo...
Gary is a partner with Ursel Phillips Fellows Hopkinson LLP. His practice encompasses all areas of advocacy on behalf of police associations, trade unions, employee associations and individual workers, including grievance arbitrations; collective bargaining and interest arbitrations; Police Service Act discipline hearings and other professional disciplinary hearings; human rights complaints; judicial reviews and judicial inquiries; civil litigation relating to union, association, or workplace...
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 ...
Amanda has more than 20 years experience practicing labour and employment law. She loves the challenge of making the increasingly complex legal obligations of employers understandable and workable. She considers multiple perspectives and finds creative ways to solve problems that meet the interests of all stakeholders. As an advocate, Amanda values efficiency and try to find strategies that minimize cost without compromising the result. Amanda is frequently sought out for her knowledge and ex...
Mr. Israel has practiced exclusively in the areas of Employment and Labour Law since his call to the Bar in 1978. He has appeared successfully before every level of Court including the Ontario Court of Appeal as well as the Supreme Court of Canada. He has been named as one of Canada’s Most Frequently Recommended employment lawyers by The Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory every year since its inception in 1998 as well as by The Lexpert®/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 La...
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.