Recognized in Ones to Watch since 2027 
Caroline DeBruin is an associate in Loopstra Nixon’s Labour and Employment Law group in Toronto, Ontario. She advises employers across a wide range of workplace and labour matters, providing practical and strategic guidance tailored to each client’s business objectives.
Caroline’s practice includes advising employers on employee terminations, employment agreements, workplace policies, employee handbooks, incentive compensation plans, and severance arrangements. She also assists clients with workplace investigations and provides advice on day-to-day employment issues, legislative compliance, and risk management.
In addition to her advisory work, Caroline represents employers in wrongful dismissal actions, breach of contract claims, grievance arbitrations, and labour relations matters. She regularly appears before labour arbitration boards, the Ontario Labour Relations Board, human rights tribunals, the courts, and other employment-related administrative bodies.
Caroline has experience acting for employers in both the industrial and construction sectors in matters before the Ontario Labour Relations Board, including certification, displacement, and decertification applications, unfair labour practice complaints, and duty of fair representation proceedings. She also advises employers on collective bargaining, strike and lockout preparation, and union-related matters.
Caroline earned her Juris Doctor from Queen’s University and her Bachelor of Arts from Cornell University.
Before beginning her legal career, Caroline competed as a varsity athlete, playing NCAA Division I ice hockey at Cornell University and varsity ice hockey at Queen’s University. Her experience in competitive athletics shaped her collaborative approach to client service and reinforced the importance of preparation, accountability, and teamwork in achieving successful outcomes.
