From well-staffed platforms in key Canadian provinces, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP provides a full-service national labour and employment practice, which frequently secures key roles in precedent-setting matters. In a recent example, the firm represented Dell Canada in a landmark case discussing the vesting of long-term incentives. Toronto-based Jeffrey Mitchell led on the Dell Canada work; other recommended practitioners in Toronto include labour and employment litigator Matthew Certosimo and Clifford Hart, who handles a mix of contentious and advisory matters. Montreal remains the group’s most high-profile seat and houses several key partners, including seasoned senior counsel Danny Kaufer, national department head André Royer and Maryse Tremblay, who brings to bear extensive expertise in advising federally regulated employers. Other noted names include Vancouver-based Shelley-Mae Mitchell, who handles an array of labour, employment and human rights law, and dual UK- and Alberta-qualified Duncan Marsden in Calgary.

Fasken‘s labour and employment practice secures rave reviews from clients for its ‘great bench strength’ and ‘commitment to the client’s cause‘. With footholds across Canada, the team is well-positioned to advise on federal matters and counts major national employers in the airline, telecoms and banking sectors among its key clients. It also acts for provincial employers, US corporations and other international companies on the full range of advisory, contentious and transactional-support work. Vancouver-based David Wong combines strength in labour, employment and human rights issues and co-heads the national practice alongside Montreal-based Stéphane Fillion, whose expertise spans all areas of labour and employment law, and Toronto-based Karen Sargeant, who is ‘strategic and creative‘. The group also draws on the senior expertise of go-to counsel Brian Burkett in Toronto, Montreal-based employment law specialist Magali Cournoyer-Proulx and Vancouver’s David McDonald, who focuses on labour relations and collective bargaining. Among the firm’s future stars, skilled advocate Jackie VanDerMeulen and talented associate Gillian Round are both noted in Toronto.

McCarthy Tétrault‘s labour and employment practice brings to bear the full weight of its national offering. A dominant Ontario practice combines with an increasingly prominent Alberta team, together with well-staffed platforms in Quebec and BC, to provide extensive Canadian coverage of contentious and non-contentious labour and employment issues. In Toronto, national department head Tim Lawson is recognized for his broad practice, which has an emphasis on representing major clients in the energy, financial services, transport, retail and construction sectors. Other key names in Toronto include Toronto practice lead Sunil Kapur and Kate McNeill-Keller. In Calgary, Shana Wolch is a ‘highly intelligent and responsive lawyer‘, while rising star associate Justin Turc is a ‘trusted resource‘. In Montreal, André Baril is a go-to labour and employment specialist. Christopher McHardy is a key contact in Vancouver.

It was a year of transition for Norton Rose Fulbright‘s labour and employment practice, which saw high-profile senior partner Richard Charney step down as department head in 2021, though he still remains practising in Toronto. The team is now led nationally by partners from across all six of the group’s Canadian platforms, including regulatory partner Lindsay Mullen in Calgary and Taryn Mackie in Vancouver. The robust national group, which is particularly prominent in Ontario and Quebec, also draws on the experience of Montreal-based François Côté, who has a focus on grievance arbitration, occupational health and safety and labour relations, and Toronto-based litigator John Mastoras. Up-and-coming litigator Daniel Mcdonald is also noted in Toronto.

Bennett Jones LLP strikes a balance between transaction-support work and contentious matters. In terms of the former, the team is noted for its experience in advising infrastructure and energy clients on the labour and employment aspects of M&A deals. On the contentious front, the group handles a significant volume of complex litigation and arbitration cases. Calgary-based John Gilmore is well versed in advisory, contentious and transactional matters and co-heads the department alongside Toronto’s Carl Cunningham. Toronto-based pensions and benefits specialist Susan Seller and Calgary-based up-and-coming partner Christine Plante are also recommended.

Dentons impresses clients for ‘matching the right lawyer to the project at hand‘. Well-versed in all elements of labour and employment law, the group has an emphasis on health and safety law, labour relations, restrictive covenants disputes and wrongful dismissals. With platforms in each of the four largest Canadian provinces, Toronto is the seat of national lead Andy Pushalik, who handles a mix of advisory and contentious matters. In Vancouver, clients highlight Eleni Kassaris for her ‘exceptional advice‘. Montreal managing partner Christian Létourneau and Calgary-based April Kosten are also recommended.

Vancouver-headquartered Lawson Lundell LLP houses one of BC’s leading labour and employment practices. Handling a mix of advisory, contentious and corporate-support work, the group is particularly recognized for its close relationships with clients in the manufacturing, mining, retail, transport, forestry and energy sectors. Department head Robert Sider KC advises on the labour and employment aspects of commercial transactions, as well as day-to-day matters, both contentious and non-contentious. The team also includes increasingly prominent sector specialist Nicole Skuggedal, privacy and employment lawyer Ryan Berger and Deborah Cushing, who brings to bear strong public- and private-sector in-house experience.

Leveraging the firm’s top-tier corporate practice, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP‘s group has a strong record in advising on the labour and employment aspects of major M&A and corporate transactions. The team also handles a steady stream of advisory and contentious work. Key names in Toronto include national department lead Andrea York as well as Holly Reid, both are well versed in transactional, advisory and contentious matters. In Calgary, Birch Miller is a first port of call for energy sector-based employers, while de Lobe Lederman is a talented associate.

Torys advises on a varied mix of transactional support work, labour relations, executive hiring and dismissals, compliance and litigation. Lisa Talbot leads the employment litigation and advisory practice and has strong experience in representing large Canadian employers on overtime-related cases and other employment class actions. Key support is provided by Jennifer Lennon, who has a focus on compensation arrangements, and counsel Darryl Hiscocks, who handles all areas of human resources and labour law. Mitch Frazer chairs the overarching Toronto-based pensions and employment practice.