Background

• Partner and Toronto Regional Practice Group Leader of the Labour and Employment Group at Borden Ladner Gervais
• Co-author, Just Cause: The Law of Summary Dismissal in Canada
• Editor-in-Chief, Executive Employment
• Author, Ontario Employment and Labour Law & Commentary
• Author, Federal Employment and Labour Law & Commentary
• Adjunct Professor (Employment Law), University of Toronto
• Recognized for his expertise in labour and employment law by the following leading publications:
  • The Lexpert/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada (2009)
  • The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory (2009)
  • PLC's Which Lawyer? (2009)

Areas of Practice

• Litigation, specializing in labour relations and employment law.

Professional Experience

• Acts on behalf of employers and employees in employment-related litigation, including wrongful dismissals.
• Acts on behalf of employers in grievance arbitrations, matters before the Labour Relations Board, and in collective bargaining.
• Acts on behalf of employers, supervisors and constructors in proceedings under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, including in defence of quasi-criminal charges further to workplace accidents and injuries.
• Advises private and public sector employers in full range of labour relations and employment law matters, including: dismissals and discipline; employment contracts and policies; human rights issues, i.e. discrimination and harassment; workers' compensation, employment standards and occupational health and safety matters.

Professional and Community Activities

• Member of the Canadian Bar Association (Ontario)
• Called to Ontario Bar, 1995

Publications

• Co-author of legal text, Just Cause: The Law of Summary Dismissal in Canada, published by Canada Law Book (1998), updated annually.
• Editor-in-Chief, Executive Employment, Quarterly Journal, (Federated Press).
• Author, Ontario Employment and Labour Law & Commentary, (LexisNexis).
• Author, Federal Employment and Labour Law & Commentary, (LexisNexis).
• Author, Dismissals in the Unionized Workplace, 2nd edition, (Carswell, 2004).
• Author, The Regulation of Picketing, An Employer's Primer to Labour Injunctions, 2nd edition, (Carswell, 2004).
• Co-author, Understanding Ontario 's Employment Standards Act, 2000, (Carswell, 2002).
• Co-author, Recent Developments in Union Certification and Decertification, (Carswell, 2001).
• Author, When Can the Unionized Employee Sue? (Carswell, 1999).
• Contributing author, Best Practices – Terminations, (Carswell, 1999).
• Author of monthly column, The Workplace Lawyer in Workplace News (1999 –2004).

Conferences

• Co-chair, "Six-Minute Employment Lawyer," annual Law Society of Upper Canada CLE program, from 1998 to 2008.
• Co-chair, "Six-Minute Labour Lawyer," annual Law Society of Upper Canada CLE program, from 2003 to 2008.
• Co-moderator, Lancaster House Audio Conferences, such as "Email and Internet Use and Abuse" (2005); "Chronic Physical Disorders" (2005); "Pensions and Retiree Benefits, Exploring Hot Button Issues" (2006); "Health Benefits: Achieving Cost Containment, Improving Coverage" (2006); "Returning Employees to Work: Finding Solutions to Difficult Issues" (2006); "Safety Concerns in the Workplace" (2006); "Psychological Harassment" (2006); "Surveillance Monitoring" (2006); "Alcoholism and Drug Addiction" (2006); "Current Issues in Accommodation: An Advanced Session" (2007); "Accommodating Religious Practices in the Workplace" (2007); "Winning Cases at Grievance Arbitration" (2007); "Key Developments in Employment Law, Update 2007" (2007); "Benefits for Disabled Workers: Navigating the Maze" (2007); "Labour versus Employment Law: Examining the Different Rules of Discharge and Discipline" (2007); "Filling Vacancies: The Do's and Don'ts" (2008); “Criminal Conduct and its Impact on Employment: Exploring the Consequences” (2008); “The New Human Rights System Comes to Ontario: What You Need to Know in Preparation for June 30, 2008 ” (2008); “Pension Plan Problems: Seeking Solutions in a Volatile Economic Climate'”(2009); “Hiring and Promotion: Getting it Right” (2009); “Key Issues in Accommodation” (2009); “Top Ten Court Decisions” (2010).
• Frequent speaker at conferences on employment and labour law topics, such as: "Current Trends in Arbitration" - Human Resources Professionals Association of Ontario Conference, February 2-4, 2005; "Recent Developments in Just Cause" - Canadian Bar Association, New Brunswick Branch, Midwinter Meeting, February 10, 2006; "Compliance Issues Related to Human Resources Management" – Infonex Conference, September 26, 2006; “Buying and Selling a Business" – The Law Society of Upper Canada, February 28, 2007; “Today's Workplace - A Tool Kit for Every Lawyer” – Isaac Pitblado Lectures, The Law Society of Manitoba, November 9,10, 2007; “Demystifying Constructive Dismissal” - The Law Society of Upper Canada Program, April 10, 2008; “A Baker's Dozen of Note: Labour and Employment Law Update” – Ontario Bar Association 18th Annual Operation Update, October 3, 2008; “Corporate Counsel Love and Marriage? An Employment Law Refresher” – Ontario Bar Association 2009 Institute Program, February 3, 2009; “Employment Law Issues Arising on the Purchase and Sale of a Business” – The Law Society of Upper Canada Program, October 6, 2009; HRPA Conference, October 28, 2009; Lancaster House Toronto Labour Arbitration Conference, December 17, 2009.

Boards/Public Service

• Member, Board of Governors, Wilfrid Laurier University.
• Member, Justices of the Peace Appointments Advisory Committee, Ministry of the Attorney General (Ontario).
• Past director of various non-profit organizations in the education and health care sectors.
• Past member of various governmental committees, task forces and appeal boards, at the municipal, provincial and federal level.

Teaching

• Adjunct Professor, Employment and Labour Law, Woodsworth College, University of Toronto, current.
• Adjunct Professor, University of Western Ontario Law School, 2003.