Employment & Labour
Canada Guide 2025 : British Columbia
Band 2
Contact number
+1 604 687 5744About
Provided by Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
Our L&E Group offers a full range of services to our clients in employment matters, labour relations, human rights, occupational health and safety, privacy, pensions and benefits, and immigration.
We have extensive expertise in:
- Human resources, including drafting and litigating employment contracts, restrictive covenants, compensation, severance and stock option agreements, human rights/accommodation, attendance management, employment policy manuals, health and safety standards, health and welfare plans, pension and benefits and business immigration.
- Conducting training and investigations, including in the areas of harassment, human rights or fraud allegations.
- Labour relations advice and litigation services, including defending unionization claims, collective bargaining representation, unfair labour practice and bad-faith bargaining complaints, strikes, lockouts and picketing injunctions, successorships, common employer applications, grievances and arbitration.
- Litigating cases at all levels of court in the areas of wrongful dismissal, constructive dismissal, just cause dismissal and other civil litigation, as well as litigating before administrative tribunals such as human rights tribunals, labour relations boards, employment standards adjudicators, workers compensation boards, pay equity tribunals and occupational health and safety adjudicators.
- Advising on and litigating cases resulting from mergers, acquisitions, outsourcing transactions, relocations and closures.
Chambers Review
Borden Ladner Gervais maintains a dynamic employment and labour practice in Vancouver, which is aided by the firm's strong national footprint. The firm offers a range of employment and labour-related services, advising on human rights issues, labour relations, terminations and other litigation. The team also has experience handling the employment aspects of mergers and acquisitions. It represents public and private companies hailing from sectors, such as manufacturing, healthcare and construction. The firm also retains extensive knowledge of federally regulated industries such as banking, railways, airlines and shipping.
Work Highlights
- Borden Ladner Gervais regularly advise Coast Capital Savings on general employment and labour matters for their provincial and federal entities.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"They understand our organisation and provide straightforward advice."
"BLG are very knowledgeable and responsive in urgent situations. They will always make themselves available to situations that are urgent and important."
"Very experienced lawyers who are experts in their respective fields. They are a national law firm with lawyers practicing in all relevant practice areas."
"Several of the matters have been highly complex and frequently with very tight timelines to resolve. They have also provided valuable insight into unionised workplace."
"They understand our organisation and provide straightforward advice."
"BLG are very knowledgeable and responsive in urgent situations. They will always make themselves available to situations that are urgent and important."
"Very experienced lawyers who are experts in their respective fields. They are a national law firm with lawyers practicing in all relevant practice areas."
"Several of the matters have been highly complex and frequently with very tight timelines to resolve. They have also provided valuable insight into unionised workplace."
Notable Practitioners
Shelley-Mae Mitchell is the national business leader of the Borden Ladner Gervais' labour and employment group. She based in Vancouver, where clients appreciate her adept advice on a range of employment issues, from workplace human rights to wrongful dismissals. She is also experienced in collective bargaining and applications to the labour board.
"Shelley-Mae understands our business needs and urgency of the situations we deal with and responds quickly and thoughtfully."
"Shelley-Mae is beyond bright and capable. When I see her in action, I am glad she represents my interests and isn't working against me!"
"Shelley-Mae is smart, quick thinking and creative in her problem solving, while being able to think ahead, consider all sides and give strong counsel that meets both business needs and employment law."
"Shelley-Mae has navigated some very difficult matters for us with favourable outcomes"
Jennifer Fantini is a highly regarded Vancouver-based lawyer, who is qualified to the Bar in both Ontario and British Columbia. She is notably skilled in handling termination disputes and collective agreements for a variety of national and international clients.
"Jennifer is fantastic. She is extremely responsive and has good attention to detail."
"Jennifer always delivers."
"Jennifer is a true professional, who provides guidance on a variety of issues around employment and labour law in the federal sector as well as interpretation of the Canada Labour Code."
Steve Winder is the managing partner of Borden Ladner Gervais' office in Vancouver and excels in employment litigation, most notably concerning wrongful dismissals. Furthermore, he is well respected for his strengths in non-contentious labour matters, including providing employment advice in the context of mergers and acquisitions.
Ranked Lawyers at
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
British Columbia