Department profile
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP

Employment & Labour

Canada Guide 2026 : Ontario

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Borden Ladner Gervais LLP

Rankings

About

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

Provided by Chambers

Employment & Labour - Ontario

Band 2

What the Team is Known For
Borden Ladner Gervais is a robust law firm recognised for its strong national footprint in employment. Its Ontario team based in Toronto and Ottawa advises on a range of employment and labour mandates, including employment and labour issues arising from major M&A transactions. The team is involved in a substantial volume of alternative dispute resolution proceedings including arbitration, and possesses notable experience representing employers in the healthcare, education, retail and construction sectors. From collective bargaining to mental health, the team has experts across many areas. It is particularly experienced in representing clients before the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario.
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Work Highlights

Provided by Chambers

  • Borden Ladner Gervais acted for the Toronto Catholic District School Board in defending against allegations of age discrimination under the Ontario Human Rights Code in an employment context.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • BLG has a very pleasant firm culture which is client-oriented, pragmatic and knowledgeable.

    Employment & Labour respondentCanada

  • The firm has the structure, resources and other in-house expertise to thoroughly consider all aspects of a complex problem.

    Employment & Labour respondentCanada

  • BLG's ability to manage high-risk situations with efficiency sets them apart.

    Employment & Labour respondentCanada

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

  • Matthew Certosimo
    Matthew Certosimo

    Matthew Certosimo

    Matthew Certosimo excels in representing employers across both the public and private sectors. Based in Toronto, he continues to represent major national clients in the full gamut of labour and employment matters. He is also adept at grievance arbitrations and collective bargaining.

    • Matt is very responsive to our needs and has a deep understanding of our business.

      Employment & Labour respondentCanada

    • He gets to know your business and works hard to build a relationship.

      Employment & Labour respondentCanada

    • Matthew has an exceptional understanding of labour law and provides insightful, well-reasoned advice, as well as deep legal expertise and strategic thinking.

      Employment & Labour respondentCanada
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  • Clifford Hart
    Clifford Hart

    Clifford Hart

    Clifford Hart is a Toronto-based lawyer, who is widely respected for representing both provincial and national clients in labour and collective agreement arbitrations, with further skills in human rights issues. He also excels in providing strategic advice on wrongful dismissals and employment-related class actions.

    • The investment he puts in is so essential. He is a critical part of the team and consistently delivers great results for us.

      Employment & Labour respondentCanada
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  • Jeffrey Mitchell
    Jeffrey Mitchell

    Jeffrey Mitchell

    Jeffrey Mitchell is most notably experienced in representing national clients in cases before the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario. He also defends employers in dismissals, workplace investigations and disciplinary issues, with further skills in union grievance arbitrations.

    • Jeff has been an outstanding lawyer to partner with. He understands our business, has strong relationships with our firm and is very timely in his responses.

      Employment & Labour respondentCanada

    • Jeff is an exceptional lawyer who understands our organisation and provides great advice.

      Employment & Labour respondentCanada
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  • Michelle Henry
    Michelle Henry

    Michelle Henry

    Michelle Henry is held in particularly high esteem for her expertise in contentious employment matters, including wrongful dismissals, injunctions proceedings and human rights litigation. She also advises and acts on behalf of employers in collective bargaining and grievance arbitrations.

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  • Noah Burshtein
    Noah Burshtein

    Noah Burshtein

    Noah Burshtein advises on both contentious and non-contentious labour and employment issues, acting for management-side clients on compliance and policy matters as well as defending litigation claims.

    • Noah is outstanding.

      Employment & Labour respondentCanada
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Ranked Individuals at Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (5)

Ontario

Members

Provided by Borden Ladner Gervais LLP

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