Department profile
Fasken

Employment & Labour

Canada Guide 2027 : Ontario

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Fasken

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About

Provided by Fasken

Appropriately navigating the labour, employment, and human rights landscapes is essential to attracting, retaining, and motivating your employees and by extension successfully maintaining and developing your business.

With offices in all the major city centres across Canada, our Labour, Employment & Human Rights (LEHR) lawyers work with clients to provide proactive and pragmatic advice. Whether you need help to conclude innovative collective agreements or create risk management and compliance programs, we have the in-depth knowledge and experience required. In the event disputes arise, we will help you defuse tension among stakeholders and skillfully represent your interests in court, before tribunals or at arbitration.

As one of the largest national labour, employment and human rights practices in Canada, we are able to comprehensively assist clients with their LEHR needs across the country in a coordinated manner. We represent major federally regulated employers including banks, airlines, telecommunication companies and Crown corporations. We also advise many significant employers in a broad range of provincially regulated sectors including retail, manufacturing, mining, agriculture, education, health, financial services, among others.

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Employment & Labour - Ontario

Band 1

What the Team is Known For

Fasken's highly respected employment and labour team operates on both a provincial and federal level. Its Toronto office has established a deep practice able to service high-profile national clients including private corporations and government entities. The group is active across a range of sectors, including transportation, telecommunications and banking, and often assists clients with international labour issues. It has extensive experience working with the government and employers on provincial labour and employment legislation, as well as handling significant mandates for noteworthy education and healthcare industry clients.

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Work Highlights

Provided by Chambers

  • Fasken advised the Canadian Olympic Committee and Canadian Paralympic Committee on a range of employment matters, including contract development and review.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • Fasken's range of expertise, the depth of the team and their responsiveness are all factors that allow them to handle complex and sophisticated matters.

    Employment & Labour respondentCanada

  • Fasken consistently demonstrates the ability to manage complex, sensitive and high‑stakes matters with professionalism, sound judgement and strategic insight.

    Employment & Labour respondentCanada

  • The team is wonderful to work with. They are talented, organised and understand our business intimately.

    Employment & Labour respondentCanada

  • Fasken walks us through very complex matters with calm and ease. The firm is very knowledgeable and aware of the current climate and environment in our industry.

    Employment & Labour respondentCanada

  • The team provides consistent and industry-leading strategic advice. They have the ability to understand client needs and tailor solutions accordingly.

    Employment & Labour respondentCanada

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

  • Brian W Burkett
    Brian W Burkett

    Brian W Burkett

    Toronto-based Brian Burkett is a highly experienced senior employment lawyer who continues to advise high-profile federal clients on collective agreements and bargaining. He is also esteemed for providing companies with strategic employment advice, including on policy and legislative initiatives.

    • Brian has seen it all and guides us in the right direction.

      Employment & Labour respondentCanada
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  • Karen Sargeant
    Karen Sargeant

    Karen Sargeant

    Karen Sargeant is the managing partner of Fasken's Ontario offices. She has a strong track record of representing both provincial and federal clients in the healthcare, education and industrial sectors and is particularly skilled in collective bargaining agreements, arbitration and employment-related litigation. She also advises on the employment aspects of corporate transactions.

    • Karen is a really great lawyer who is highly strategic.

      Employment & Labour respondentCanada

    • Karen is a trusted partner and an excellent litigator.

      Employment & Labour respondentCanada
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  • Christopher Pigott
    Christopher Pigott

    Christopher Pigott

    Christopher Pigott is a highly regarded labour lawyer based in Toronto. He is well versed in collective bargaining and employment-related disputes, providing strategic advice to both federal and provincial clients. He is particularly skilled in human rights cases and in advising on federal policy initiatives. He is singled out for his representation of clients in court.

    • Christopher's counsel is exceptional, and he stays on top of what is happening in the industry.

      Employment & Labour respondentCanada

    • Christopher immerses himself in the material and achieves a level of understanding that seems impossible.

      Employment & Labour respondentCanada

    • We are fortunate to be the beneficiary of his expertise and his thoughtful approach. He is a valuable and astute legal adviser.

      Employment & Labour respondentCanada

    • Christopher provides elite-quality legal advice.

      Employment & Labour respondentCanada

    • Chris is a very smart lawyer.

      Employment & Labour respondentCanada
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  • Jackie VanDerMeulen
    Jackie VanDerMeulen

    Jackie VanDerMeulen

    Jackie VanDerMeulen is a well-regarded labour and employment lawyer who has notable experience in contentious employment matters, such as wrongful terminations and discrimination claims. Based in Toronto, she represents both provincial and national clients, and her expertise extends to workplace human rights and collective bargaining issues.

    • Jackie is very responsive, always available and makes an effort to understand our business.

      Employment & Labour respondentCanada

    • Jackie's knowledge of labour, employment and human rights law is of great benefit.

      Employment & Labour respondentCanada
    • Jackie is the perfect combination of patience, rigour and tenacity. She is measured and calm, but effective.
      Employment & Labour respondentCanada

    • Jackie is a wonderful partner to work with.

      Employment & Labour respondentCanada
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  • Ian Campbell
    Ian Campbell

    Ian Campbell

    Ian Campbell is based in Fasken's Toronto office and has a wide employment, labour and human rights practice. He has experience representing unionised employers in labour arbitrations before federal and provincial labour and human rights tribunals. He also advises clients on all manner of employment law matters, including wrongful dismissal, restricted covenants and collective agreements.

    • Ian is a fantastic lawyer with great institutional knowledge.

      Employment & Labour respondentCanada

    • Ian is excellent on his feet and is always looking five steps down the road, endeavouring to anticipate the twists and turns.

      Employment & Labour respondentCanada

    • He is excellent and great to work with.

      Employment & Labour respondentCanada
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  • Shane Todd
    Shane Todd

    Shane Todd

    As co-leader of Fasken's national labour, employment and human rights group, Shane Todd is a frequent adviser on employment class actions and collective bargaining mandates.

    • Shane is fantastic. He's very thoughtful in his responses and really makes sure he gets the best outcome for everyone involved.

      Employment & Labour respondentCanada

    • Shane has deep knowledge of our business and is highly responsive.

      Employment & Labour respondentCanada

    • Shane is excellent, with great expertise and knowledge.

      Employment & Labour respondentCanada
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Ranked Individuals at Fasken (6)

Ontario

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