Department profile
Fasken

Employment & Labour

Canada Guide 2026 : 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
This highly respected employment and labour team operates on both a provincial and federal level. Fasken's 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 was retained by Toronto Dominion Bank to defend a proposed class action lawsuit that alleged they failed to pay vacation and holiday pay on remuneration filed by a mobile mortgage specialist.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • Fasken is the best employment lawyers I have worked with. They are very strong.

    Employment & Labour respondentCanada

  • The level of service that we receive from Fasken is outstanding and the gold standard as far as I am concerned.

    Employment & Labour respondentCanada

  • We have a philosophy of seeking the best legal advice for specific issues that arise and that can be consistently accessed through Fasken.

    Employment & Labour respondentCanada

  • The team has in-depth knowledge of workplace law and solutions that align with company values. They are results-oriented.

    Employment & Labour respondentCanada

  • The advice they give me is unparalleled - I do not look elsewhere.

    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.

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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 amazing and makes us feel very valued.

      Employment & Labour respondentCanada

    • Karen is outstanding.

      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 advising on federal policy initiatives. He is singled out for his representation of clients in court.

    • Chris is wonderful for complex, theoretical matters. He’s thoughtful, thorough and so detail-oriented.

      Employment & Labour respondentCanada

    • Christopher is wonderful in litigation and amazing at arguing his case in front of a decision-maker.

      Employment & Labour respondentCanada

    • Christopher has provided us with advice and support for critical matters.

      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 also extends to workplace human rights and collective bargaining issues.

    • She provides excellent advice that takes into account the businesses that we operate in.

      Employment & Labour respondentCanada

    • Jackie connects the dots between the law and the practical realities of the workplace for employers. I recommend her to others regularly.

      Employment & Labour respondentCanada

    • Jackie is such a pleasure 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 right tribunals. He also advises clients on all manners of employment law matters, including wrongful dismissal, restricted covenants and collective agreements.

    • Ian is responsive and an advocate for the organisation's success. We rely on Ian's expertise and knowledge of our organisation.

      Employment & Labour respondentCanada

    • Ian is practical, passionate and quick on his feet.

      Employment & Labour respondentCanada

    • Ian Campbell is excellent. He intimately knows our business and provides solid commercial advice.

      Employment & Labour respondentCanada
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Ranked Individuals at Fasken (5)

Ontario

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