Erin Porter

Erin is a founding partner of Protea LLP. She advises and represents employers in all aspects of labour, employment and human rights law. Drawing on extensive experience in the health care sector, she delivers practical, business-focused advice that helps clients navigate complex workplace issues with confidence.

Before returning to private practice, Erin spent more than 11 years as in-house counsel and Vice President, Legal for one of Canada's largest retirement and long-term care providers. In that role, she served as a trusted advisor on a wide range of matters, including acquisitions and dispositions, employment agreements, workplace accommodations, terminations, and workforce management strategies.

Erin is an experienced advocate who regularly appears before labour arbitrators, the Ontario Labour Relations Board and the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario. While she is a tenacious advocate for her clients' interests, she also brings a pragmatic approach to dispute resolution, recognizing when strategic settlement can achieve the best outcome.

Her practice encompasses labour arbitrations, collective agreement interpretation and negotiation, workplace investigations, policy development, and day-to-day employment and labour relations advice. Clients value Erin's ability to combine legal expertise with practical insight gained from her years as a business leader and in-house counsel.

A former teacher, Erin is a natural and engaging presenter. She is a sought-after speaker who regularly delivers seminars and training sessions for clients and professional audiences on topics including workplace investigations, the duty to accommodate, arbitration preparation, codes of conduct, and last chance agreements.

Ontario Bar, 2004

LSO, Canadian Association of Counsel to Employers

• Key Developments in Cases and Legislation, December 10, 2025 at the Bargaining in the Broader Public Sector and Labour Arbitration and Policy Lancaster House Conference

Osgoode Hall Law School at York University

LLM Labour & Employment Law

2014

Queen's University

LLB

2003

University of Western Ontario

BEd

1999

University of Western Ontario

BA (Honours)

1997