Best Law Firms in Canada for Labour and Employment Law

Ball Professional Corporation is a leading law firm with Stacey Reginald Ball recognized by Best Lawyers in 1 practice area. The firm's tenure with Best Lawyers began in 2022. Having a lawyer recognized in Best Lawyers' purely peer review process emphasizes the lawyers' credibility and reputation for their practice amongst their peers in their practice area and region. It displays professional validation of the legal talent that Ball Professional Corporation has on their team. Stacey Reginald Ball has been recognized in the following practice area: Labour and Employment Law.

Ball Professional Corporation is also ranked by Best Law Firms in 1 practice area. The Best Law Firms rankings are founded on a time-tested and transparent research process that has remained consistent since Best Lawyers launched it in 2010. Ball Professional Corporation has 1 ranking in 1 practice. Echoing their Best Lawyers awards and team of top legal talent.

BE Law LLP is regularly engaged by referring counsel and seasoned litigants to handle complex business and financial disputes. We focus on providing thoughtful, practical advice and advocacy to clients across a broad range of industries and litigation matters.

Our founding partners bring a combined four decades of experience litigating commercial disputes and regulatory proceedings, and frequently serve as lead counsel in trials and appeals. Having guided matters from initial assessment through resolution, we are able to offer strategic and realistic guidance throughout the litigation process, with careful attention to positioning each case from the outset.

While we are comfortable in the courtroom, our work extends well beyond it. We serve as long-term advisors to our clients, with an emphasis on aligning legal strategy with business goals. As entrepreneurs ourselves, we understand the challenges of running a business and have represented clients ranging from individual founders and family-owned companies to large, publicly traded entities.

In addition to our founding partners, BE Law includes a team of associates and law clerks who support our matters at every stage. This depth allows us to manage complex cases efficiently and to staff matters in a way that is both effective and mindful of cost.

At Emond Harnden, we are committed to supporting healthy and productive workplaces. We take the time to understand each client’s organization, priorities, and practical realities. This approach allows us to work closely with our clients and remain focused on their long-term interests. Over time, this has led many of Canada’s private, public, and not-for-profit organizations to rely on us as a trusted advisor. We maintain strong working relationships with clients operating under both federal and provincial jurisdictions.

Our lawyers have extensive experience across a wide range of labour, employment, and human resources matters, including labour arbitration, wrongful dismissal, employment standards, employment contracts, collective bargaining, labour board proceedings, human rights, occupational health and safety, workplace safety and insurance, privacy compliance, pay and employment equity, pension and benefit plan administration, governance, and alternative dispute resolution.

Our firm has been profiled nationally as a management-side labour and employment law firm, with 55 lawyers dedicated exclusively to the needs of organizations across Canada. Since our founding in 1987, we have provided services in both of Canada’s official languages. Our lawyers are supported by an in-house research group whose focused skills and experience help deliver practical and cost-conscious legal advice and resources.

An important part of our philosophy is recognizing that we often provide meaningful value by helping clients better understand how to achieve their labour relations and human resources objectives. To support this goal, Emond Harnden offers a range of services for senior executives, managers, and in-house counsel, including seminars and workshops tailored to all levels of an organization. These programs address topics such as the duty to accommodate, workplace harassment and violence, termination issues, and proactive management of workplace safety and insurance claims. Our website and email alerts also help employers stay informed about significant cases and developments in employment and labour law.

Farris LLP ("Farris") is a leading Canadian law firm with offices in Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia. The full-service firm represents some of the largest public and private institutions and corporations in the province, and has the proven capacity and experience to carry out complex and multi-dimensional legal projects.

Corporate/Commercial: With more than 30 lawyers, the Corporate/Commercial group at Farris is relied upon by clients to assist with a wide range of matters, across a variety of industries. Unique amongst most large law firms, our corporate lawyers are first trained as generalists before they specialize in any given area of business law. We believe a broad legal knowledge of the key business law issues affecting businesses and industries enables us to help our clients solve their legal problems –big or small–quickly and effectively.

Delivering on our clients’ goals and ambitions means working closely with our clients to develop work plans tailored to their particular needs in terms of scope and budget. Our clients rely upon our advice regarding capital raising, finance strategies, governance issues, succession planning, insourcing, and outsourcing. Our lawyers assist with contract drafting and negotiations, securing regulatory approvals, agreements for joint ventures, and acquiring or selling aspects of a business. We regularly advise on privately negotiated transactions, controlled auctions, plans of arrangement and take-over bids, as well as reorganizations and restructurings for tax optimization.

Advocacy & Litigation: Our litigators are recognized leaders in their field, providing timely, creative and practical representation in a full range of commercial, corporate and constitutional litigation, and have extensive experience conducting hearings, trials and appeals. Our clients are diverse and include major business organizations, public bodies, universities, First Nations, media organizations, family litigants, and public interest groups. We advocate for our clients in every forum and at every level of court, and are engaged in many of the most important cases in the province at any given time. We recognize that advocacy work entails flexibility and a constant evaluation of available options, and that not all matters require a formal hearing. We actively look for opportunities to engage in alternate dispute resolution processes where appropriate.

Labour and Employment: Farris has a full-service labour and employment practice, providing advice, counsel, and representation to our clients in all aspects of workplace law.

We have broad experience representing employers in employment law disputes, including wrongful dismissal matters, disputes relating to restrictive covenants, disability related claims, discrimination and accommodation matters, Human Rights issues, employment and labour standards matters, privacy matters, and workers compensation issues. Our lawyers regularly represent our clients in Court and before administrative tribunals that apply employment-related statutes.

Our lawyers have vast experience in labour relations matters, acting before arbitrators, arbitration boards, and appearing in related judicial reviews and injunction applications before all levels of court and advising employers in a wide range of industries. We regularly act for employers with respect to grievance arbitration and collective agreement administration. Our lawyers conduct Labour Board hearings including applications for certification and decertification, unfair labour practices, variance, common employer and successorship issues. We assist clients with strikes and lockouts and the legal issues that can arise including picketing, ally and replacement workers.

We also assist our clients in drafting and reviewing employment agreements that cover all aspects of the employment relationship, including compensation and benefits, stock options and other incentive plans, severance provisions, restrictive covenants, intellectual property matters, hours of work, and alternative dispute resolution; as well as drafting Employee Handbooks that provide for various rules and regulations that apply in the workplace.

Taxation: Farris lawyers work together with our clients and their accountants to provide timely, innovative and practical tax advice. Representing a broad range of domestic, international, public and private-sector corporate clients across many industries, we provide guidance in areas of expertise such as mergers & acquisitions, real estate, structuring corporate groups and partnerships, fund formation and executive compensation. Our lawyers also have vast experience in advising on cross-border mergers and acquisitions, cross-border debt and equity offerings, structuring and financing of inbound investments into Canada and outbound investments from Canada, foreign affiliate reorganizations, profit repatriation, intellectual property migration strategies, electronic commerce, transfer pricing and tax treaty issues. For our private clients, we offer advice in owner-manager tax planning, estate and trust planning, private equity and venture capital investments.

If and when audits or disputes with the tax authorities arise, our lawyers have the experience and expertise to support you at every step. Our tax litigators represent clients in all types of CRA audits and disputes, assisting with proposals, voluntary disclosures, objections to CRA findings and appeals.

Recognition:

• 61 Farris partners ranked in Best Lawyers in Canada.
• Farris rated one of Vancouver’s leading corporate and litigation law firms for over a decade by The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory.
• Farris Repeatedly Recognized as One of Canada's Best Law Firms
• 28 Farris partners ranked in The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory.

Languages: English, French, Mandarin, Cantonese, Punjabi and Spanish.

For over 60 years, Gluckstein Lawyers has remained steadfast in our mission to prioritize our clients' needs. We understand that our personal injury clients often face life's most challenging moments, marked by fear, anger, and overwhelm. In these difficult times, our team of experienced and compassionate lawyers is dedicated to guiding and empowering them to rediscover their best selves after experiencing a catastrophic injury. We pride ourselves on being more than just legal representatives; we walk alongside our clients as their advocates throughout their legal journeys and beyond, truly exemplifying our commitment to Full-Circle Care.

Recognized as one of Canada's Top Ten Personal Injury Firms, our award-winning team is known for handling complex cases with trusted expertise and a trauma-informed approach. Through strategic partnerships with experienced personal injury lawyers across Ontario, our firm has grown, enabling us to bring extensive experience to a wide variety of cases, including motor vehicle accidents, birth injuries, sexual abuse, class actions, medical malpractice, and long-term disability claims. Our dedication to excellence and advocacy extends well beyond the courtroom; we understand that personal injury cases are about more than just financial compensation—they are about fostering accountability and driving positive change in our communities.

Whether you are addressing a harassment complaint, managing a termination, responding to a human rights concern, or dealing with a union grievance, employment issues can quickly become disruptive and costly for an organization. At Goulart Workplace Lawyers, we work with employers to help manage these situations early and resolve disputes in a practical and efficient manner.

With more than 30 years of experience in employment law, labour relations, and workplace investigations, we focus on practical guidance that supports your business objectives and day-to-day operations. We take the time to understand your workplace environment so we can provide strategic advice that is clear and actionable from the outset. Our team values long-term client relationships and works alongside employers to help address concerns, manage workplace conflict, and support informed decision-making.

From small businesses to multinational organizations, across Canada and internationally, we regularly work with senior executives, business owners, and HR leaders to provide practical employment law guidance. Many of our client relationships have continued for decades, reflecting the value clients place on our approach, responsiveness, and commitment to supporting their organizations.

Gowling WLG is an international law firm built on the belief that the best way to serve you is to be in tune with your world, aligned with your opportunity and ambitious for your success. With more than 1,500 legal professionals around the world, we provide our clients with in-depth knowledge in key global sectors and a suite of legal services at home and abroad. We see the world through our clients' eyes, and collaborate across countries, offices, service areas and sectors to help them succeed, no matter how challenging the circumstances.

Brief History

With roots tracing back to 1887, Gowling WLG grew to become one of the largest and most respected law firms in Canada, with a reputation for innovation in client-focused service delivery.

Building on its early strength in intellectual property, Gowling WLG diversified to offer a full suite of business law, litigation and intellectual property services in all of Canada’s key industries, including energy, mining, financial services, government, infrastructure, manufacturing, life sciences and technology.

Established by former litigation partners of a national Canadian firm, LCM Attorneys has earned its reputation as one of Montréal’s premier litigation boutiques. Built on strategic insight and uncompromising advocacy, the firm brings together more than 35 accomplished lawyers recognized for their sound judgment, intellectual rigor, and unwavering commitment to client success.

LCM Attorneys represents multinational corporations, financial institutions, professionals, and entrepreneurs in high-stakes and complex disputes. The firm’s practice spans class actions, securities litigation, commercial and shareholders’ disputes, professional liability, construction law, public law, arbitration, and international matters. Combining meticulous preparation with strategic clarity, LCM Attorneys works closely with its clients to navigate sophisticated legal challenges and deliver decisive, results-driven outcomes.

Loopstra Nixon LLP is a team of client-centered lawyers who are shaping the future of business and public law in Canada. We deliver exceptional service through tailored client solutions delivered by our top-tier team of legal talent.

Our team of lawyers possess unique and diverse skillsets, so that clients can come to us for any and every issue at hand. We are quick to adapt and always on call. Whether we are delivering cutting-edge legal solutions or providing strategic business advice, we revolve around you.

Our key practice areas include banking and financial services, business law, litigation & dispute resolution, municipal, land use planning & development, real estate, labour & employment, technology & intellectual property and bankruptcy, insolvency & restructuring.

Loopstra Nixon is the Canadian affiliate of LawExchange International, an established network of international independent law firms serving middle-market and entrepreneurial businesses throughout Europe, North and South America, Asia, and Australia. With member firms in 23 countries, this affiliation enables greater international reach for our clients.

50 Years of Service and Counting

With its humble beginnings in a storefront office in Toronto, Charles Loopstra and Sandy Nixon started something special – a firm that has grown with each and every one of its clients. In 2022, Loopstra Nixon entered its 50th year. The founding partners infused ambition, hard work, and an entrepreneurial spirit into the firm. Their commitment to client service and client relationships formed the foundation and set the expectations for every member of the Loopstra Nixon team.

We are proud of where we started and proud of where we are going.

McDougall Gauley LLP is a Saskatchewan law firm with a diversified local, provincial, national, and international practice. Since 1891, the firm has provided legal services to domestic and international financial institutions, insurance companies, individuals involved in business, government and financial organizations, as well as local, national, and multinational corporations.

With over 90 legal professionals, we provide counsel with the skills and resources to deliver the widest range of legal services to our clients. We offer legal services in English and French.

NST is recognized as one of British Columbia's leading dispute resolution firms. Its lawyers have built their reputations trying tough cases and arguing complex appeals.

The firm has been described as “a household name in the Vancouver market” and has been recognized as one of Canada’s top litigation boutiques. Legal publications rate NST’s lawyers as leading practitioners in commercial litigation and dispute resolution. Devoted to civil and business litigation and arbitration, the firm has litigated many of British Columbia’s largest and most complicated commercial lawsuits, including two of Canada’s most significant mining claims, as well as important securities and shareholder disputes.

Known for its intellectual rigour, high quality advocacy, responsiveness to clients' needs, and flexibility in procedural matters, the firm has experience arguing and defending certification motions, judicial reviews, summary trials, trials, and appeals. The firm utilizes its expertise to provide strategic advice and to seek practical solutions out of court. When that is not possible, NST’s lawyers have the courtroom experience to see a matter through to judgment.

NST’s clients include successful private and public companies, many of whom are referred to us by leading Canadian and international law firms. NST regularly acts in the full range of commercial disputes, including contract disputes, shareholders’ disputes, securities and oppression claims, hostile take-over bids and derivative actions, class actions and representative proceedings, mining claims, pension litigation, actions for professional negligence, administrative proceedings, defamation actions and employment disputes.

Irwin Nathanson, Stephen Schachter and Ardella Thompson created the firm with one purpose in mind—to focus on trying difficult cases and arguing complicated appeals. Over the years, the firm has carefully added lawyers, and now boasts six King’s Counsel and several former law clerks, including two former clerks to the Chief Justice of British Columbia. However, the firm’s goal has never been growth for its own sake. It maintains Irwin Nathanson’s vision of a select group of lawyers with the depth of talent and breadth of expertise to efficiently and effectively handle commercial disputes of all sizes and kinds.

In addition to its work for clients, the firm’s lawyers regularly contribute to legal scholarship, including: serving as adjunct professors at UBC Law School; writing chapters in texts on Business Torts, Government Liability, and the Annual Review of Law and Practice; frequently speaking at continuing legal education events on civil litigation law and practice; and authoring one of the province’s main litigation texts, the annual British Columbia Supreme Court Rules Annotated.

For over 70 years, Robins Appleby LLP has provided practical legal advice to entrepreneurs, businesses, financial institutions, and foreign companies conducting business in Canada.

Based in Toronto’s financial district, Robins Appleby is a mid-sized business law firm that delivers The Robins Appleby Edge: top-tier legal acumen with the efficiency, care, and personal touch of a close-knit team. We help clients solve complex, important, and often time-sensitive legal matters through deep expertise, collaborative problem-solving, and responsive client service.

Our lawyers work across practice areas to support clients as their businesses, investments, families, and legal needs evolve. The firm has specific expertise in:

• Affordable and Social Housing;
• Business and Transactions;
• Commercial Real Estate and Development;
• Employment Law;
• Litigation and Dispute Resolution;
• Secured Lending and Enforcement;
• Tax; and
• Wills and Estates.

The firm’s recognized strengths span trusts and estates, real estate law, corporate and commercial litigation, labour and employment law, and tax law.

Ross & McBride has served Hamilton and surrounding communities since 1890. As one of the city’s long-standing law firms, we are committed to providing practical legal guidance and responsive service while continuing a tradition of community involvement.

Our lawyers provide legal services across 12 practice areas and represent individuals, families, businesses, municipalities, financial institutions, non-profit organizations, and public corporations. We work with clients at every level of court and tailor our approach to each client’s unique needs and circumstances.

For generations, our firm has been proud to support a diverse client base with thoughtful advice, strong advocacy, and a client-focused approach. At Ross & McBride, we continue to build on a longstanding commitment to being the “lawyers in your corner.”

Whether you are an employee or an employer, the employment relationship is one of the most significant legal relationships you will enter into. It can have meaningful consequences for you, your family, and your business. It is more than “just business” — it affects your livelihood. Having a clear understanding of your rights and obligations under Canadian employment law is essential, and we assist clients in navigating these issues with clarity and care.

When lawyers with complementary areas of dedicated practice are strategically bundled together they create a team of legal expertise that extends far beyond the sum of their individual capabilities.

Effective multi-level teams are how Taylor McCaffrey LLP has come to be known as one of Manitoba’s most focused and formidable law firms.

Over the last several decades Taylor McCaffrey LLP – the firm – has achieved a reputation for excellence in law in our five Core Areas of Practice and the practice grouping of our individual lawyers.

We invite you to read more about our five Core Areas of Practice below.

Our Civil Litigation Practice Area chooses to focus on litigation on behalf of our corporate, commercial, business and individual clients. We do not practice in the area of criminal litigation. Our litigators regularly appear at all levels of court in Manitoba including provincial and federal courts and before a wide range of administrative tribunals and arbitration panels. We take pride in our many successes in matters that have proceeded to the Supreme Court of Canada.

The Corporate & Commercial Area of Practice provides focused business law services to our corporate, commercial, and business clients. The interests we serve range from proprietors of small businesses to partnerships, corporate entities, pension funds, governments, related agencies and national and multi-national corporations, professional groups, chartered banks, and insurance and trust companies.

Taylor McCaffrey LLP offers advice and specialized litigation for the simplest uncontested family proceedings to the most complex financial cases involving trusts, forensic auditing and accounting and business valuations.

The lawyers in our Family Law Practice Area have the breadth of experience necessary to assist with comprehensive resolutions of all family law issues.

Our Labour & Employment Practice Area focuses on all employer-side aspects of labour and human resources and our entire team can be mobilized quickly if a major project demands that concentration of activity, in situations such as strike management, applications for certification, or a workplace accident.

Our Taxation Practice Area offers lawyers experienced in the areas of planning, compliance, litigation and the development of complex financial instruments related to personal, corporate, not-for profit and municipal tax issues.

• Construction Law
• Entertainment Law
• Financial Services & Restructuring
• First Nations
• Insurance
• Intellectual Property & Information Technology
• Municipal Law
• Pension Law
• Personal Injury & Medical Malpractice
• Property Development & Real Estate
• Securities
• Wills, Estates & Trusts

Torkin Manes LLP is a full-service law firm based in downtown Toronto. Founded in 1974, we have built our firm by focusing on the core principles that we believe make a great law firm: a deep and personal understanding of clients’ business needs; a results-oriented approach to practice that provides practical, smart, and cost-effective advice; and, above all, responsiveness to our clients.

Our professionals provide legal counsel to individuals, public and private companies, and buyers and sellers of independent businesses. Our clients range from owner-operators and founders to investment funds and high net worth individuals, who value and trust our deep knowledge, experience and expertise in the Canadian mid-market. We advise our clients on day-to-day legal matters, as well as during the most transformative transactions and critical disputes of their businesses and lives.

When clients require legal services in other jurisdictions, we leverage our affiliation with Meritas, an international network of select law firms of which Torkin Manes is a member, to facilitate the procurement of excellent legal service and counsel worldwide.

Our client-driven approach has brought professional accolades. Torkin Manes has been named the 2024 Regional Law Firm of the Year (Central Canada) at the Canadian Law Awards, in addition to our long-standing recognition as Top Regional Law Firm (Ontario) by Canadian Lawyer Magazine. This firm is also consistently shortlisted as one of Canada's Regional Law Firms of the Year by Chambers and Partners. Our Construction, Corporate & Commercial, Family Law and Real Estate Groups are all recognized on the Globe & Mail’s Best Law Firms in Canada list.

Many of our lawyers are well known throughout the profession and community at large as highly respected leaders in their practice areas, as well as teachers, authors and advocates for the Law Society of Ontario and the Ontario Bar Association.

At VanBuskirk Law, our work is focused on practical results for the people and businesses we represent. Through hundreds of litigation matters, our team approaches each file with preparation, persistence, and thoughtful strategy. Over the years, our cases have contributed to several notable outcomes, including:

• Largest employment law award in New Brunswick history

• First Wallace Factor award granted in New Brunswick

• A significant disability insurance defence summary judgment in Nova Scotia

• The first wrongful dismissal summary judgment granted in New Brunswick

• Highest Public Service notice award in New Brunswick history

• A notable whistleblower case in New Brunswick

• Highest Human Rights damages award in New Brunswick history

• Two important labour law decisions addressing sale of business and successorship

Every legal matter is different, and outcomes in court cannot be guaranteed. What clients can expect is a consistent commitment to careful preparation, clear advice, and determined advocacy throughout the process.

Whitten & Lublin PC is an employment law firm, specializing in employment law. Representing both employers and employees, our role is to assist our clients in all aspects of workplace matters, including terminations, human rights violations, workplace investigations, workplace safety, harassment, employment contracts, disability claims, and shareholder and partnership disputes.

With over 200 years of combined experience, our team of lawyers have dedicated themselves to being experts in this field. Being at the forefront of employment and workplace law, we have skillfully litigated cases that have shaped and transformed employment law.

Whitten & Lublin's commitment to client care is consistently confirmed by lawyer colleagues, HR professionals, and the firm’s diverse clientele. Our client centric approach, and results have earned the firm the reputation of being amongst the best in the industry, resulting in our being one of Canada’s most recommended and highly respected law firms, along with numerous awards and honors that underscores the team’s professionalism and expertise.

Founded in 1990, Wilson Vukelich was formed by five Bay Street lawyers who concluded that clients are best served by smaller, more responsive, full service firms. Since its inception, WV has become known for working strategically with our clients, using our knowledge and experience to provide prompt, practical and cost-effective solutions. WV's commitment to providing the highest quality legal services has led us to be York Region's leading Business and Tax Law firm.

While we have grown from five lawyers, our growth is a controlled growth. We identify quality lawyers and staff and ensure that each new member of the team embodies the culture of prompt, practical and cost-effective representation that has made the firm's reputation. Our lawyers are respected counsel in their areas of practice. WV's lawyers are often speakers at seminars and conferences.

We understand the challenges businesses face in today's complex and competitive business environment. Our business clients range in size from start-ups to some of North America's largest public companies. We also represent international business clients seeking to protect and expand their interests in Canada.

Who We Are

Founded in 1927, Witten LLP is an Edmonton-based full-service law firm with a long history of serving clients across Alberta and Canada. For nearly a century, we have assisted individuals, businesses, municipalities and public institutions with a wide range of legal matters. Our firm is built on professionalism, practical guidance and a commitment to supporting both our clients and the broader community.

What We Do

With more than 50 lawyers and articling students, supported by approximately 100 staff members, we provide legal services in a broad range of practice areas, including business law, litigation, real estate law, Indigenous law, employment law and more. We work with clients on transactions, disputes and day-to-day legal matters, offering practical advice tailored to their goals and circumstances.

Our Approach

At Witten LLP, we value clear communication, responsiveness and collaboration. We take the time to understand each client’s needs and provide thoughtful legal guidance that reflects both the legal and practical aspects of a matter. By combining longstanding experience with a forward-looking approach, we strive to build lasting relationships based on trust, reliability and service.

Our Community Commitment

Our lawyers and staff are actively involved in charitable, educational and cultural initiatives throughout the community. Through volunteer work, board participation, pro bono efforts and community involvement, we continue a longstanding tradition of contributing time and skills to causes that matter across Alberta.

Supporting Legal Education

Witten LLP is committed to supporting legal education and professional development. Members of our firm regularly lecture at the University of Alberta Faculty of Law and participate in continuing legal education seminars for lawyers and industry professionals. By remaining engaged with legal education, we continue to contribute to the development of the legal profession and stay informed on emerging legal issues.