CPHR CPD:  8.0

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Schedule

Emcee

Rebecca Saturley, Managing Partner, Stewart McKelvey

Topic: Keeping Up to Date on Human Rights: the current process for complaints at the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission, a review of key cases from 2023 and trends to watch for in 2024

Moderator: Understanding the Perspective of the “Other Side”:  Discussion (and Debate!) with Union and Employer Counsel- Employer side

Rebecca’s clients find that government regulators – such as occupational health and safety, human rights and employment standards – continue to make day-to-day operations increasingly challenging. Through understanding the legal issues and the business of her clients, Rebecca is able to develop strategies and solutions that solve the problems they face. Her diverse client base includes large national companies, owner managed businesses and non-profits. Some of the ways she has helped her clients: 

• Acted for departing employee in an interim and interlocutory injunction application. The Court ultimately concluded
  that the plaintiff had not established a strong prima facie case that the restrictive covenants were reasonable (2012
  NSSC 234 (CanLII)).

• Preparation of materials for successful ex parte emergency injunction application relating to letters of credit.
  

• Successfully represented employer in summary judgment application relating to a wrongful dismissal claim (2012
  NSSC 96 (CanLII)).
  

• Successfully represented employer in summary judgment application and appeal involving breach of a settlement
  agreement (2011 NSCA 20 (CanLII)).
  

• Successfully represented administrative tribunal in summary judgment application relating to claims of abuse of
  process and malicious prosecution (2009 NSCA 122 (CanLII)).

Speakers

Tara Erskine, CPHR, Mathews Dinsdale

Topic: Raising the Bar on Workplace Investigations 

Tara provides strategic advice to employers and works as a partner with human resource professionals and in-house counsel of Canada’s leading employers. Working from the Halifax office, she represents employers across Canada.  Tara is a member of the Nova Scotia, Ontario and Alberta Bars.

Tara counsels her clients on all conceivable day-to-day employment matters, ranging from plant closures to advising them on conducting sexual harassment investigations to developing plans of action for employees seeking accommodation of disability, religion, and family status. She defends employers in court facing wrongful dismissal claims and argues grievance arbitration cases before labour arbitrators. Tara assists in the defence of human rights complaints and acts for employers in matters before labour relations boards including applications for certification and in bargaining collective agreements.

Tara is a Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR) (formerly CHRP).  In 2003, Tara spearheaded the founding of the Canadian Association of Counsel of Employers (CACE) and was its first director.

Julian Dickinson, Mathews Dinsdale

Topic: Raising the Bar on Workplace Investigations 

Julian is an Associate in our Halifax office who advises employers across Atlantic Canada in all areas of workplace law, but with particular expertise in workers’ compensation and occupational health and safety matters.  He frequently advises and represents employers on issues involving discipline and termination, performance management, workplace accommodation, labour standards complaints and wrongful dismissal.  Julian takes the time to get to know the employer’s individual business needs and provides a tailored approach to addressing workplace challenges.   He has a wealth of experience in dealing with Workers’ Compensation cases and has represented employers at many WCAT appeal hearings, up to the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal.

In addition to his litigation and advisory practice, Julian also provides managers with practical training in all manner of human resource management topics.

Julian received his Juris Doctor from Dalhousie Schulich School of Law in 2016. Aside from practicing law, Julian has also done work in journalism, education, and as an officer for the Nova Scotia Labour Board.

Geoffrey Breen, Cox & Palmer

Topic: Accommodations: Current Case Law

Geoff works with businesses to solve their employment & labour problems and commercial disputes. Whether it be detecting compliance gaps, managing complex human resources issues, navigating transactions and reorganizations, or leading litigation, arbitration and regulatory proceedings, Geoff helps businesses find the right track from start to the finish.


Geoff graduated from Dalhousie Schulich School of Law in 2010 and was called to the bar in Ontario in 2011 where he practiced employment & labour law and commercial litigation at a full service Toronto firm until joining Cox & Palmer in 2016. He has appeared before various courts and tribunals throughout Nova Scotia and Ontario, and has successfully completed both the Intensive Trial Advocacy Workshop and Certificate in Mining Law through Osgoode Hall Law School.

Sarah McInnes, Partner, McInnes Cooper

Sarah is an Immigration Lawyer based in McInnes Cooper’s Halifax office. Sarah provides strategic and practical advice to a wide range of clientele with Canadian immigration issues. Her clients range from individuals seeking temporary resident visas, study permits, work permits and permanent residency, to corporations seeking to recruit and retain international talent. 

Topic: 5 Key Employer Immigration Law FAQs 

Immigration is increasingly the solution to Canadian labour & skills shortages. But immigration laws are constantly evolving – and employers must keep pace. How do you assess whether international recruitment is a viable strategy? What’s the latest on the Atlantic Immigration Program? Just how accountable are you for the foreign workers you hire? Join McInnes Cooper Immigration Lawyer Sarah McInnes for the answers to these and more questions employers frequently ask about immigration law. 

Michael Conway, Barteaux Labour & Employment Lawyers Inc.

Topic: Psychological Safety in the Workplace

Michael joined Barteaux as an associate in January 2023. He provides advice and representation to employers on a wide range of labour and employment matters, including human rights cases, labour arbitration, collective bargaining, and employment litigation. Michael also advises employers on workforce planning, including the management of employment agreements and terminations. Michael makes a particular effort to ensure that he assists clients with their legal concerns while considering their business and the realities of running an organization.

Michael completed law school at Queen’s University in 2019 after completing a Bachelor of Commerce degree at Carleton University in 2016. More recently, Michael earned his Master of Business Administration from Queen’s University in 2022.

Ronald Pink, Pink Larkin 

Topic: Understanding the Perspective of the “Other Side”:  Discussion (and Debate!) with Union and Employer Counsel - Employee side

A veteran labour and employment lawyer, Ron represents numerous Canadian trade and professional organizations across a range of industries, such as transportation, education, media and telecommunication, construction, public service and health care.

In many cases, he has guided their development from inception and certification to tackling mature operational issues such as collective bargaining, remuneration, governance, political and public relations, and statutory reform.

Ron also maintains one of Canada’s largest pension and benefits legal practices, representing a variety of multi-billion-dollar plans that mirror the industry sectors of his client base.

He focuses on structural foundations and governance along with performance audits of plans, boards of trustees and third-party suppliers. Combine this with his fiduciary duties and management reviews, and Ron ensures compliance with the Pension Benefits Act and sees that beneficiaries’ needs are met. He has litigated on pension issues throughout Atlantic Canada.

Ron regularly advises other institutional clients on governance and strategic planning issues, including First Nations and non-profit organizations. He represents medical professionals and their organizations in collective bargaining with provincial agencies throughout Canada.

In 2008, Ron was appointed to the Nova Scotia Pension Review Panel and became a member of the Litigation Counsel of America. A fan of Canada’s national sport, Ron served as the only Chair of the National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) Advisory Committee from 2008 to 2009.

Ron was inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers in 2006 and as a Fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers in 2010. He was recognized by Best Lawyers in Canada – 2016 as “Lawyer of the Year” for Halifax in the areas of Employee Benefits Law. He was also selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers of Canada 2019 in the field of Employee Benefits Law and Labour and Employment Law. He is listed in the 2019 Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory as a leading practitioner in the areas of Labour, Employment and Pension law. He is ranked AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell, which reflects the highest possible standing for legal ability and ethical standards.

Brad Proctor, Partner, McInnes Cooper

Topic: Understanding the Perspective of the “Other Side”:  Discussion (and Debate!) with Union and Employer Counsel- Employer side

Brad practices management labour and employment law with an emphasis on the following core areas:

• Occupational Health and Safety;
•  Workers’ Compensation;
• Human Rights and Workplace Accommodations;
• Labour Relations and Collective Bargaining;
• Wrongful Dismissal and other Employment-related claims;
• Workplace Privacy Issues.

Brad advises clients to take a proactive approach to management labour and employment relations through the formulation and implementation of employment contracts, workplace policies as well as the creation of training programs for managers and supervisors with respect to performance management, workplace accommodations, harassment prevention and health and safety.

Brad appears regularly before labour arbitrators, human rights tribunals, Labour Boards, Workers’ Compensation Tribunals as well as various levels of court throughout the Atlantic Canadian provinces.

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