Annual HR Law Conference – October 18

Nathaniel Marshall (he/him)

Workplace Investigator & Employment Lawyer, Marshall Workplace Law

Nathaniel is the founder of Marshall Workplace Law. He is a prominent workplace investigator and is known for conducting complex investigations in a variety of sectors including police services, school boards, universities, hospitals, municipalities, and crown corporations. Nathaniel provides proactive solutions that are tailored to each client’s workplace culture and not only designs processes to address their specific needs, but also withstand legal scrutiny. Additionally, Nathaniel is sought out for his expertise in conducting investigations related to applicable human rights legislation, and specifically with regard to anti-Black racism. He received a Bachelor of Arts (Dean’s List) in Political Science, and a Juris Doctorate, both from Dalhousie University, where he was a member of the Indigenous Black & Mi’Kmaq Initiative. Nathaniel carries on a national practice and is called to the bar in Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Nunavut. 

Misha Munim (she/her)

Lawyer | Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Consultant , Munim Consulting

Misha Munim is an Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Strategist at Munim Consulting. She helps organizations cultivate inclusive, accessible environments free of discrimination and harassment.  Prior to launching her consulting practice, Misha served as a Human Rights Lawyer in both Canada and South Africa.

In Ottawa, her research supported the drafting of Federal equality legislation such as the Accessible Canada Act and human rights litigation at the Supreme Court of Canada.  In Cape Town, South Africa, Misha defended the rights of transgender prison inmates and participated actively in helping South Africa pass its first hate speech bill to protect racial minorities.  

As an investigator in both public service and private practice, Misha has conducted numerous, complex human rights investigations through a trauma-informed lens.

Misha has worked extensively with Indigenous communities across Canada, facilitating the resolution of human rights matters in accordance with Indigenous restorative justice traditions.  Misha holds a dual Juris Doctor/Master of Arts from the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law and the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, and an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Trinity College, University of Toronto.

Outside of work, Misha enjoys retreating in nature, swimming, and reading social justice books. She also volunteers with Pro Bono Ontario, providing free legal advice to Canadians in areas of human rights and employment law. 

Stuart Rudner (he/him)

Employment Lawyer & Mediator, Managing Partner, Rudner Law

Stuart Rudner is a leading Employment Lawyer and Mediator. For eight consecutive years, he has been selected by his peers for inclusion in ‘The Best Lawyers in Canada’ in the area of Employment Law, and he has been repeatedly named in Canadian HR Reporter’s Employment Lawyers Directory (a comprehensive directory of the top employment law and immigration law practitioners in Canada).  

He was also named one of Canada’s top Legal Social Media Influencers and recognized as the only Legal Influencer in Canadian HR Law in the first Lexology Awards. Stuart is the founder of Rudner Law, which was selected as the Silver Winner for Best Labour & Employment Boutique Law Firm in the Canadian HR Awards, and has been selected as one of the Top Three Employment & Labour Boutiques in Canadian HR Reporter Readers’ Choice Awards for the past four years.  

Rudner Law was chosen as the winner of the 2019 and 2020 International Advisory Experts Award – Employment Law within Canada and the winner of the Canadian Employment Law Firm of the Year for 2019 and 2020 in the Global Law Experts Annual Awards.  

Stuart is the author of You’re Fired! Just Cause for Dismissal in Canada and has contributed to several other texts. He comments frequently in the media on Employment Law matters, moderates several blogs, and hosts a monthly online show: Fire Away. Relationships are what matters to Stuart, whether it is spending time with his family and friends or being a trusted advisor to his clients. Stuart and his team know that our clients don’t have Employment Law questions; they have business decisions to make, and their job is to ensure that their clients make informed decisions. 

Rich Appiah

Employment and Labour Counsel, Appiah Law

Rich Appiah is the principal of Appiah Law | Employment + Labour Counsel. He provides expert strategic counsel and legal representation in HR law to businesses of all sizes, as well as to managers and senior executives.   

Called to the Bar of Ontario in 2006, Rich has significant experience as a negotiator and litigator. He has appeared as counsel before all levels of Ontario courts and the Ontario Labour Relations Board. He has also represented clients before boards of arbitration, the provincial and federal Human Rights Tribunals, the Ontario Ministry of Labour (Employment Standards Branch), and the Canadian Industrial Relations Board.  In 2016, Rich was recognized as a “Lawyer to Watch” by Lexpert Magazine. Since 2019, he has been recognized by his peers as a leading practitioner in employment law in the annual Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory  

Rich has published extensively and frequently presents at conferences on matters relating to employment and labour law and legal ethics. He also provides media commentary on pressing legal developments, including as a featured guest for all major Canadian news networks. With a lifelong commitment to volunteerism, Rich serves on the Board of Governors of the University of Guelph and is chair of the Board’s Human Resources and Governance and Membership Committees. He serves on the Board of Directors of STEPS Public Art (as a former chair and current interim chair); and has been an elected member of the Ontario Bar Association’s Employment and Labour Section Executive. He is also the former president of Delisle Youth Services. 

Marc Bhalla, (he/him), LL.M., C.Med, C.Arb.

Mediator, Arbitrator, Investigator and Educator

Marc’s practice is rooted in community conflict management. His two decades of experience in mediating include a relationship focus that is widely applicable and relatable to HR professionals. He also serves on provincial and municipal administrative tribunals. 

Marc is a faculty member at Osgoode Hall Law School’s Professional LL.M. in Dispute Resolution program. He also develops curricula and teaches at the York University School of Continuing Studies, and guest lectures at several of the country’s top law schools. 

Marc is a non-Indigenous ally and Academic Partner of the Authentic Allyship Project. Alongside celebrated Métis scholar Andrea Menard, he participates in publications, presentations and gatherings which encourage authentic support of Indigenous Peoples.  

Marc has spoken about conflict management across the continent and has been widely published with over 100 articles in a variety of magazines, peer-reviewed academic journals and trade publications. He has also written Canada’s first book about Online Dispute Resolution, ODR – Yesterday. Today. Tomorrow. (2022) as well as Reflections on Allyship (2023), a charitable project raising funds for the Indigenous-led, grassroots Moose Hide Campaign. Last but not least, Marc contributes a regular column to SLAW online legal magazine and is serving his second term as Ontario’s sole elected representative on the Board of Directors of the ADR Institute of Canada. 

Harrison Brown

Senior Associate, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG)

Harrison is a trusted management advisor and advocate in both unionized and non-unionized workplaces. He advises clients on a variety of issues, including legislative and regulatory compliance, wrongful dismissal and human rights litigation, labour disputes, employee privacy, and workplace health and safety.  

Harrison is also a skilled investigator with experience conducting and advising on complex, multi-party investigations concerning issues of harassment, discrimination, and other breaches of corporate policy. Prior to joining BLG, Harrison practiced at a highly regarded boutique employment and workplace investigations firm in Toronto. 

Carey O’Connor

Labour and Employment Lawyer, Hicks Morley 

Carey O’Connor is a labour and employment lawyer in Hicks Morley’s Toronto office. She advises employers on a wide range of labour and employment issues, with particular focus on employment litigation, grievance arbitration and collective bargaining.  

Carey has substantial experience litigating matters related to occupational health and safety issues and collective agreement interpretation. She works closely with her clients to respond to and defend orders and charges under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. She has considerable experience in the college, university, healthcare, and municipal sectors and is regarded as a thought leader on pandemic-related legal issues, having guided many employers through changing requirements and subsequent labour-related challenges.  

Carey uses her undergraduate education in commerce to develop a deep understanding of each organization. Her clients trust her as their strategic advisor and count on her to find the best strategies to mitigate risk. She is practical and quick to identify core issues. She uses her subject-matter expertise and clear thinking to negotiate positive settlements and litigate successful outcomes.  

Afsana Gibson-Chowdhury Q. Med

Mediator, Lawyer, Adjudicator

Afsana  is a lawyer, Qualified Mediator and founder of ‘Gibson Chowdhury’, a Toronto-based mediation boutique, specializing in workplace discrimination and civil and commercial disputes. She serves as an Adjudicator on the Property Standards Committee for the City of Toronto and is a past Chair of the Ontario Bar Association’s (OBA) ADR Section Executive board. During her time at the OBA, Afsana co-chaired a groundbreaking report called ‘Neutral Diversity in Ontario’, in an effort to increase diversity in the mediation profession.  

Additionally, she is a committee member of the prestigious Winkler Institute where she helps organize cutting edge material for the annual Winkler/Osgoode PD/IAM conference. She has written several CLE programs on equity, diversity, inclusion and intercultural communications. She is a member of the International Academy of Mediators’ DEI committee where she  builds helpful tools for lawyers and mediators to break down gender and racial barriers. Afsana is often asked to  present globally on issues concerning dispute resolution and EDI in ADR. Moreover, she is the recipient of the ADR Institute of Ontario’s Star Awards.  

Afsana is a British-born national and daughter of British Muslim immigrant parents from Bangladesh. She is now a Canadian immigrant where she enjoys the company of her husband and three children, living in the traditional territories of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples, also known as Toronto. 

Lorin MacDonald (She/Her/Hers)

JD, LSM, Founder, HearVue

Born with profound hearing loss, Lorin MacDonald is a human rights lawyer supporting people with disabilities, an accessibility advocate, and the Founder of HearVue, a social enterprise dedicated to disability awareness and communication inclusion via captions and subtitles.

For over 30 years, Lorin has displayed her leadership, passion, and commitment to accessibility and inclusion. She is one of Canada’s top advocacy voices, steadfast in her belief that Canadians with disabilities have an unfettered right to full participation. Her impact as a change agent is remarkable given its cross-disability breadth: the arts, health care, legislation, education, access to justice, and communities have been beneficiaries of her expertise and dedication.

Too often, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion conversations neglect disability and accessibility; Lorin ensures this is not so. In addition to human rights and disability awareness presentations, Lorin provides engaging commentary on LinkedIn, contributes thoughtful opinion pieces to Canadian Lawyer magazine to educate the legal profession, and volunteers with the Ontario and Canadian Bar Associations to advance equity initiatives.

Lorin’s accolades are many: the Women’s Executive Network 2021 Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100, the Law Society of Ontario Medal (LSM), its highest honour, for outstanding service to make the profession more accessible and inclusive, and induction to the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame for extraordinary contributions to enhancing the lives of people with disabilities. Lorin was selected for Diversability’s 2023 D-30 Disability Impact List, one of 30 global disability leaders from 12 countries and the only honouree from Canada.

Simon Margolis

Knowledge Management Lawyer, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP

Simon summered and articled with BLG and was called to the Ontario Bar in 2020. Prior to this role, Simon maintained a broad commercial litigation practice. He is a graduate of the University of Toronto Faculty of Law and has obtained his undergraduate degree at the University of Michigan, where he studied history and political science. Prior to law school, Simon worked as a Policy Intern at a neurodiversity and autism advocacy organization in Washington, D.C. 

Nathalie Moir (she/her)

(Interim) Associate Registrar and Director, Regulatory Operations

Nathalie Moir is the (Interim) Associate Registrar and Director of Regulatory Operations at HRPA within the Office of the Registrar. In this role she is responsible for exercising a variety of powers delegated by the Registrar pursuant to Section 13 (2) of the Registered Human Resources Professionals Act, 2013 (the Act)., and the day-to-day operations within the HRPA’s Office of the Registrar.  The breadth and depth of Nathalie’s professional level experience is from various regulatory bodies within Ontario, which has bequeathed upon her a sound understanding of regulation and governance.  

Andrew Monkhouse

Managing Partner, Monkhouse Law Employment Lawyers, Adjunct Professor – Osgoode Hall Law School

Managing Partner, Legal Author, Law Professor, Business Owner and Community Volunteer. Andrew has many roles. In his role as a litigator he took the most employment law cases to trial of any lawyer in Ontario between 2013 and 2023 and has exceptional in-court experience. 

Andrew is a pioneer in Class Actions work having started the first contractor/employee class action in Ontario and the first vacation-holiday underpayment class actions. 

Andrew has worked tirelessly for clients in civil litigation, specializing in employment, human rights, and disability insurance law. Andrew has an academic appointment to teach courses at Osgoode Hall Law School as an adjunct (part time) professor where he teaches law students. 

Andrew is extremely active in his involvement in legal organizations devoted to training, networking, and improving legal skills among employment lawyers. Andrew is the founding President of the ELAO – Employment Lawyers Association of Ontario (ELAO) – which represents and organizes events for employment lawyers in Ontario. He is also the current Past Chair of the Ontario Bar Association (OBA) Labour and Employment Section and the current Secretary of the Canadian Bar Association Labour and Employment Section. Andrew has spoken at countless educational seminars providing his legal knowledge to other lawyers on a variety of topics. 

As the managing partner of Monkhouse Law, Andrew has grown the firm, which ranked as the top growing law firm in Canada in 2019 according to the Globe and Mail, in all of North America by the Financial Times again in 2020, and in Ontario in 2020 again by the Globe and Mail. Monkhouse Law has been selected as a finalist for “Labour & Employment Law Boutique of the Year” by the Canadian HR awards three times (2018, 2019, 2020) and was the silver winner of the “University of Waterloo Award for Next Generation Employment Innovation” award in 2020. Among many other awards, Monkhouse Law was chosen as the “readers’ choice” award by the Toronto Star in 2019. 

Andrew is a published author in employment law, currently serving as the lead author of “Canadian Forms and Precedents – Commercial Transactions – Employment,” published by LexisNexis Canada. 

He volunteers his time as the Convener (organizer) of the Osgoode Cup, Canada’s largest legal competition held on an annual basis. 

You can also follow Andrew on Twitter: @andrewmonkhouse 

Cosmina Morariu, LL.M.

Partner, Fragomen 

At Fragomen’s Toronto office Cosmina is responsible for Canadian temporary and permanent residence immigration matters, as well as consular and document procurement filings. She also leads the firm’s private client practice in Toronto. Cosmina supports clients with various Canadian work permit and entry visa requirements, including Labour Market impact assessments, electronic travel authorizations, inadmissibility applications and permanent residence filings. She also assists clients in understanding their obligations with immigration programs and provides support in relation to employer compliance reviews, audits and inspections. 

Cosmina is experienced in supporting major global businesses and smaller, locally based businesses across various industries, assisting them in implementing cost-effective relocation strategies, as well as planning their foreign population. She also regularly interacts with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC) domestic case processing centers, the Canada Border Services Agencies at various ports of entry, as well as Canadian consulates and Canadian embassies worldwide. Additionally, she provides feedback to authorities on policy and procedural matters as part of the Toronto office’s government relations team. 

Cosmina volunteers as a mentor through the Women Mobilizing Women program in Toronto. She also participates in the Toronto office’s initiatives working closely with the Herbie Fund to provide the immigration services needed to bring children from around the world to SickKids.   

Cosmina speaks English, French and Romanian. She holds a Certificate of Qualification from the National Committee on Accreditation as well as an Immigration Practitioner Certificate from Seneca College. 

Sharon Naipaul (she/her), B.R.S., J.D.

Mediator, Trainer, and Consultant at Strategic Workplace: Equity and Conflict Resolution Solutions

Sharon provides mediation, workplace restoration, workplace assessments, training and other supports to a wide range of workplaces. She has 15 years of experience in labour, employment and human rights as both a practicing lawyer and a mediator. She has mediated close to a thousand disputes, including many multi-party and extremely complex, high-profile cases. 

Sharon gained her expertise in workplace issues when she began her career in private practice for a prominent union-side labour law firm in Toronto. Following that, she went in-house at a major public service union as a litigator. She then spent many years as a Senior Mediator at the Ontario Labour Relations Board. Subsequently, Sharon returned to private legal practice as a workplace investigator, conducting numerous complex investigations. 

Sharon’s goal is to incorporate anti-oppressive, anti-racist, anti-hierarchical, and trauma-informed principles into allher work. She is deeply passionate about the power that mediation and mediation-related processes have to transform workplaces and conflicts, and about the as-yet untapped potential of mediation if applied in a wider variety of contexts. 

While at Western Law she interned at the International Labour Organization in Geneva, and led both the Diversity Committee and Labour Law Society.In addition to her J.D., Sharon holds the Executive Certificate in Conflict Management from Windsor Law/Stitt Feld Handy Group, the Transformative Mediation Certificate from the University of Waterloo/Community Justice Initiatives, the Advanced Workplace Restoration Certificate through the Alternative Dispute Resolution Institute of Ontario, and is a designated Workplace Fairness Assessor. She is a member of ADRIO, ADRIC and is a member in good standing with the Law Society of Ontario. She is also the co-founder of the Women’s Indo-Caribbean Entrepreneurial Group. Sharon is also a Volunteer Roster Mediator with The Neighbourhood Group and a Coach for York University’s Certificate in Dispute Resolution program at their School of Continuing Studies. She is also on multiple mediator rosters providing neutral mediation services in labour and employment. 

Darrell Pinto, MBA

Director of Employment, Jumpstart Refugee Talent

Darrell is a senior executive who has honed his strategic consulting and people-focused leadership in Toronto, New York, London, and Shanghai at companies spanning private and public financial markets, pharmaceuticals, media and non-profits. In his current role he leverages his extensive corporate relationships to create a pathway to meaningful employment for refugees. 

He thrives in situations where he can combine solving big problems through design thinking. Darrell’s capacious commitment to volunteerism and community building is rooted in his belief that we are all stronger if we can find ways to help each other be our best. He has served on the boards of several non-profits and was a previous co-chair with Senator Ratna Omidvar of the national Refugee Jobs Agenda Roundtable, a working coalition of 150 Canadian organizations collaborating to find meaningful jobs for refugees. He is also host of a national talk show on the New Canadians TV platform on issues related to inclusion, immigration, and multiculturalism. 

Mitchell Rose, LL.B., C. Med, Q. Arb

Rose Dispute Resolution, Mediation and Arbitration

Mitchell is the principal of Ontario-based Mitchell Rose Professional Corporation (Rose Dispute Resolution and Mitchell Rose Law). Throughout most of his legal career, Mitch was a civil and employment litigator. As his mediation practice grew, he  became a Settlement Counsel (ADR Lawyer) who negotiates and attends mediations and pre-trials as an advocate. He also advises employers on a range of legal issues.  

Mitch offers dispute resolution services (mediation, mediation-arbitration, and arbitration) for a variety of civil disputes, including wrongful dismissal. A former Chair of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Section of the Ontario Bar Association (2020-21), Mitch is a member of the Canadian Academy of Distinguished Neutrals, a Distinguished Fellow of the International Academy of Mediators, and a former member of the board of directors of the ADR Institute of Ontario. He is also a member of the executive of the OBA’s Labour and Employment Law Section. Mitch is also a frequent writer and speaker on ADR and employment law-related topics. 

Alex Sinclair, B.A., J.D.

Partner, Hudson Sinclair

In his current role, Alex practises in all areas of labour and employment law. He provides proactive and tailored advice on varied labour and employment issues. Alex regularly guides employers through high-stakes legal issues, including complex terminations involving significant legal risks. 

Alex is a tenacious advocate who has appeared at all levels of Court in Ontario and at the Federal Court of Appeal. He regularly represents clients before administrative tribunals including labour arbitrations, the Ontario Labour Relations Board, Coroner’s Inquests, the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal. 

Alex is also a seasoned workplace investigator. He is regularly retained to act as an independent investigator with respect to a variety of allegations including workplace harassment and bullying, sexual harassment, Code of Conduct violations and conflicts of interest.  

Alex works out of both the Toronto and Oakville offices. 

Hena Singh (she/her)

Founding Partner, Investigations & Mediations, Singh Lamarche LLP

Hena Singh is the founding partner of Singh Investigations & Mediations and a founding partner of Singh Lamarche LLP. She is recognized for providing her clients with practical and tailored solutions to employment issues. 

In addition to her work as an employment lawyer, Hena has conducted hundreds of workplace investigations for companies and organizations of all types and sizes. She is a mediator, Certified Workplace Investigator and a Certified Compliance Officer. She also holds a master’s degree in Psychology. 

Hena is the author of the book A Practical Guide to Conducting Workplace Investigations and co-author of the book A Practical Guide to the Law of Terminations in Ontario. Given her credentials and extensive experience, she regularly appears in the media and is a frequent presenter on various employment law, human rights, mediation and workplace investigation issues. 

Walter Yoo

Senior Associate, Monkhouse Law 

Walter is a Senior Associate at Monkhouse Law. Walter is a barrister and solicitor, licensed by the Law Society of Ontario, practicing employment law.  

Walter received his JD from the University of Windsor after obtaining an Honours Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto in political science and philosophy.  

During law school, Walter volunteered as a litigator and caseworker at community legal aid and participated in several moot and alternative dispute resolution competitions. During his third year of law school, Walter studied human rights at the University of Essex in England.  

Prior to joining Monkhouse Law as an associate, Walter worked at prominent personal injury law firms where he was exposed to each step of handling a case. He completed his articles at a downtown litigation firm where he participated in trials and appeals in complex medical malpractice and personal injury matters.  

When not working Walter enjoys watching the Raptors and exploring the great outdoors on foot or bicycle.  

Anoushka Zachariah

Labour and Employment Lawyer, Hicks Morley

Anoushka advises employers and social-service providers in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors regarding issues arising from employment relationships and the provision of services to the public. 

Anoushka has successfully defended employers against a wide range of claims including human rights allegations, contractual disputes and wrongful dismissal actions. She has appeared as counsel before various courts and administrative tribunals including the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, the Ontario Labour Relations Board, the Ontario Court of Justice and the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. While in law school she interned for the Chief Judge of the 35th District Court in Plymouth, Michigan.