New date! May 29

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.

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. 

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. 

The Hon. Jody Wilson-Raybould

Former Member of Parliament | Former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada | Bestselling Author

The Honourable Jody Wilson-Raybould, PC, OBC, KC, was raised to be a leader. The daughter of a hereditary chief and Indigenous leader, she always knew that she would seek leadership roles and responsibilities. As a lawyer, an advocate, and a leader among Canada’s Indigenous Peoples, she’s built a strong reputation as a bridge builder and champion of good governance and accountability. She shares her unique perspective as both a community and political leader on topics such as Indigenous rights and reconciliation, democracy and governance, leadership, and justice. 

Wilson-Raybould was first elected as a Member of Parliament for the new constituency of Vancouver Granville in 2015. She was then appointed the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada making her the first Indigenous person to serve in this portfolio. In January 2019, she was appointed the Minister of Veterans Affairs of Canada and Associate Minister of National Defence, positions she held until her resignation from cabinet in February 2019. During the 2019 election, Wilson-Raybould was re-elected as an Independent Member of Parliament for Vancouver Granville, making her Canada’s first ever female Independent MP elected and the only elected Independent in the 43rd Parliament. 

Prior to politics, Wilson-Raybould was a provincial crown prosecutor in Vancouver and served three terms as an elected Commissioner of the BC Treaty Commission. She was also elected BC Regional Chief of the Assembly of First Nations in 2009, where she devoted herself to the advancement of First Nations governance, fair access to land and resources, as well as improved education and health care services. She served until 2015, holding responsibilities for governance and Nation building on the Assembly of First Nations Executive. 

Wilson-Raybould is a descendant of the Musgamagw Tsawataineuk and Laich-Kwil-Tach peoples, which are part of the Kwakwaka’wakw and also known as the Kwak’wala speaking peoples. She is a member of the We Wai Kai Nation with her traditional name, Puglaas, meaning “woman born to noble people.” She served two terms as an elected councillor for her Nation and was also a director and chair of the First Nations Finance Authority and a director of the First Nations Lands Advisory Board. 

Wilson-Raybould is the bestselling author of three books, the political memoir “Indian” in the Cabinet: Speaking Truth to Power, which was a finalist for The Writers’ Trust Balsillie Prize for Public Policy and the Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political Writing; From Where I Stand: Rebuilding Indigenous Nations for a Stronger Canada; and, her most recent, True Reconciliation: How to Be a Force For Change. 

Behzad Hassibi

Partner, Israel Foulon Wong LLP

Behzad is a Partner at Israel Foulon Wong LLP and a graduate of McGill University’s Faculty of Law. His legal practice is solely dedicated to advising both employees and employers regarding a full range of employment and labour law matters. Behzad was recently selected by his peers for inclusion in the 2024 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Canada™ for his work in Labour and Employment Law. 

Behzad has appeared successfully at the Ontario Court of Appeal, Ontario Superior Court of Justice, Ontario Court of Justice, and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal. He has also represented clients in proceedings before the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario and the Ontario Labour Relations Board. 

Prior to joining Israel Foulon Wong LLP, Behzad clerked for the judges of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in Toronto. Behzad has previously worked at a national full-service firm, as well as at a legal publishing company specializing in labour, employment, and human rights law.  

Jason Huang-Kung (he/him)

Partner, Kung, Lo & Jia LLP

Jason heads the Labour & Employment and Construction Law practice at Kung, Lo & Jia LLP. 

Jason represents both employers and employees in employment law disputes. He has acted for both sides before various administrative tribunals such as the Ontario Labour Relations Board, the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, as well as in court.  

He regularly provides on-the-go legal advice to employers in all aspects of employment law, including employee management, accommodation requests, workplace harassment, terminations, etc.  

Lisa Odjig

Hoop Dancer, Odawa, Ojibway nation 

Lisa, a remarkable talent, stands as a 7-time Indigenous Hoop Dance Champion and a two-time World Champion Hoop Dancer.  

Lisa’s mesmerizing performances have been showcased at distinguished events, including the 2023 NHL Indigenous Heritage Celebration Game, where her hoop dance paid homage to Indigenous heritage. The NBA Toronto Raptors halftime show, as well as the CFL Toronto Argonauts and Hamilton Tiger Cats halftime shows, have all witnessed the enchanting rhythm and grace of Lisa’s performances.   

Beyond North America, her talent has transcended borders, taking the form of Hoop dance to stages across the globe. Lisa’s captivating presence has left an indelible mark on audiences in Europe, the Middle East, and the Caribbean, spreading the beauty and significance of Indigenous culture to diverse corners of the world. 

Stefan Rosenbaum

Partner, Singh Lamarche LLP

Stefan Rosenbaum is a partner at Singh Lamarche LLP, focusing on employment and human rights law. Stefan regularly acts for both employees and employers, and conducts workplace investigations. 

Stefan has extensive litigation experience. He has appeared before the Human Rights Tribunal and Ontario Superior Court of Justice. Stefan has experience in all aspects of the litigation process up to and including trials and appeals. 

Sreya Roy (she/her)

Lawyer and Workplace Investigator, Bernardi Human Resource Law LLP

Sreya’s social justice and anti-oppression background informs her goal to help create safe, healthy, and respectful workplaces. Before becoming a lawyer, Sreya worked in the not-for-profit sector supporting survivors of sexual violence and human trafficking. She also provides anti-violence, anti-oppression, and inclusivity training and education. 

Sreya conducts balanced, trauma-informed investigations using an anti-oppression lens. Sreya conducts cultural assessments and has investigated several complex cases in unionized and non-unionized environments, municipalities, universities, school boards, hospitals, athletic clubs, private sector and for not-for-profit organizations. Her investigation experience includes bullying, sexual harassment, sexual violence and sexual assault, discrimination and harassment based on race, sex, and sexual orientation. 

Sreya facilitates the HRPA Workplace Investigations Training and Certificate Program and conducts workplace training. She is frequently invited as a speaker to present on various conferences and programs on topics such as, unconscious bias, micro-aggressions, investigations interviews, intersectionality, sexual violence, racial harassment, and having difficult conversations in the workplace. 

Sreya is fluent in Bengali and has a working knowledge of Hindi. 

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. 

Nancy Shapiro (she/her)

Partner, Koskie Minsky LLP

Nancy Shapiro’s practice is devoted exclusively to the area of employment law. 

Nancy has been recognized by Best Lawyers™ as the 2023 “Lawyer of the Year” for Labour and Employment Law in addition to other distinguished professional rankings including The Best Lawyers in Canada and Chambers Canada, which she has held since 2022. In 2022 Nancy received the Canadian HR Reporter 5 – Star employment ranking. Nancy was also ranked for three straight years as one of the top 500 lawyers in Canada by the Lexpert/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada and has been recognized in the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory as a leading practitioner in the area of employment law (both for employer and employee side work), since 2017. 

Nancy represents non-unionized employers and employees in a wide variety of sectors. Nancy is thoroughly versed in issues surrounding all aspects of the employment relationship from hiring, discipline, disability management, performance management and human rights through to termination. She is frequently engaged on the preparation and negotiation of employment contracts, manuals and policies, legislative compliance, restructuring, workplace investigations as well as litigation and appellant work. Nancy focuses on working with her clients in an effort to proactively minimize risks and cost while being a zealous advocate. 

As a member of the firm’s litigation department, Nancy also acts on cases of wrongful dismissal, breach of contract, discrimination, constructive dismissal, director and officer liability and errors and omissions issues and partnership/shareholder disputes in the employment context. Nancy is also a frequent speaker at industry conferences and author of many employment related articles. 

Sharaf Sultan

Principal Lawyer, Sultan Lawyers

Sharaf Sultan focuses his practice on both employment and workplace immigration law.  Sharaf has extensive experience in all aspects of employment law, including wrongful dismissal, design of policies and procedures, as well as workplace human rights matters. Sharaf advises both large and small employers on a wide range of workplace employment matters, including hiring and termination, performance management, drafting of workplace employment policies, restrictive covenants, and employment contracts. Sharaf also regularly manages employment litigation and human rights applications.  

Sharaf further advises employers on a wide range of immigration matters for companies involved in the relocation or hiring of foreigners into the Canadian labour market. He has extensive experience preparing and providing advice with respect to business visitor visa applications, intra-company transfers, and Labour Market Impact Assessment applications. Sharaf’s clients include large Canadian, American, and multinational corporations.  

Prior to becoming a lawyer, Sharaf worked at the International Labour Organization in Geneva, Switzerland, where he was responsible for the design of statistical analyses of child labour practices across various global jurisdictions. 

Sharaf regularly writes and speaks on both employment and workplace immigration matters. He has also taught at the university level (including at Dalhousie and Queen’s University) on advocacy, employment, and immigration law.  

Prior to founding Sultan Lawyers, Sharaf was a lawyer within Heenan Blaikie LLP’s labour and employment group.  

Sharaf has also been recognized through several awards including Best Lawyers, Top Choice, and Client Choice awards.

Tatha Swann

Founding Lawyer, Swann Law

Tatha Swann is an accomplished employment and labour lawyer who wears many industry hats and can offer her expertise and experience across a broad range of matters. ​ 

Tatha defines success as providing employers with practical leave advice so they can address workplace issues efficiently and affordably and focus on business operations.  

Tatha also works with executive employees to obtain compensation and peace of mind when they have been terminated or mistreat in the workplace. 

Tatha has appeared in the media fighting for client rights in several cases that received national and international attention (https://swannlaw.ca/press-media/). 

Tatha has represented federally and provincially regulated private sector employers in telecommunications, airline, automotive, real estate, manufacturing, construction, not for profit, entertainment/media and other industries in litigation and day-to-day employment issues.  

She has also represented employers and employees in litigation, including wrongful dismissal, human rights, unjust dismissal, harassment claims, unpaid wages, bonus, LTIP, executive compensation, overtime, enforcing non-competition and non-solicitation agreements, and breach of confidentiality against former employees and other workplace issues in court and before the Ontario Labour Relations Board, Canada Industrial Relations Board, Federal and Provincial Human Rights Tribunals, and federal unjust dismissal adjudications.