Human Rights

We are pleased to represent both individuals and organization with respect to human rights matters and provide the following services:

Litigation & Representation

With the recent changes to the Ontario Human Rights Code and the transition to a direct access model, knowledge of the Tribunal's rules, practices and members is critical to ensuring our clients receive the best representation possible.

If a matter proceeds to a hearing we vigorously advocate on behalf of our clients at all stages of the human rights process. In particular, we provide our clients with:

Advocacy before the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario
Advocacy and Representation During the Mediation Process
Drafting of Pleadings
Legal Strategy and Advice throughout the entire Human Rights Process
Assessments of the Potential Outcomes of the Claim

Accommodation

The question of accommodation arises in a range of situations including sex, race, gender, disability, age, and family status to name a few.

We work with our clients to determine what, if any, legal obligations are required to meet the duty to accommodate. In doing so, we help our clients:

Understand their Role in the Accommodation Process
Find the Appropriate Balance between a "Preferred Accommodation" and a "Reasonable Accommodation"
Consider the Businesses Operational Requirements balanced against the Duty to Accommodate

Prevention

Our goal is to help clients proactively address potential human rights issues through early intervention and training. We therefore assist clients to proactively:

Implement Strategies to Elicit Medical Evidence that is Objective, Relevant and Useful
Design and Implement Drug and Alcohol Testing Policies, as Permitted by Law
Provide Advice on Compliance with Human Rights Legislation
Assist in the Development of Human Rights Policies
Provide Advice on day-to-day Issues that arise, such as Sexual Harassment
Design and Deliver Training Programs