Please join us in Niagara Falls, Ontario, on November 9-10, 2026 for the Inaugural LABOURFEST.

Presented by RavenLaw lawyers Wassim Garzouzi and Jessica Greenwood, attendees will be presented with eight practical panels over two days, ranging from a review of applicable legislation affecting unionized workers to utilizing the grievance procedure more effectively. Full agenda: www.labourfest.ca

“LABOURFEST simplifies labour law and makes it fun. How can we use the grievance procedure more effectively, to avoid year-long delays, and get meaningful outcomes for members,” explained Wassim Garzouzi. “In addition to 8 panels, any local can register for 30 minute consultations with RavenLaw lawyers.”

Registration is $299 + HST and includes two days of programming, free legal consultations, breakfast and lunch, on both days, and dinner on November 9, 2026.

Registration for LABOURFEST can be made directly through www.labourfest.ca.

We look forward to seeing you in Niagara Falls!

In November, Keagan Davis-Burns and Maddy Horne are pleased to be presenting to Girls Inc. on employment rights and navigating the workplace. Girls Inc. supports girls and young women through programs that build confidence, skills, and pathways to future success, including employment-readiness programming for young adults.

The interactive session will provide participants with practical information about workplace rights, harassment and discrimination, accommodations, employment contracts, and what to know when resigning or being terminated. Understanding these rights can help employees enter the workforce with confidence, recognize when something may be wrong, and feel empowered to advocate for themselves. The discussion will also give participants an opportunity to ask questions and explore real-world workplace situations.

This November and December, Keagan Davis-Burns will be joining St. Lawrence College’s Human Resources diploma program to speak with future HR professionals about discipline, terminations, and employment law from an employee-side perspective.

The program will also include an interactive termination simulation, giving students an opportunity to put their knowledge into practice and experience firsthand the challenges involved in navigating a termination conversation.

Amarkai Laryea co-chaired the recent Ottawa Labour Law Conference, hosted by Lancaster House on October 6 to 7, 2026. Alongside fellow co-chairs and Ottawa labour lawyer, Amarkai guided crucial discussions on modern workplace legal pressures. The event featured expert panels covering legislative changes, collective bargaining trends, and leading issues in human rights.

For more information, click here.

RavenLaw was happy to join the Law Society of Ontario’s 27th Employment Law Summit on October 14, 2026. Kim Patenaude served as co-chair for the Summit, which explored key legal updates and ethical issues in employment law.

Geoff Dunlop spoke as a panellist on the Legislative Update panel, providing an overview of recent and upcoming legislative developments affecting employment law in Ontario and across Canada, with a focus on changes of practical significance to employment lawyers and their clients in provincial and federal jurisdictions.

For more information, click here.

On October 30, 2026, Wassim Garzouzi will present at a webinar hosted by Lancaster House and the University of Toronto, examining proposed changes to Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code. The session will explore whether recent federal legislative reforms strengthen or restrict collective bargaining and the right to strike.

For further information and to register, click here.

Anna Rotman and Jessica Greenwood recently presented to nurses represented by SEIU regarding their rights and obligations during the College of Nurses of Ontario complaint and investigation process. The presentation also touched on the interplay between grievance arbitration and criminal proceedings when the issues underlying a CNO complaint also lead to discipline in the workplace and/or criminal charges.

If you would like to arrange for a presentation on this topic to a group of regulated professionals, please reach out to Anna or Jessica.

Claire Boychuk was interviewed by Alison Crawford on the Canadian Bar Association’s podcast Verdicts & Voices about the role of public interest interveners. The episode discusses two conflicting orders from the Divisional Court granting and denying intervener status to the Black Legal Action Centre. The episode features Demar Hewitt, Executive Director and General Counsel of the Black Legal Action Centre (BLAC) and an interview with Claire on the broader role of interveners, drawing on her new book Intervening in Canadian Courts. In the episode, Claire makes the argument for coming to this topic with deep respect for civil society.

Listen to the podcast here.

Please note our office will be closed from December 24, 2025 until January 2, 2026. We will reopen for regular business hours on Monday, January 5, 2026 at 8:30 am.

Warmest wishes for a happy holiday season and a wonderful new year.

On November 28, 2025, Andrew Astritis presented at the Canadian Bar Association’s annual Labour and Administrative Law Conference, which took place in Ottawa. Andrew spoke on a panel addressing the unionization of gig and digital platform workers, offering his perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing workers and unions in these areas.