James is a preeminent pension and benefits & labour and employment lawyer. James regularly handles day-to-day, litigation and corporation transaction mandates, including complex and sensitive matters. James is passionate about providing practical solutions and being a zealous advocate for his clients drives his mindset and mantra each and every day.
James is a partner in BLG’s Labour and Employment Group and the National Leader of BLG’s Pensions and Benefits Group.
James’ labour and employment & pensions and benefits practice includes:
- Advising employers on many aspects of the employment relationship, including pay transparency requirements, interview questions and pre-employment representations and establishment of employment contracts.
- Managing the ongoing employment relationship, such as leave of absences issues and performance management.
- Advising on terminations of employment relationships, including pension and benefits entitlements in severance packages.
- Advising on contractor relationships, including classifications as dependent contractors and independent contractors.
- Advising pension plan stakeholders on pension and benefits plan set-ups and mergers.
- Advising plan sponsors and administrations on plan sponsor and plan administrator duties, including funding obligations and letters of credit.
- Advising plan sponsors and administrations on differences and/or disputes with third parties, including in multi-employer pension plan situations and in individual pensioner or spousal claims situations.
- Advising borrowers and lenders in the context of pensions and benefits liabilities and obligations.
- Providing strategic advice in corporate transactions (e.g., asset purchase and sales, share sale and purchase, amalgamations, etc.) including transferring employment of employees, the establishment or termination of retirement income and other benefit plans, pension asset transfers and mitigating risks of constructive dismissal.
James regularly makes submissions and appearances before courts, tribunals and regulatory authorities on a variety of matters, including but not limited to pension disputes, wrongful dismissal actions, employment standards complaints and human rights disputes. James has also acted in more than 300 corporate transactions, providing him with exceptional experience. James has been recognized as making outstanding contributions in law, most recently being recognized as a Top Lawyer in the Lexpert Rising Stars Awards.
James is regularly called upon by national media and industry to provide insights, including live interviews, panel discussions and/or publications to/on Canadian Lawyer Magazine, Law Times, Benefits and Pension Monitor, Canadian HR Reporter, Canadian Underwriter, Bloomberg Law, CTV’s News Channel, CBC’s The Current with Matt Galloway, CBC News and the Toronto Region Board of Trade. James has also written numerous articles related to pensions and benefits & labour and employment law, continually contributing to the legal discourse and knowledge building of pensions, benefits, labour and employment law in Canada.