Events

The panel will examine how Canadian firms can handle changing practices in the U.S. assess legal and reputational risks of altering EDI commitments, and identify strategies to advance equity amid shifting legal and political climates. Specifically, the panel will discuss: - How are U.S. political and legal developments around EDI influencing Canadian law firm approaches to EDI? What should workplace leaders be paying attention to as they monitor developments? - To what extent could offering EDI initiatives conflict with provincial law society mandates on EDI education, human rights, and rules of professional responsibility? - Are rollbacks of EDI permissible under Canadian human rights and employment equity legislation? How might legislative and Charter provisions permitting “special programs” impact that analysis? - If a firm discontinues a specific EDI initiative, what steps should it take to ensure continued alignment with its values, avoid reputational harm, and protect the well-being of employees? - What practical strategies can Canadian firms adopt to maintain EDI integrity while navigating cross-border business pressures and polarized public discourse? - In a shifting regulatory environment, what steps can workplaces take to uphold EDI values in hiring, client relationships, and firm culture?

Join Jonathan Saumier (Nova Scotia Barristers' Society) for this fireside chat about the NSBS AI Guide for Legal Practices!

This intensive professional learning program is designed to develop the advanced dispute resolution skills that labour relations professionals need in order to be successful in their roles. Participants will have the opportunity to observe dispute resolution techniques used by experienced professional mediators — and to use those techniques as they attempt to resolve a workplace dispute. To make the simulation as realistic as possible, actors will play the role of the aggrieved party. Aimed at labour relations professionals with basic to intermediate knowledge of mediation and workplace dispute resolution techniques, this session aims not to create professional mediators but to equip participants with the knowledge and skills necessary to: - Defuse tensions and manage workplace conflict - Resolve grievances without resorting to lengthy and expensive arbitration processes - Make effective use of informal and formal mediation as a management or union representative Who is this program designed for? - Graduates of the Lancaster House–Toronto Metropolitan University Labour Relations Certificate Program - Labour relations professionals with 3 or more years of experience working full-time for an employer or a union, including: -- Human resources professionals -- Labour relations officers -- Local union leadership -- Managers -- Union staff -Labour and employment lawyers in their first 5 years of practice