Employment Associate

Our Toronto office has an opportunity for a senior labour & employment Associate or Of Counsel to join the firm's dynamic and entrepreneurial practice representing premier national and international employers. This is an excellent opportunity for lawyers who are proactive and passionate about assuming a high-level role providing legal service within a sophisticated practice and who are seeking to assume a significant role in all aspects of labour and employment law.  This role requires extensive contact with clients, adjudicators, governmental agencies and opposing counsel.

Duties include, but are not limited to: attending arbitrations, labour board, court and tribunal hearings, legal research, drafting of legal memoranda and pleadings, handling discovery-related activities and investigations, and counseling clients. The right candidate will have a passion for employment and labour law, strong analytical and writing skills, and an ability to relate to and inspire confidence with sophisticated clients. This is a great opportunity for a lawyer ready to  take on a high level of responsibility on complex matters within a tight-knit and team-oriented environment.

Our office is collegial with a commitment to mutual respect in the workplace. We hold regular in-person conferences with lawyers from across our global offices.  We make associate development a priority and provide ongoing writing, publishing, and speaking opportunities as well as access to expansive professional development training programs and opportunities to work with the leading lawyers in this field.

• Juris Doctor (JD) or Bachelor of Law (LLB).  Qualified candidates must be in good standing with the Law Society of Ontario or equivalent Canadian law society. During employment, must meet the requirements for continuing licensure for law practice.
• Candidates must possess at least 6 years of experience practicing labour and employment law.
• Excellent analytical, writing and communication skills are required.

Ogletree Deakins offers a robust suite of benefits for our attorneys including: comprehensive training and development programs including an annual firm-wide Attorney Retreat, CLE and bar admission expense reimbursement, several competitive annual bonus programs, 401(k) plan, affordable health, and life insurance including dental and vision coverage, flexible spending accounts to help offset the cost of dependent care and/or health care expenses, employee assistance program, back-up childcare program, and a paid parental leave on-ramping program.

Please note, applications submitted via e-mail will not be considered. If you have questions, please e-mail Ali Gardiner at with "Employment Lawyer - Toronto" in the subject line.

Ogletree Deakins is one of the largest labor and employment law firms representing management in all types of employment-related legal matters. Best Law Firms has named Ogletree Deakins a "Law Firm of the Year" for 14 consecutive years. In the 2025 edition, the publication named Ogletree Deakins its "Law Firm of the Year" in the Litigation – Labor and Employment category. Ogletree Deakins has more than 1,100 attorneys located in 60 offices across the United States and in Europe, Canada, and Mexico. The firm represents a diverse range of clients, including many of the Fortune 50 companies in the U.S.

We are fully committed to the importance of diversity within the legal profession, as well as all workplace environments.

Equal Opportunity Employer.