Mediation

Our employment lawyers mediate all types of employment law claims, from wrongful dismissal cases, to human rights actions, to occupational health and safety complaints.

Win or lose, we understand that litigation for most of our employer clients is a matter of economics – they want to resolve the issue with as little expense as possible. Not all cases, even ones with the most merit, ought to go through the time and expense of a full trial.

The fact is that most workplace disputes can be resolved without the need for litigation, which tends to be more costly, time-consuming, and public.

This is true whether the issue is harassment, dismissal or a dispute over the amount of severance an employee is entitled to receive. In addition to helping you devise a strategy for dealing with any type of employee dispute, our employment lawyers are highly adept at presenting your position during mediation and negotiating solutions to difficult issues.

For many cases, mediation is not an option, but a necessity; in Ontario, cases in Toronto, Ottawa, and Windsor are subject to mandatory mediation.

Mediation has several tangible benefits over trials.

Mediation is as much about balancing interests as it is the law. In many cases, parties find that the legal issues simply frame what is really important to each party.  Secondly, mediation is private, unlike courts. Third, mediation is only as long or as costly as the parties permit it to be. In this way, mediation sometimes achieves results which are better for both parties than what would be achieved at trial.

Mediation can also be used to get behind legal positioning and obtain information to assist you if the case is not settled.

Levitt Sheikh’s employment lawyers are experts in employment law in Toronto, the GTA and across Canada. We have a reputation for strong representation and for achieving results in mediation.

We recognize the importance employers place on handling financial and public relations risks early and effectively. Depending on your company’s goals, we will formulate a mediation or litigation strategy that specifically meets your business needs.

Successful mediation requires counsel to perform an ongoing risk-benefit analysis of the litigation process. You want expert employment law counsel who knows how to use mediation most effectively, and who knows what is a good or a bad offer.

Each situation is unique; so talk with one of our employment lawyers in Toronto, the GTA or across Canada to learn about how we can help you reduce the HR risks in your organization.