Partner, Toronto
Direct: 416.864.7353
Main: 416.362.1011
vCard
Year of Call: Ontario, 2008
Biography
Kathryn Bird is a labour, employment and human rights lawyer in Hicks Morley’s Toronto office. She regularly advises employers, social service providers, school boards and municipalities regarding issues arising from the employment relationship in the workplace or the provision of services to the public. Kathryn also regularly advises school boards, colleges and universities about the provision of educational services to students with exceptional needs.
Kathryn appears as counsel before the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, labour arbitrators and at all levels of court. She has successfully defended public and private employers against a wide range of claims, including human rights allegations, long-term disability benefit claims, and wrongful dismissal actions. Kathryn also provides advice to clients on a day-to-day basis to assist employers and service providers in avoiding litigation through proactive strategic actions.
Practice Areas
Industries
Arts & Sports Colleges Construction Energy & Utilities Financial Services Healthcare Manufacturing Mining & Natural Resources Municipalities & Municipal Agencies Retail & Wholesale Trade School Boards Social Services Universities
Awards & Recognition
Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory 2020
Workplace Human Rights
Legal 500 Canada 2018
Labour and Employment Law
Memberships & Affiliations
Human Rights Tribunal (Child and Youth Division) Practice Advisory Committee – Member
Ontario Bar Association – Member (Education Law, Labour & Employment Law, and Women Lawyers Forum Sections), Executive Member (Constitutional, Civil Liberties and Human Rights Law Section)
Ontario Bar Association – Liaison, Human Rights Tribunal Practice Advisory Committee
University of Toronto – Adjunct Lecturer, Faculty of Law
Select Publications & Presentations
“COVID-19 Education Law Update – Accommodating Staff and Students” Osgoode Professional Development (May 15, 2020)
“The Litigator’s Guide to the Business of Law (in the COVID Crisis)” The Advocate’s Society (May 6, 2020)
“Recent Changes to Human Rights Processes – For Better or Worse?” Canadian Association of Counsel to Employers (December 10, 2019)
“Panel 2 – Hush Money or Sound Labour Relations? Confidentiality after #metoo And Other Contentious Settlement Issues” Lancaster House (December 4, 2019)
“Advocating Human Rights Issues” The Advocates’ Society (September 24, 2019)
“Addressing Sexual Harassment Issues in Litigation and Employment Law” CCCA Webinar (April 25, 2019)
“Weed in the Workplace” Moving Beyond the Stigma: Cannabis Market Risks and Rewards, PLUS Canada (February 20, 2019)
“Forum Shopping “ 7th Annual Human Rights Summit, Law Society of Ontario (December 4, 2018)
“2018 Annual Conference” Faculty Bargaining Services (October 31 – November 2, 2018)
“Annual Update on Human Rights” Ontario Bar Association (OBA) Professional Development (May 31, 2018)
“Leading Mentally Healthy Workplaces” Conference Board of Canada (January 2018)
“Your First Application before the Human Rights Tribunal” OBA Young Lawyers Division (November 2017)
“Family Status Accommodation: Statutory Protections and Legal Tests” CBA Law Series webinar (September 2017)
“Annual Update on Human Rights: Contentious Issues in the Workplace” OBA CCLHR Division (May 2017)
“Annual Human Rights Update” OBA CCLHR (May 2016)
“HRTO Confirms Single Comments Rarely Constitute Harassment” OBA Constitutional, Civil Liberties and Human Rights Section Newsletter (October 2015)
“Top Five Tips for Investigations in a Unionized Workplace” Tackling the Challenges of Investigations in a Unionized Workplace, OBA Institute, Toronto (February 2015)
Education
University of Toronto, J.D.
University of Alberta, B.A. First Class (Hons.) Anthropology
