Associate, Toronto
Direct: 416.864.7018
Main: 416.362.1011
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Year of Call: Ontario, 2015
Biography
Njeri Damali Sojourner-Campbell is a creative and practical problem solver.
Workplaces are communities.
At their best, they are collaborative, efficient and united. Njeri helps employers realize the potential of their workplaces through the development of policies and procedures, the design and delivery of training for managers and employees and, when the need arises, resolution of legal disputes through mediation and litigation.
Labour Relations
Njeri supports employers in all aspects of the labour relations cycle. She advises on collective bargaining including complex negotiations and rights arbitration for broader public sector organizations. She regularly appears before labour arbitrators to resolve and litigate grievances under clients’ collective agreements. She appreciates the importance of balancing the resolution of discrete disputes with the need to maintain productive working relationships between employers and bargaining agents.
Policy Development
Njeri assists employers shape workplace culture through the design of legally sound and values-forward workplace policies and procedures. Her policy design approach is team-based and collaborative and recognizes the importance of policies that are reflective of each client’s culture, not merely templates.
Strategic Advising: Human Rights and Equity
Prior to her legal career, Njeri was employed as a Human Rights and Diversity Advisor at a community college. She combines this practical experience with her legal knowledge to support clients faced with complaints, publicity and litigation in these areas. She is currently working with school boards, municipalities, hospitals and non-profit organizations in human rights and equity restructuring initiatives involving strategic advising and policy augmentation.
Litigation
Njeri regularly defends employers before the Human Rights Tribunal, at labour arbitrations and in courts.
About Njeri
Once a student activist, Njeri now devotes her civic engagement time to mentorship and the literary arts. She believes in the transformative power of legal professionals and is committed to the creation of a more equitable professional community. Immediately after her Call to the Bar in 2015, Njeri founded UJIMA Mentorship Circle, a supportive space for Black female-identified students and lawyers. Through UJIMA, Njeri leverages her professional relationship to forge bonds between her mentees, experienced practitioners and members of the bench. Njeri and her wife are currently working with Osgoode Hall Law School to establish an endowment to support African-Indigenous law students.
Njeri is recognized by her peers in the international Black science fiction and fantasy communities as a thought leader in literary appreciation and community-building upon leaders. In her spare time, she can be found sampling artisanal teas and craft stouts and reading and reviewing science fiction and fantasy novels.
Practice Areas
Employment Law Human Rights Labour Relations Litigation Occupational Health
Industries
Colleges Education Financial Services Government Ministries & Agencies (Federal and Provincial) Municipalities & Municipal Agencies School Boards Social Services Universities
Awards & Recognition
Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Canada™ (2024)
Labour and Employment Law
Top 100 Accomplished Black Canadian Women (2020)
100 Accomplished Black Women From Across Canada
Dean’s Gold Key Award (2014)
Osgoode Hall Law School
Stringer LLP Essay Prize in Labour Law (2014)
Osgoode Hall Law School
Memberships & Affiliations
The Advocates’ Society – Member
Canadian Association of Black Lawyers – Member
Canadian Bar Association – Member
Law Society of Ontario – Equity Advisory Group Member
National Employment Law Council Academy – Fellow (2019)
Ontario Bar Association – Executive Member of the Labour and Employment Law Section – Technology Liaison (2016–2017)
Select Publications & Presentations
Panelist, “Empowered Legal Voices: Past, Present and Future” TD, Blake’s, and the Canadian Association of Black Lawyers: Black History Month Event (February 12, 2024)
“Competing Rights: What You Need to Know” Association of Municipalities Ontario (December 12, 2023)
Keynote Speaker, “The Intersection of Human Rights and Equity” York Region District School Board Equity Symposium (November 22, 2023)
Keynote Speaker, “Human Rights and Equity Priorities for School Boards: A Matter of Opinion?” Ontario Public School Boards’ Association’ Annual General Meeting & Program (June 8, 2023)
“The Principal as Investigator: Pros, Cons, and Best Practices” Ontario Public School Boards’ Association: 2023 Education Labour Relations and Human Resources Symposium (April 28, 2023)
“Legal Updates 2023” Human Resources Professionals Association, Peel Chapter (February 15, 2023)
Keynote Speaker, “Human Rights and Equity Policy Reviews” Ontario Association of School Business Officials CEO/CFO Annual Conference (January 24, 2023)
“#MeToo – Where Are We Now: How are Workplace Harassment Investigations Being Conducted?” Law Society of Ontario: 11th Human Rights Summit (December 6, 2022)
“Equitable Hiring and Human Rights Law: Interrogating Themes of ‘Identity,’ ‘Citizenship,’ and ‘Membership’ in Recruitment” 2022 Faculty Bargaining Services Annual Conference (November 4, 2022)
“Racial Discrimination in the Workplace: Prevention, Identification, and Response” Ontario Public School Boards’ Association Education Labour Relations and Human Resources Symposium (April 28, 2022)
“Intersectional Feminism in Law” Black Law Students’ Association Osgoode Hall, South Asian Law Students’ Association, Asian Law Students’ Association, Osgoode Indigenous Students’ Association and Osgoode Women’s Network: Women of Colour Panel (March 16, 2022)
“Policy Development with a Human Rights and Equity Lens” Human Resources Professionals Association Fall Conference (November 18, 2021)
“Human Rights and Equity: The Role and Obligations of Municipal Leaders” Association of Municipalities of Ontario (September 9, 2021)
“Human Rights and Equity Work in Higher Education in a Time of COVID” Canadian Association for the Prevention of Discrimination and Harassment in Higher Education (CAPDHHE) (June 24, 2021)
“A Discussion on Queer and BIPOC Identities in Law” Law Society of Ontario – Pride Month 2021 (June 14, 2021)
“Human Rights and Equity: The Role and Obligations of Municipal Leaders” Association of Municipalities of Ontario (Various, 2021)
“Labour Law: Management versus Union Side” Black Law Students’ Association of Canada – 30th Annual Conference (May 7, 2021)
“Addressing Systemic Anti-Black Racism in Workplaces” Law Society of Ontario – Employment Summit Conference (October 15, 2020)
“Substantive Overview of the Human Rights Code and the Life of an Application: Best Practices for Paralegals before HRTO” Law Society of Ontario (October 6, 2020)
“Human Rights: Remedies” Osgoode Certificate in Human Rights Theory and Practice – Osgoode Professional Development (May 28, 2020)
“Human Resource Legal Issues for Education Professionals” Osgoode Certificate in Human Rights Theory and Practice – Osgoode Professional Development (May 11, 2020)
“Human Resources Law for Education Professionals – Living up to Human Rights Principles” Osgoode Certificate in Human Rights Theory and Practice – Osgoode Professional Development (April 3, 2020)
“Significant Pressure Points in Public Education” Osgoode Certificate in Human Rights Theory and Practice – Osgoode Professional Development (March 4, 2020)
“Lawyering Using an Anti-Racism and Anti-Oppression Lens” Osgoode Law School (February 25, 2020) “Anti-Discrimination Intensive Program” Osgoode Hall Law School (January 17, 2020)
“Addressing Systemic Anti-Black Racism in Workplaces” – Employment Summit Conference – Law Society of Ontario (October 15, 2020)
“Employment Human Rights Webinar” – Social Services Webinar – Hicks Morley LLP (October 22, 2020)
“Human Rights Code and Responsibilities of Catholic Schools Boards to Support Students”- Equity and Inclusive Education Part 2, Session 1 – An Ontario Catholic District School Board (November 3, 2020)
Education
Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, J.D.
York University, M.Ed.
York University, B.A. (Hons.)
