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Our lawyers are dedicated to helping you navigate the complex and ever-changing landscape of workplace law.

We help organizations and individuals resolve employment law issues in a way that minimizes risk to business operations and reputation.

The lawyers in this group all practice business litigation and are very experienced in matters relating to workplace law, such as corporate finance, white collar crime, human rights insurance and directors and officers liability.

Skilled in all aspects of workplace law, our group has experience in virtually every kind of issue that can arise in this broad area of legal practice.

We offer a broad range of services to employers of all sizes and types in a wide range of industries. Our clients are diverse and reflect major industries throughout BC including insurance, financial services, real estate, education, health care, technology, manufacturing, and retail, among others.

We have successfully represented clients in legal proceedings, negotiations, mediations, and arbitrations, before numerous workplace boards and tribunals and at all levels of court.

Did you know that Harper Grey publishes the Workplace Law Strategies Blog? Stay current with new case law and emerging issues – read more here.

 

Services

  • Drafting employment agreements for new, promoted and temporary employees.
  • Drafting employee policies and manuals.
  • Reviews of existing policies to ensure that organizations are up-to-date with the latest issues, such as social media usage.
  • Drafting warnings and disciplinary letters.
  • Drafting termination letters, severance packages and temporary lay-off agreements.
  • Reviewing and drafting retirement packages and agreements.
  • Dispute resolution regarding breach of restrictive covenants, non-solicitation and other agreements.
  • Determination of reasonable notice.
  • Jurisdictional transfer of business operations and employees.
  • Wrongful dismissal.
  • Human rights matters, including allegations of harassment and discrimination.
  • Assisting employers with reviewing and addressing allegations of sexual harassment and other misconduct in the workplace.
  • Workplace investigations.

Typical Situations

  • A small software development company grows to the point where it needs an employee manual to document and guide human resource decisions.
  • A successful account executive leaves her firm for a rival company, breaking a non-competition clause in her contract. Clients are calling her former employer to say that she is asking them to transfer their business.
  • A multinational company buys a Canadian venture with locations throughout British Columbia. Contracts and layoff notices need to be drafted and transfers from head office in Texas need to be negotiated.

25 Lawyers Recognized as Leaders in their field by Benchmark Canada® 2022

Benchmark Canada® 2022

Scott Marcinkow receives prestigious Lexpert® 2019 Rising Stars – Leading Lawyers Under 40 award

Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory®

24 Harper Grey lawyers recognized for litigation expertise by Benchmark Canada®, 2021

Benchmark Canada®

Harper Grey receives highest firm ranking as a “Highly Recommended” local litigation law firm in British Columbia from Benchmark Canada®, 2014-2021

Benchmark Canada®

Harper Grey receives the TAGLaw Membership Award of Distinction acknowledging 15 years of outstanding service

TAGLaw

19 Harper Grey lawyers recognized as “Leading Practitioners” by Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory®, 2021

Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory®

Martindale Hubbell® recognizes 13 Harper Grey lawyers across 27 practice areas

Martindale Hubbell®

29 Harper Grey lawyers recognized across 19 specialty areas by Best Lawyers® in Canada, 2020

Best Lawyers® in Canada

Harper Grey recognized as a Top 10 Regional Firm in British Columbia, Alberta and the Territories by Canadian Lawyer Magazine, 2012 and 2014

Canadian Lawyer Magazine

“They were amazing to work with! They were incredibly competent and resolution based. They kept me centered in the midst of the storm and got me a great result in very short time frame.”

Benchmark Canada® 2022

“Harper Grey has a 100-year-old profile in this market,” testifies one senior-level peer, adding, “but the talent there now is mostly all younger than me!”

Benchmark Canada® 2022

"The Harper Grey team is a well-oiled machine. All the lawyers I deal with are well-trained and hardworking. They communicate well and are always available for questions."

Benchmark Canada® 2020

“Incredibly strong skill set, knowledge of litigation and strategic, and keen ability to solve problems.”

Benchmark Canada® 2020

“These lawyers are all subject matter experts, and leader in their field, whose knowledge and skill are matched by their excellent client service.”

Benchmark Canada® 2019

“This team has provided outstanding legal service. They are prompt, responsive, and communicative. They are strong strategists and provide well researched, experienced legal advice. We work with many firms, and Harper Grey stands out. One member of the team remembers every interaction, memo, pleading and document. They understand a very complicated file and address it with ease and candor. We very much appreciate their strong advocacy.”

Benchmark Canada® 2019

“The firm is top notch. They have many lawyers specialized in medical defense work who are highly skilled in their legal acumen and practice management, but who also recognize the importance of carrying out their work in a practical, results-oriented manner. They actively look for ways to more efficiently partner with their clients for effective management of the work, while at the same time not weakening their excellent service delivery, their responsiveness, or their effectiveness in the work.”

Benchmark Canada® 2019

“The firm’s lawyers are principled and have deep integrity. Their work is thorough and of consistent high quality.”

Benchmark Canada® 2019

“Every day it seems like I am dealing with someone at Harper Grey, and I always find them professional, courteous and effective.”

Benchmark Canada® 2017

“Harper Grey is one of the best firms in Vancouver. They have excellent service, knowledge and their cost structure is excellent.”

Benchmark Canada® 2017

“Harper Grey lawyers are ‘dedicated to their clients and focused on finding and implementing practical solutions for them. The lawyers are prompt, intelligent and insightful, and provide a high level of customer service’.”

2012 Canadian Lawyer Magazine® Embracing Regionalism - Canadian Lawyer’s Top 10 firms from B.C., Alberta, and the Territories are in the Sweet Spot Right Now, October 1, 2012

“A Vancouver staple, Harper Grey is perhaps the most BC-centric of the “highly recommended” firms, owing largely to the firm’s bench strength in several key areas.”

Benchmark Canada® 2017

“Harper Grey has niches, and in those niches they are the best of the best.”

Benchmark Canada® 2017

“Harper Grey is a trial lawyer’s firm, and they’ve got a big deep bench of well-trained litigators.”

Benchmark Canada® 2017

“One source enthused about John Sullivan ‘His service to the client was exceptional’.”

Chambers Canada® 2017

“Harper Grey has a stellar pedigree as a litigation firm, and they’ve put a ton of people on the bench, observes one peer.”

Benchmark Canada® 2014

“A lawyer who refers work to Harper Grey wrote it has ‘great service, a breadth of practice and I have never received a negative comment from referrals to the firm’.”

2014 Canadian Lawyer Magazine Stronger than Ever - Top Western & Northern Firms, September 1, 2014

“There was insight and nuance in how John Sullivan handled the case. He did it masterfully.”

Chambers Canada® 2016

“The firm has real quality people, and they’ve put three people on the bench there in six years.”

Benchmark Canada® 2015

“They exceeded all my expectations. I am very satisfied with their work and very happy to recommend them.”

Chambers Canada® 2017

“Clients are comforted by the firm’s long history in British Columbia. We’re steeped in the region. Our connection is such that we have knowledge of not only the issue itself, but the history of the issue in the province.” - Richard Bereti

2012 Canadian Lawyer Magazine Embracing Regionalism - Canadian Lawyer’s Top 10 firms from B.C., Alberta, and the Territories are in the Sweet Spot Right Now, October 1, 2012

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