James G. Knight

Executive Summary

Jamie is a senior partner working out of both the Hamilton and Toronto offices. He has 35 years of experience representing management in labour and employment law.

Jamie regularly appears before the courts, arbitration boards, and federal and provincial labour relations tribunals, as well as before adjudicators in human rights, employment standards and health and safety matters. He has extensive experience in collective bargaining and in guiding employers through the process of responding to union organizing campaigns.

Jamie’s clients operate in various sectors, including manufacturing, municipal, health care, entertainment, and financial and other services.

Jamie is a Fellow of the American College of Labor and Employment Lawyers. Jamie was named by Best Lawyers as the 2019 Lawyer of the Year for his work in Labour and Employment Law in Hamilton. In 2017, he was also named the Canadian HR Reporter 2017 Employment Lawyer of the Year, as selected by Canadian Lawyer Magazine.

Jamie has authored or co-authored some 20 publications for human resources professionals and lawyers, most of them in multiple editions. These include the Employment Litigation Manual, Halsbury’s Laws of Canada; Labour, and Accommodation in the Workplace, as well as several Thomson Reuters Quick Reference Guides to key labour and employment legislation. Jamie also has authored Guides to Effective Human Resources Management in both Union and Non-Union Workplaces, and co-authored Investigating Harassment in the Workplace.

Jamie is a frequent speaker and media commentator on labour and employment issues, including current employment law issues such as workplace violence, respectful workplaces, and attendance management. He taught management and human resources employees in employment law programs at the University of Guelph for 20 years, with a focus on workplace safety and the legislative requirements for managing human resources.

Jamie has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Association of Counsel to Employers (CACE) since 2008. He is a past President (2016-17), former Chair of the Human Rights Committee (2010-15), and was Co-Chair of the 2011 CACE Conference. Jamie also co-chaired the annual LSUC Conference, “6-Minute Labour Lawyer” from 2008 to 2014, and he co-chaired the Lancaster House Human Rights Conference in 2013 and 2014. Jamie was an active participant in HRPA and spent several years serving on the Complaints, Investigation and Discipline Committee.

Jamie has travelled widely, including to sub-Saharan Africa, where Jamie and his wife have been involved with Canadian charities working in local partnerships to improve education, child care, and micro-finance opportunities for women and disabled persons.

Selected Publications, Presentations and Media Mentions

Canadian Collective Bargaining Law: Principles and Practice

Employment Litigation Manual

Halsbury’s Laws of Canada (Labour)

Annual Quick Reference Guides (Carswell):

• Canada Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act

• Ontario Human Rights Code

• Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Act

• Ontario Labour Relations Act

• Canada Labour Code

• Canadian Human Rights Act

Other Publications:

• Managing Your Unionized Workplace

• Managing Your Union-Free Workplace

• Investigating Harassment in the Workplace

• HR Manager’s Guide to Health and Safety

• Workplace Safety and Insurance – Employer’s Guide

Memberships and Professional Affiliations

• Law Society of Ontario

• American College of Labor and Employment Lawyers

• Canadian Association of Counsel to Employers (CACE)

• Human Resources Professionals Association