Michael Wright

Michael Wright is one of the founding partners at Wright Henry LLP. Since his call to the Ontario Bar in 1991 he has become recognized as one of Canada’s leading labour and employment lawyers, noted for his direct and thoughtful advice, nuanced and strategic approach, and proven track record of achieving excellent, real-world results.

In his employment law practice, Michael advises and advocates for senior executives and professionals in all employment-related matters. He has extensive experience representing clients in financial services, health care and a range of manufacturing and service industries. While he frequently appears on behalf of his clients in court, he brings a practical, solution-focused approach to dispute resolution, which leads to timely, discrete and fair results for clients.

He has negotiated collective agreements in a wide variety of sectors, including with such diverse organizations as Ontario Power Generation, Hydro One, Stelco, Algoma Steel, the Canadian Opera Company, the National Ballet of Canada and the National Arts Centre. He has also acted as counsel and as a nominee on dozens of interest arbitrations in both the public and private sector. Michael’s work on the Stelco and Algoma collective agreements was part of a multi-lateral restructuring of both companies, each of which involved significant negotiations with the Province and with other stakeholders on pension and other issues, and each of which resulted in multiple year collective agreements that safeguarded and stabilized the compensation and retiree benefits for thousands of employees and retirees. His work on new collective agreements at Ontario Power Generation and Hydro One in 2016 was part of a substantial restructuring of pensions and ownership within the electricity sector, which involved direct negotiations with the Province and its economic advisors.

Michael is the recipient of a doctorate in law from Stanford University and a law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School. He has taught at the University of Toronto and Osgoode Hall Law Schools, and presented at the National Judicial Institute, the National Academy of Arbitrators and the Law Society of Ontario, as well as publishing in leading law journals. Michael is recognized as a Leading Practitioner in Employment and Labour Law in the Canadian Lexpert directory, is rated by his peers as one of the “Best Lawyers in Canada” in Labour and Employment Law, and is rated in the top band by Chambers and Partners.