Samantha Sutherland

Lawyer

Samantha is a practical, strategic, and trauma-informed employment lawyer and workplace investigator, dedicated to creating healthy, safe, and productive work environments for both employers and employees.

Samantha offers comprehensive advice and representation for employers and employees across diverse public and private sectors on all aspects of workplace law. Her areas of expertise include drafting and implementing workplace policies, day-to-day employment advice, wrongful and constructive dismissals, severance negotiations, employment contract review and drafting, and human rights and accommodation matters. Samantha works collaboratively with clients to pragmatically resolve workplace disputes, seeking meaningful outcomes through settlement negotiations, mediation, and, when needed, litigation.

In addition to her advisory and representative practice, Samantha regularly conducts workplace investigations into complex issues such as workplace discrimination, harassment (including sexual harassment), violence, misconduct, bullying, and poisoned work environments. She also partners with organizations to restore and maintain healthy workplace cultures, offering services that include workplace training, cultural assessments, and post-investigation restoration and facilitation.

Samantha obtained her Juris Doctor from the University of Western Ontario Faculty of Law with distinction. While at Western Law, she was involved in numerous faculty organizations, including the Dispute Resolution Centre where she worked as a Student Mediator, Community Legal Services as a Student Caseworker in civil law, and Pro Bono Students Canada, where she provided free legal education seminars for community members. She also received numerous academic and community-based awards, including the Labour Law award for the highest academic standing in the labour law course, the Morris Kroll Memorial Award for her involvement in access to justice, the Dean Ivan C. Rand Award for her contributions in the service of students in the Faculty of Law, and the Law Society of Ontario Prize for academic excellence awarded to the top 15 graduating students in her class. She also was named to the Dean’s Honour List for placing in the top 10% of her class for each of her three years of law school. 

Outside of her practice, Samantha enjoys hiking and camping in Ontario’s parks and exploring Toronto’s vibrant restaurant scene.

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Memberships

Member, Law Society of Ontario, 2023
Member, Ontario Bar Association
Member, Canadian Bar Association