Human Rights
I primarily accept private retainers for this service
Human rights issues can arise at work, in housing, when accessing services, and in professional and community life. I provide advice and representation in human rights matters, with particular experience at the intersection of disability and employment.
My approach is shaped by both professional training and lived experience. I live with cerebral palsy and use an electric wheelchair. That perspective helps me understand barriers, stigma, and how accommodation decisions affect daily life. I also bring experience in adjudicative and workplace contexts where evidence, process, and procedural fairness often determine outcomes. My PhD research examined religious freedom and equality law, strengthening my ability to work carefully with rights-based frameworks and to write clearly about complex issues.
Where Ontario’s Human Rights Code Protects You
Ontario’s Human Rights Code protects against discrimination (and, in some areas, harassment) in: employment, housing, services, goods and facilities, contracts, and membership in unions, trade, and professional associations.
Protected Grounds Under the Code
The Code prohibits discrimination based on: race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed (religion), sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, family status, disability, record of offences (employment), and receipt of public assistance (housing).
How I Can Help
Accommodation and accessibility at work: planning and implementation (modified duties, scheduling, assistive tech, remote work, return-to-work, disability-related performance issues).
Discrimination, harassment, and reprisal: stereotyping, exclusion, poisoned workplaces, retaliation for requesting accommodation or asserting rights.
Disability-connected discipline or termination: assessing lawfulness and fairness, and pursuing resolution.
Wrongful dismissal with a human-rights dimension: termination linked to disability, failure to accommodate, or reprisal—handled through negotiation, settlement, or formal proceedings where appropriate.
Strategy and process: choosing the most effective route, building the evidentiary record, and managing timelines.
My Approach
Human-rights matters often turn on documentation, chronology, and the quality of the accommodation dialogue. I focus on plain-language advice, evidence-driven preparation, and practical solutions—firmly asserting rights without unnecessary escalation.
Scope Note
Some matters are unionized or overlap with other legal regimes. If your issue is outside my scope or capacity, I will tell you promptly and, where possible, assist with an appropriate referral.
