Roper Greyell Welcomes Chira Perla as Director of Professional Development

August 2022

Roper Greyell is pleased to welcome Chira Perla to the firm as Director of Professional Development.

Chira brings experience as a lawyer and a background in student recruitment, adult learning, and legal professional development to her role at Roper Greyell. She practised as a commercial litigator with national firms in Vancouver and New York before moving into higher education program design and leadership positions, including five years as Assistant Dean of Career Services at the Allard School of Law.

Learn more about Chira here.

RG Celebrates the 2022 Vancouver Pride Festival

July 2022

The Vancouver Pride Festival has historically been one of the largest Pride festivals in Canada. It’s an opportunity for members of the LGBTQ2SAI+ community (along with friends, families and allies), to gather and celebrate at events across the city, culminating in the Pride Parade. However, over the past two years, COVID-19 has meant a significant reduction in Vancouver Pride celebrations and the cancellation of the in-person Pride Parade. This year the Vancouver Pride Festival is back with the theme of “Together Again” signifying the return to in-person events (including the Pride Parade, taking place on July 31st).

Community contribution is one of Roper Greyell’s core values, and we are committed to having a positive impact in our local communities. In the spirit of this commitment and to celebrate this year’s Vancouver Pride, Roper Greyell has made a $5,000 donation to QMUNITY.

QMUNITY is a non-profit organization, based in Vancouver, “that works to improve queer, trans, and Two-Spirit lives. (They) provide a safer space for LGBTQ2SAI+ people and their allies to fully self-express while feeling welcome and included.” Our donation will go towards QMUNITY initiatives such as employment support services, counselling and peer support programs for members of the LGBTQ2SAI+ community.

To learn more about the important work of QMUNITY please visit https://www.qmunity.ca/.

Significant Amendments to the BC Labour Relations Code Now in Effect

June 2022

On April 6, 2022, Bill 10 – 2022 Labour Relations Code Amendment Act, 2022 (“Bill 10”) received first reading.  On June 2, 2022 it received Royal Assent and is now in effect. Bill 10 includes two significant amendments to the BC Labour Relations Code (the “Code”). First, the Code will again allow for “card based” certification, the purpose of which is to allow easier access to unionization. Second, in the construction industry, raids will become easier through the elimination of the current three year waiting period.

The amendments are the latest in a series of changes since 2019 that have significantly altered the labour relations landscape in BC.

To read more about these changes and what they mean for employers please see our April 7, 2022 article by Ryan Copeland, Mike Hamata and Andrew Nicholl.

Roper Greyell Welcomes New Associate Teodora Bardas

May 2022

Roper Greyell is pleased to congratulate Teodora Bardas on joining the firm as an associate lawyer, after previously summering and articling with the firm.

Teodora practices in all areas of workplace law with a particular interest in workplace investigations, human rights, and labour disputes. Congratulations Teodora on your call to the bar!

Learn more about Teodora here.

Four Roper Greyell Lawyers Recognized in Who’s Who Legal Thought Leaders: Labour & Employment 2022

May 2022

We are pleased to announce that four Roper Greyell lawyers have been recognized as Thought Leaders in labour law and employment law in the 2022 edition of Who’s Who Legal Thought Leaders: Labour & Employment.

The lawyers named in this year’s Who’s Who Legal are:

Thomas A. Roper Q.C.
Delayne Sartison Q.C.
Gregory J. Heywood
James D. Kondopulos

Who’s Who Legal Thought Leaders: Labour & Employment 2022 Guide can be viewed here. 

About Who’s Who Legal

Who’s Who Legal has identified the top legal practitioners in multiple areas of business law since 1996. Lawyers are selected based upon comprehensive, independent survey work with both general counsel and private practice lawyers worldwide. Only specialists who have met independent international research criteria are listed.

Mandatory Vaccination Policy Upheld by BC Arbitrator

March 2022

On March 21, 2022, Arbitrator Somjen upheld a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy in BC Hydro & Power Authority and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 258.

The employer’s vaccination policy was found to be reasonable, except for language contemplating discipline for non-adherence to the policy.  The arbitrator held that the express reference to discipline in the policy was excessive but contemplated that a termination could result at some future time.

The arbitrator’s decision is the first in British Columbia to consider a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy that does not provide a testing alternative to vaccination.

Graeme McFarlane, Christopher Munroe, Andrew Nicholl and Gabrielle Berron-Styan from Roper Greyell were counsel for BC Hydro in this matter.

For more information on this decision see: https://ropergreyell.com/covid19-update/mandatory-vaccination-policy-upheld-by-bc-arbitrator/. 

Nine Roper Greyell Lawyers Listed in the 2022 Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory

March 2022

We are pleased to announce that nine of the firm’s lawyers have been included in the 2022 Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory.

The lawyers recognized as leading employment, labour, and workplace human rights law practitioners are:

Thomas A. Roper Q.C.
Delayne Sartison Q.C.
Gregory J. Heywood
Sandra Guarascio
Gavin Marshall
Gabrielle Scorer
James D. Kondopulos
Alissa Demerse
Keri L. Bennett

The Directory can be viewed here: https://lexpert.ca/directory/find-lawyers-or-law-firms/ 

About the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory

Published since 1997, the annual Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory profiles leading practitioners across Canada in over 65 practice areas and leading law firms in 41 practice areas.

Roper Greyell Named to Canadian Lawyer’s Top Labour & Employment Boutiques List

February 2022

Roper Greyell is proud to have been included in Canadian Lawyer magazine’s Top Labour and Employment Boutique law firms in Canada for 2022-23. Our firm was named as one of the Top 5 Labour and Employment Boutiques in Western Canada.

The full list of ranked firms can be found here and includes insights from lawyers from the top firms (including RG’s own Graeme McFarlane) as they highlight some of the most challenging employment and labour law issues their firms are currently facing.

 

About Canadian Lawyer

Launched in 1977, Canadian Lawyer provides objective reporting and analysis of the legal landscape from coast to coast, and defines “boutique firms” as collections of lawyers specializing in niche areas of the law as opposed to general practice firms that house a variety of practice areas under one roof.

 

 

Roper Greyell Welcomes New Associate Sabrina Anis

February 2022

We are pleased to welcome Sabrina Anis to the firm.

Sabrina practices in all areas of employment and labour law. Prior to joining Roper Greyell, Sabrina maintained a practice in the areas of workplace law and commercial litigation, out of the Vancouver office of a national firm.

Learn more about Sabrina here.

Roper Greyell Ranked as 5-Star Employment Law Firm for 2022 by Canadian HR Reporter

January 2022

We are pleased to announce that Roper Greyell has been ranked as a 5-Star Employment Law Firm for 2022 by Canadian HR Reporter. Additionally, Thomas A. Roper Q.C. and  were ranked as 5-Star Employment Lawyers for 2022.

The full list of ranked firms and lawyers, with ranking methodology and quotation from Sandra, is here.

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