Our History
Roper Greyell LLP was formed in July 2006 by bringing together two leading employment and labour law practices in British Columbia.
Timeline
Timeline
2006: The beginning
Two leading BC employment and labour law practices merge when Roper Greyell LLP is created on July 1, 2006 by nine founding partners: Thomas A. Roper Q.C.; Bruce Greyell Q.C.; Duncan MacPhail; Gregory J. Heywood; Graeme McFarlane; Delayne Sartison Q.C.; Gabrielle Scorer; Kim Thorne; and Michael Wagner. The founding partners were joined by associates: Alissa Demerse, Michael R. Kilgallin, James D. Kondopulos and Jennifer S. Russell. Duncan MacPhail becomes Managing Partner.
2007 + 2008: Adding depth + expertise
Sandra Guarascio and Gavin Marshall join the partnership and Drew Demerse and Jennifer Devins join the firm, offering a growing clientele a creative, agile, highly engaged and strategy-driven approach to legal services.
2009: Bench strength
The Honourable Mr. Justice Bruce Greyell Q.C. is appointed to the bench of the Supreme Court of British Columbia. Ryan Copeland joins the firm, representing clients as lead spokesperson at the bargaining table and as counsel at interest arbitrations.
2010: Small + mighty
For the first time, Roper Greyell is ranked as one of Canadian Lawyer’s Top 10 Labour and Employment Boutique law firms in Canada.
2011: The highest honour
Founding partner Delayne Sartison is appointed Queen’s Counsel and is recognized for the first time by Best Lawyers in Canada. Michael Wagner becomes the new Managing Partner. Jennifer Hogan joins the firm.
2012: Cultivating talent
Primarily representing employers in situations of workplace conflict, James D. Kondopulos joins the partnership and is listed as a “Litigation Lawyer to Watch” by Lexpert.
2013: Consolidating excellence
Thomas A. Roper Q.C., Delayne Sartison Q.C., and Gregory Heywood are recognized for the first time by Chambers Global. James D. Kondopulos is listed as a “Leading Lawyer Under 40” by Lexpert. The firm creates the Neufield Award for a Thompson Rivers University law student and introduces a three-person Management Committee to lead the firm’s growth and development. Julie Menten joins the firm.
2014: Celebrating leadership
Drew Demerse joins the partnership; the Vancouver Bar Association gives Thomas A. Roper Q.C. the Peter S. Hyndman Mentorship Award. Best Lawyers in Canada names him 2014 “Lawyer of the Year” for Vancouver Employment and Labour Law. Further recognition of his leadership comes from Lexpert, and the International Bar Association. Gabrielle Scorer and Sandra Guarascio are ranked for the first time by Best Lawyers in Canada.
2015: Expanding, impressing
Alissa Demerse, Jennifer Devins, Michael R. Kilgallin, and Jennifer S. Russell join the partnership. Danny Bernstein, Christopher Munroe, Meaghan McWhinnie, and Brandon Hillis join the firm. The Human Resources Management Association (HRMA) awards Thomas A. Roper, Q.C. an Honorary Lifetime Membership; he is also inducted into US College of Labor and Employment Lawyers. Thomas Roper Q.C., Delayne Sartison Q.C., and Gregory Heywood are recognized by Who’s Who Legal. James D. Kondopulos is ranked by Best Lawyers in Canada.
2016: Honours mount
Named once again by Canadian Lawyer magazine as one of the Top 10 Labour and Employment Boutique law firms in Canada, Roper Greyell moves to new offices at 745 Thurlow Street. Who’s Who Legal and Lexpert rank Sandra Guarascio, Michael Wagner, Gavin Marshall, and James Kondopulos. Chambers Canada recognizes Thomas Roper Q.C., Delayne Sartison Q.C., and Gregory Heywood. The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory names Delayne Sartison Q.C. as a top labour lawyer. Best Lawyers in Canada ranks Kim Thorne. Duncan MacPhail retires from the firm.
2017: New management model
Maggie Campbell, Mike Hamata, and Julia Bell join the firm and Ryan Copeland joins the partnership. Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory recognizes Gregory Heywood, Gabrielle Scorer, Michael Wagner, and Jennifer Devins as leading employment and labour law practitioners.
2018: Onward, upward
Danny Bernstein joins the partnership and Delayne Sartison Q.C. is named 2018 "Lawyer of the Year" for Employment and Labour Law in Vancouver by Best Lawyers in Canada. Once again, Roper Greyell is named one of the Top 10 Labour and Employment Boutique law firms in Canada by Canadian Lawyer magazine.
2019: New people, new places
Maggie Campbell and Mike Hamata join the partnership and S. Blanco, Rebecca Klass, and Andrew Nicholl join the firm as associates. In addition, Roper Greyell welcomes its first new associates to be based outside of our Vancouver office: Paige Ainslie based in Nelson, BC and Adam van der Linde and Julia Bell based in Victoria, BC. Gregory J. Heywood and James D. Kondopulos are recognized in 2019 Who’s Who Legal: Thought Leaders. Nine Roper Greyell Lawyers are named to the 2020 Best Lawyers List and the 2019 Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory.
2020: Working apart, coming together
Amid the rapidly-changing COVID-19 pandemic, the firm moves to a primarily virtual work environment. Roper Greyell is ranked as the top Labour Relations, Employment & Pensions law firm in Vancouver by Lexpert. Sandra Guarascio is recognized with a 2020 Client Choice Award, presented by Lexology. Eight Roper Greyell lawyers are recognized in Best Lawyers in Canada with Delayne Sartison Q.C. named as "Lawyer of the Year" for Vancouver in the area of Education Law. Justin Wong joins the firm as an associate and Ron Lai joins as IT Services Manager.
2021: Celebrating 15 years of RG
Brandon Hillis, Julie Menten and Christopher Munroe join the partnership. New associates Gabrielle Berron-Styan, Katelin Dueck, Jaime Hoopes, Adam James, Kate Jones, Andrew Peng and Nimrit Sian join the firm. Nine Roper Greyell Lawyers are named to 2022 Best Lawyers in Canada with Jennifer Devins further recognized as “Lawyer of the Year” for Vancouver in the area of Education Law. Thomas A. Roper Q.C. is named to Business in Vancouver's BC500 as one of the 500 most influential leaders within BC. Delayne Sartison Q.C. is elected as a Fellow of the College of Labor & Employment Lawyers. Roper Greyell is ranked as one of Canada's Best Law Firms by the Globe and Mail.
2022: Breaking new ground
Roper Greyell is now the largest workplace law firm in Western Canada. Adam Garvin joins the firm as Chief Operating Officer. Also joining the RG senior leadership team are Chira Perla (Director of Professional Development) and Shikha Sondhi (Director of Finance). New associates joining the firm in 2022 include: Norika Takacs-Rehm, Sabrina Anis, Teodora Bardas, Donna Chapman-Jones, and Katie Comley. Ten Roper Greyell Lawyers are named to 2023 Best Lawyers in Canada with Delayne Sartison K.C. further recognized as “Lawyer of the Year” for Vancouver in the area of Education Law. Nine RG lawyers are included in the 2022 Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory. Roper Greyell is once again ranked as one of Canada's Best Law Firms by the Globe and Mail. Thomas A. Roper K.C. receives the 2022 Bora Laskin Award for his outstanding contribution to Canadian labour law.
2023: Unstoppable momentum
Paige Ainslie and Danielle Scorda are appointed Associate Counsel. The firm’s senior leadership team continues to grow with the addition of Sanam Bakhtiar (Director of Marketing) and Rachel Rabinovitch (HR Manager). New associates joining the firm in 2023 include: Sarina Gill, Brittany Therrien, Taylor Topliss, Andrew Hefford, and Daniel Hsieh. Eight partners are included in the 2023 Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory and in Best Lawyers in Canada 2024. Plus, Delayne Sartison K.C. is further recognized as ‘Lawyer of the Year’ for Vancouver in the area of Education Law and two associates earn the distinction of Best Lawyers – Ones to Watch in Canada. Roper Greyell ranks as one of Canada’s Best Law Firms for 2024 for both Labour & Employment Law and Human Rights Law by The Globe and Mail and Statista. Six partners rank in the 2024 Chambers Canada Guide, the firm ranks as a Band 1 firm for Employment and Labour in BC, and Roper Greyell is nominated for Employment Law Firm of the Year. Seven partners are named to Who’s Who Legal – Labour, Employment & Benefits Guide 2023. Notably, Thomas A. Roper K.C. is recognized as one of B.C.’s most influential business leaders in Business in Vancouver’s 2023 BC500.
2024: Raising the bar
Adam Garvin assumes the role of Chief Executive Officer at Roper Greyell and Jennifer Hogan and Michael Schalke join the partnership. New associates joining the firm in 2024 include: Kiran Mangat, Jacky Xu, Shayna Clarke Grubner, Talia Behrmann, Elizabeth Lotfali, Lara Israel, Amanda Scorda, Morgan Baker, Jeevan Mand, Alie Teachman, and Dallan Poulin. Andrew Carricato joins as Associate Counsel. Roper Greyell is named as a Top Labour & Employment Boutique Law Firm in Canada for 2024-25 by Canadian Lawyer Magazine. The firm receives a Grade AAA ranking in the 2024 Lexpert/ALM 500 Guide and fourteen lawyers are listed in the 2024 Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory. Seven lawyers are recognized in the 2024 edition of Who’s Who Legal: Canada and Thomas A. Roper K.C., Delayne Sartison K.C., and James Kondopulos are recognized as Thought Leaders in Labour, Employment & Benefits in Canada. 17 lawyers are recognized in The Best Lawyers in Canada™ 2025 and 4 lawyers are recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Canada™ 2025. Nine partners rank in the 2025 Chambers Canada Guide and the firm ranks as a Band 1 firm for Employment and Labour in BC. The firm is recognized as one of Canada’s Best Law Firms for 2025 by The Globe and Mail and Statista, ranking as the #1 firm for Human Rights in all of Canada. Roper Greyell is recognized by Best Lawyers in Best Law Firms – Canada 2025 Edition as a Best Law Firm in Canada. Seven Roper Greyell lawyers are recognized in the 2024 Edition of Who’s Who Legal and James Kondopulos wins the 2025 Client Choice Award, presented by Lexology.
We combine ingenuity with insight to help businesses navigate workplace law