Michael Di Risio, JD, MFA, BA, Lawyer

Employment Law

Wrongful Dismissal and Termination Claims – Representation for Severance Disputes, Constructive Dismissal, ESA Rights — Providing legal representation in wrongful dismissal and termination claims across Ontario. Services include severance package disputes, constructive dismissal cases, ESA compliance, termination without cause, employer defence, negotiation, litigation, and strategies to protect rights and interests.

Employment Contract Review and Drafting – Agreements, Workplace Policies, Restrictive Covenants, ESA Compliance — Reviewing and drafting employment contracts for Ontario workplaces, including job offers, executive agreements, restrictive covenants, confidentiality clauses, workplace policies, ESA compliance, and enforceability. Services protect employer interests and reduce legal risks while ensuring clarity.

Severance Package Review and Negotiation – Legal Advice on Entitlements, Settlements, and Employer Obligations — Advising on severance packages and termination entitlements under Ontario law. Services include reviewing offers, calculating ESA and common law notice, negotiating improved settlements, advising on employer obligations, mitigating risks, and representing clients in disputes over severance rights.

Workplace Harassment, Discrimination, and Human Rights – Policies, Complaints, Investigations, Tribunal Representation — Advising on workplace harassment, discrimination, and human rights issues in Ontario. Services include policy development, accommodation advice, investigation guidance, complaint resolution, and representation before the Human Rights Tribunal or courts to protect rights and ensure compliance.

Employment Standards Act Compliance – Guidance for Employers and Employees on Hours, Wages, Overtime, Obligations — Advising employers and employees on Ontario ESA compliance, including hours of work, wages, overtime, vacation pay, leave of absence, termination standards, record-keeping and statutory obligations. Services include policy review, compliance strategies, risk reduction and representation in disputes.

Labour Relations and Collective Bargaining – Employer Representation in Union Negotiations, Strike Planning, Agreements — Representing Ontario employers in labour relations and collective bargaining. Services include negotiation of collective agreements, strike or lockout planning, grievance prevention, contract interpretation, policy advice and strategies to manage unionized workplaces while ensuring legal compliance.

Grievance Arbitration and Union Disputes – Employer Advocacy in Arbitration Hearings, Collective Agreement Issues — Advocating for Ontario employers in grievance arbitration and union disputes. Services include preparing cases, interpreting collective agreements, responding to grievances, representing employers in arbitration hearings, advising on discipline, and ensuring compliance with labour law obligations.

Workplace Investigations – Independent or Advisory Services for Misconduct, Harassment, and Policy Breach Matters — Conducting or advising on workplace investigations in Ontario, including harassment, misconduct, policy breaches, and code of conduct violations. Services ensure impartial process, compliance with legal standards, documentation, reporting, and strategies to address findings and reduce liability.

Occupational Health and Safety Matters – Employer Representation in Compliance Reviews, Inspections, Prosecutions — Advising Ontario employers on occupational health and safety matters, including compliance with OHS legislation, workplace inspections, Ministry of Labour orders, accident reporting, due diligence strategies, and defending employers in regulatory charges, investigations, and prosecutions.

Workplace Safety and Insurance Board Matters – Employer Advice in WSIB Claims, Appeals, and Compliance Obligations — Representing Ontario employers in WSIB matters, including claims, appeals, accident reporting, return-to-work programs, premium assessments, and compliance with workplace safety obligations. Services include strategic advice, documentation, representation at hearings, and risk management.

Plant Closures, Layoffs, and Restructuring – Legal Support for Mass Terminations, Continuity Rights, Transitions — Advising Ontario employers on plant closure, layoffs and workforce restructuring. Services include compliance with ESA and common law obligations, mass termination notice, severance planning, union consultation, successorship rights, continuity of employment issues and strategic transition planning.

Independent Contractor vs. Employee Status – Guidance on Misclassification, Contracts, Rights, Employer Risk — Advising on independent contractor versus employee classification under Ontario law. Services include contract drafting, reviewing work arrangements, assessing ESA and tax obligations, addressing misclassification risks, protecting worker rights, and guiding employers on compliance and liability.

Business Law

Incorporations, Corporate Structuring, and Formation of New Businesses in Ontario — Legal guidance for Ontario incorporations: select optimal structure, draft articles and by-laws, set share rights, prepare resolutions, minute book and director consents, complete NUANS search, file returns, ensure statutory compliance, and mitigate future disputes, tax issues, and governance risks.

Corporate Reorganizations, Amalgamations, and Continuance Transactions for Ontario Corporations — Advising on reorganizations, amalgamations, and continuances, including share exchanges, rollovers, asset transfers, tax-driven restructurings, and compliance with the Ontario and federal corporate law legislation to ensure continuity, protect shareholders, and maintain proper corporate governance.

Mergers, Acquisitions, and the Purchase or Sale of Ontario Businesses and Corporations — Counsel on mergers, acquisitions, and business purchases or sales, covering due diligence, letters of intent, asset or share purchase agreements, competition & regulatory compliance, tax structuring, financing, closing deliverables post-closing indemnities and holdbacks, transition planning support.

Shareholder Agreements, Partnership Agreements, and Resolving Shareholder Disputes — Drafting and negotiating shareholder and partnership agreements, including governance, voting, capital calls, payouts, buy-sell/shotgun, tag/drag-along, ROFRs, restrictive covenants, deadlock mechanisms, valuations; resolving disputes via mediation, arbitration, oppression remedies under OBCA/CBCA.

Corporate Governance, Regulatory Compliance, and Risk Management for Business Owners and Directors — Corporate governance and compliance advice for Ontario and federal corporations, including board duties, director liability, shareholder rights, minute books, resolutions, regulatory filings, risk management, ESG and privacy compliance, conflict of interest and statutory corporate governance law.

Business Succession Planning, Tax Structuring, and Ownership Transition Strategies — Business succession planning and transition strategies, including estate freezes, rollovers, family trusts, shareholder buy-sell arrangements, cross-purchase agreements, tax-efficient transfers, retirement planning, corporate reorganizations, valuation methods, and compliance with succession laws.

Commercial Contract Drafting, Negotiation, and Review of Business Agreements — Drafting, reviewing, and negotiating commercial agreements, including service contracts, supply agreements, distribution, licensing, joint ventures, NDAs, standard terms, conditions, technology agreements, indemnities, warranties, dispute resolution clauses, and compliance with Ontario contract law.

Commercial Leasing, Real Estate Transactions, and Property Law for Businesses — Commercial leasing and real estate law for businesses, including lease drafting, renewals, assignments, subleases, rent review clauses, property purchases and sales, financing, zoning and land use compliance, landlord and tenant disputes, due diligence, title matters, and risk management strategies.

Corporate Financing, Secured Transactions, and Asset-Based Lending Arrangements — Advising on corporate financing and secured lending, including asset-based loans, debentures, guarantees, PPSA registrations, security agreements, priority disputes, debt restructuring, refinancing, compliance with banking and securities regulations, and protecting creditor or borrower interests.

Secured and Unsecured Business Financing, Loans, and Creditor Protection Strategies — Advising on secured and unsecured financing, including loan agreements, credit facilities, guarantees, PPSA filings, security enforcement, intercreditor arrangements, restructuring, debt workouts, forbearance agreements, insolvency issues, creditor recovery and strategies to minimize financial risk.

Franchise Law, Franchise Agreements, and Compliance for Franchisors and Franchisees — Advising franchisors and franchisees on franchise disclosure compliance, drafting and negotiating franchise agreements, renewals, assignment, area development rights, master franchise arrangements, terminations, dispute resolution, regulatory filings and risk management strategies under Ontario law.

Asset Protection, Creditor Recovery, and Risk Mitigation in Business Operations — Advising on asset protection and creditor recovery, including security agreements, guarantees, PPSA filings, insolvency strategies, debt restructuring, enforcement, judgment collection, fraud prevention, contractual safeguards, and compliance measures to minimize business and shareholder risk.

Litigation Law