Ian Wallace

Practical and focused advice.

Employers are on the hook to provide a safe and efficient workplace, while accommodating the needs and requests of employees. Ian helps employers do this by providing practical, focused and timely advice based on detailed knowledge and understanding of his clients’ operations and business objectives. 

Representative matters

Ian has a specialized practice in labour and employment law, with extensive experience in arbitration proceedings, human rights investigations and adjudications, wrongful dismissal litigation, employment policy development, negotiation of employment contracts, both executive and non-executive, and labour disputes, including lawful strikes and illegal strikes. He is also involved in advising employers in respect of workers’ compensation issues and occupational health and safety.  Ian is primary labour and employment counsel to all of the school boards in the province.  Examples of his work include:

• Acting for a school board in defending a grievance alleging racial and age discrimination in respect of termination of probationary employment and failure to hire for alternative positions.
• Acting for an employer in defending a grievance alleging harassment in the workplace over an extended period of years.
• Acting for a school board in respect of termination of employment of a long service employee with drug and alcohol addictions.
• Acting for an employer in defending complaints of religious discrimination under the Human Rights Code.
• Acting for a school board in defending complaints of racial and age discrimination under the Human Rights Code.
• Acting as counsel for all regional health authorities in the Province during the withdrawal of services by members of the health bargaining unit.
• Acting as co-counsel at the recent Offshore Helicopter Safety Inquiry following the loss of Cougar Flight 491.
• Acting as co-counsel in defending charges under occupational health and safety legislation in respect of a fatal explosion on offshore oil tanker.

Areas of practice

• Labour and Employment
• Litigation
• Property Leasing
• Labour Relations
• Workplace Human Rights
• Occupational Health and Safety
• Corporate/Commercial
• Employment Law

BAR ADMISSION(S)

Newfoundland and Labrador, 1987

LAW SOCIETY(IES)

Law Society of Newfoundland and Labrador

EDUCATION

Dalhousie University, LL.B., 1986
University of Wales, M.Sc., 1983
Dalhousie University, B.Sc. Honours Certificate, 1980
Dalhousie University, B.Sc., 1979

ACTIVITIES

• Member, Canadian Bar Association
• Elective bencher, Law Society of Newfoundland and Labrador, 2009-present
• Content advisor, Labour Watch, Newfoundland and Labrador, 2002-present
• Chair, Education Committee, Law Society of Newfoundland, 2011
• Founding director, Canadian Association of Counsel to Employers

LANGUAGE(S)

English

MARTINDALE-HUBBELL RATINGS

BV

Publications

• Contributing editor, O’Brien’s Encyclopedia of Forms, Canada Law Book, Inc.

Presentations

• Topics covered in various presentations include “Wrongful Dismissal Updates”, “Effective Expert Evidence in Construction Litigation” and “Labour Arbitration Updates”.
• Presenter, Canadian Bar Association Labour and Administrative Law National Conference
• Presenter, Canadian Association of Counsel to Employers National Conference
• Presenter, Continuing Education, Law Society of Newfoundland
• Presenter, Newfoundland and Labrador Employers’ Council Annual Case Law Review
• Presenter, Canadian School Boards’ Association National Conference
• Presenter, Canadian Association of Statutory Human Rights Agencies National Conference
• Presenter, “Mechanics’ Liens Law and Practice”, Continuing Education, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, Memorial University of Newfoundland