Grosman Gale Fletcher Hopkins LLP is proud to announce that three of its partners, R. Mark Fletcher, William R. Gale, and Jeff C. Hopkins, have been ranked as top Ontario employment lawyers by Lexpert®.

To be included in The Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory is an acknowledgement of a lawyer’s excellence by their peers and colleagues. The value and prestige of being a “Lexpert®-ranked” lawyer are demonstrated by the legal profession’s high level of participation in the Lexpert® survey. Lexpert® rankings and awards are recognized throughout the Canadian legal community.

Published since 1997, it is based on an extensive peer survey process. The 28th edition includes profiles of leading practitioners across Canada in more than 67 practice areas and leading law firms in 41 practice areas. In preparation for this edition, Lexpert® made 21,739 completed survey requests from lawyers at law firms to a response rate of 77.35 %.

R. Mark Fletcher, Lexpert® Ranked Ontario Employment Lawyer

R. Mark Fletcher has been ranked by Lexpert® as a “consistently recommended” employment lawyer, representing both employers and employees. He has also been recognized by Best Lawyers in Canada® as one of the leading employment lawyers in Canada.

Mark is an experienced trial lawyer representing employers and employees in wrongful dismissal actions, executive compensation disputes, and human rights cases. He is frequently asked to speak on employment and human rights issues by the Law Society of Ontario, the Ontario Bar Association, and Osgoode Hall Law School. Mark has also acted as co-Editor-in-Chief of the Canadian Cases of Employment Law (CCEL) publication and Editor for the Employment Bulletin.

William R. Gale, Lexpert® Ranked Ontario Employment Lawyer

William (Bill) Gale has been a partner with Grosman Gale Fletcher Hopkins LLP since 1989. He has been repeatedly named a “consistently recommended” employment lawyer, representing both employees and employers, by Lexpert® and has been recognized by Best Lawyers in Canada®. Bill devotes significant time to negotiating and drafting executive contracts. His ability to reduce complex executive compensation agreements to concise written documents led the National Post’s Business Magazine to refer to Bill as “an executive agent”.

An experienced employment lawyer, he has appeared before trial and appeal courts to argue many reported decisions dealing with issues such as wrongful dismissal, human rights, occupational health and safety, employment contracts, pensions, and employee benefits. He represents both employees and employers and advises institutional employers, including arts organizations, on the legal issues facing them in the modern world.

Bill has acted as an Editor-in-Chief for the Canadian Cases on Employment Law (as well as a contributing author) and New Perspectives in Canadian Employment Law. He has also written numerous articles for other employment law publications, including the Employment Bulletin, and is regularly asked to speak at professional conferences.

Jeff C. Hopkins, Lexpert® Ranked Ontario Employment Lawyer

Jeff C. Hopkins has been recognized by Lexpert® as a “consistently recommended” employee and employer-side employment lawyer. He has also been named a leading employment and labour lawyer by Best Lawyers in Canada®. Jeff advises employers and senior-level employees on all aspects of labour, employment, and human resources law, focusing on wrongful and constructive dismissal claims and human rights issues.

Jeff has appeared on complex cases before all levels of Ontario court and several administrative tribunals, including the Ontario Labour Relations Board, Employment Standards hearings, and the Human Rights Tribunal. He also represents employers and departing employees on interlocutory injunctive relief motions and advises on restrictive covenants and employee fiduciary duties. Jeff frequently speaks at various industry conferences and is a regular author and contributor to various labour and employment publications, including the Employment Bulletin published by Canada Law Book.

In addition to his extensive advocacy experience, Jeff develops and implements employment and workplace policies and counsels HR professionals, executives, managers, and supervisors on workplace due diligence, positive employee relations, and best practices. He also drafts and advises on comprehensive executive contracts, including clauses related to duties and responsibilities, compensation, and benefits.

Congratulations to Mark Fletcher, Bill Gale, and Jeff Hopkins for their recognition in this year’s edition of The Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory!