Sack Goldblatt Mitchell LLP is one of Canada’s most respected law firms. We are distinguished by the excellence of our work. We deliver high-quality advocacy effectively and cost-efficiently.
We represent a wide variety of clients, including individuals, unions, professional organizations, businesses, and not-for-profit organizations, in all types of civil and commercial disputes, at all levels of the courts, and before various administrative boards and tribunals.
Our lawyers are continuously innovating and shaping the law. One of the secrets of our success is our zealous legal research team dedicated to assisting the firm’s litigators with all of their research, legal writing and litigation support needs. SGM's lawyers speak frequently at seminars and conferences. Many of our lawyers have taught courses at various law schools, and we write and publish extensively within our areas of expertise.
We excel in complex appeals, labour law disputes, public interest and Charter of Rights litigation, pensions and employee benefits cases, and administrative and human rights law. We have been involved in many of the leading cases in our practice areas before a variety of administrative tribunals, and at all levels of the Ontario courts, the Supreme Court of Canada, and the Federal Courts.
In our labour law practice, SGM represents a wide variety of trade unions in both the private and broader public sectors, as well as a variety of employee and professional associations and labour federations. Our trade union clients represent tens of thousands of employees in all kinds of workplaces across Ontario.
Our administrative law expertise includes professional regulation and discipline proceedings, human rights, environmental proceedings, judicial reviews, inquiries and Coroner’s inquests.
Our civil litigation expertise includes negligence claims, contractual disputes, defamation claims, professional liability and discipline matters, environmental litigation, bankruptcy and insolvency litigation, wrongful dismissal claims and claims of breach of fiduciary duties. We also represent clients in a variety of employment-related class actions.
Our criminal defence lawyers represent individuals in all types of criminal law and quasi-criminal law cases at all levels of the courts.
We are committed to providing the highest quality legal services in a welcoming and accessible environment. We also believe that the practice of law presents unique opportunities to serve the community. The firm is actively engaged in pro bono service across all of its practice groups, serving a wide array of individuals, public advocacy organizations and not-for-profit entities. Our pro bono work has included accepting briefs on behalf of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, the Criminal Lawyer's Association, the Canadian Conference of the Arts, welfare rights coalitions, poverty law coalitions, environmental groups, and equality-seeking groups.
SGM has offices in Toronto and Ottawa and provides services to its clients in both English and French.
PRACTICE AREAS
Administrative Law
In addition to our labour law and human rights law practices, SGM has a thriving practice in other areas of administrative law.
SGM has extensive experience representing clients before professional disciplinary tribunals. We have also represented clients at some of the most significant public inquiries in Canada, including the Walkerton Inquiry, the Sophonow Inquiry, the Morin Inquiry, the Lamer Inquiry and the Estey Inquiry. SGM’s lawyers have also acted as commission counsel in several public inquiries, including the Cornwall Public Inquiry, the Commission of Inquiry on the Blood System in Canada and the Driskell Inquiry.
Appeals
Appeals constitute an exclusive and specialized part of our practice. Few law firms have the appellate experience per capita of SGM, at all appellate levels.
Clients who wish to appeal from any type of decision, or who are faced with responding to an appeal, choose SGM because of our knowledge, strong research capabilities and experience in this exclusive area. Our appellate team has extensive experience in civil, administrative, criminal and all manner of public law matters, in the Supreme Court of Canada, the Ontario Court of Appeal, the Divisional Court, and the Federal Courts.
Business Law / Real Estate Law
SGM has extensive experience representing clients (including unions, non-profit and co-operative housing corporations and other non-profit and charitable organizations, businesses and individuals) in respect of a broad range of corporate and commercial and real estate matters. This includes the buying, selling, financing, leasing and development of both commercial and residential properties, the preparation and negotiation of commercial contracts, the acquisition and sale of businesses, and the incorporation, organization and running of both non-profit and business corporations.
Charter Litigation
SGM has been actively in involved in litigation under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms since the early days of the Charter. We have represented parties and interveners in many important Charter cases before a variety of tribunals and at all levels of the courts.
Civil Litigation
SGM's civil litigation lawyers take on a full spectrum of litigation matters. We represent individuals, businesses, trade unions and professional organizations in all types of civil and commercial disputes.
SGM’s civil litigators deal with complex issues in areas such as civil liability (product liability, bodily and psychological injuries, material damages and economic loss), business contracts, professional liability of doctors and lawyers, defamation, commercial litigation and extraordinary remedies, disputes relating to successions, wrongful dismissal, claims of discrimination, sexual harassment and breach of fiduciary duties. Class actions are also a significant part of SGM's civil litigation practice.
Class Actions
A significant and growing part of SGM’s civil litigation practice involves class actions, with a particular emphasis on those arising in the employment context. Some of our recent and ongoing class actions have been brought on behalf of pension plan members seeking their fair share of a pension surplus and retirees seeking health benefits. In addition, SGM has commenced several unpaid overtime class actions on behalf of bank employees and CN supervisors.
Criminal Law
SGM’s criminal law lawyers are experienced criminal litigators who defend cases at trial and on appeal and appear in all levels of the Ontario courts and in the Supreme Court of Canada. SGM’s criminal law group also acts in extradition cases, quasi-criminal law matters such as proceeds of crime litigation and provides opinions on complex legal issues to other lawyers, institutions and organizations. SGM’s criminal lawyers have been involved in a number of notable cases under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, including cases involving privacy and freedom of expression issues.
Disability Claims
SGM acts for trade unions whose members have been denied short term or long term disability benefits or whose disability benefits have been terminated. We also act for individuals directly with short and long term disability claims.
Our group of highly experienced disability law lawyers are available to provide effective representation in all aspects of disability benefits claims, from determining available avenues for pursuing specific claims, to the preparation of appeals of denials of benefits, through all stages of applicable arbitration, mediation and litigation proceedings. We are also able to assist unions in assessing and negotiating the terms of disability benefit plans provided directly by employers or through insurance companies.
Employment Law
SGM’s lawyers are leading practitioners of employment law on behalf of individuals in non-unionized working environments. We advise and represent employees on a broad range of employment law issues, including:
-Reviewing, preparing and negotiating employment contracts;
-Advising employees in respect to workplace harassment;
-Providing strategic advice with respect to restructuring or other workplace changes;
-Reviewing and negotiating settlement agreements on termination;
-Litigating wrongful dismissal and constructive dismissal claims.
Human Rights and Equity Law
SGM has a thriving human rights and equity law practice, representing trade unions and individuals before many different boards and tribunals.
SGM’s labour lawyers regularly litigate human rights issues in grievance arbitrations. We also assist our trade union clients in drafting collective agreement language that promotes equality and human rights and in reviewing employer policies for compliance with human rights legislation.
SGM’s human rights lawyers represent individuals in proceedings before human rights commissions and tribunals in a broad range of issues beyond the workplace, such as access to health services, education and other public services.
Labour Law
SGM is one of Canada’s leading law firms in the labour law field. We provide a full range of services to trade union clients in both the private and broader public sectors, as well as to a variety of employee and professional associations and labour federations. In all aspects of labour law, SGM's labour lawyers provide creative and proactive advice to our clients.
Mediation / ADR
SGM Mediation & Dispute Resolution provides comprehensive alternative dispute resolution services, including mediation, facilitation, arbitration and design of dispute resolution systems. SGM applies strategies for conflict resolution adapted from our experience in the labour relations and health care fields. We assist parties in resolving conflicts and enhancing working relationships.
Pension Benefits Law
SGM has a significant pension law practice, as well as a benefits and trust law practice, in which we provide advice to clients regarding all pension and benefit issues.
SGM acts as legal counsel to numerous multi-employer pension plans, both jointly-trusteed and union-only trusteed, as well as to various benefit and welfare plans. We also provide advice to unions and individuals regarding all aspects of single employer pension plans, including benefit entitlements, full and partial windups, insolvencies and surplus applications. SGM has extensive experience in litigating pension or trust matters before regulatory tribunals and at all levels of the courts. In addition, some of SGM's class action lawsuits involve the rights of employees or former employees under pension plans.
Professional Regulation / Professional Liability
SGM has a strong practice in professional regulation and professional liability.
Our lawyers have experience defending professionals, prosecuting on behalf of regulatory bodies, and providing independent advice to regulatory authorities and tribunals. For that reason, we have a unique insight into all aspects of professional regulation. We understand the complexities of dealing with multiple proceedings before professional bodies, and the civil or criminal courts.
Public Interest Litigation
From our early days, SGM has been committed to working with and representing unions and other progressive organizations in regard to a wide range of public interest issues and campaigns. This has meant working closely with clients to respond to pressing challenges and also to formulate and carry forward strategic endeavours to enhance public services and expand the framework of law and policy for progressive social, economic and environmental and cultural purposes.
