Lawyer Profile
Christopher McClelland
Toronto, Ontario
Overview
Christopher takes a thoughtful, practical and confident approach to his practice, always aiming to earn the loyalty of his clients. He focuses on developing long-term, ongoing relationships, from which to create people-oriented solutions. He is articulate and knowledgeable, using logic and a thorough understanding of the law relating to employer-employee relations to solve problems. Acting on behalf of both employers and employees, Christopher's practice focuses on all aspects of labour, employment and human rights law. He has also developed an expertise in privacy law, particularly with respect to its application in the workplace. In providing this advice, Chris is able to draw upon the experience he gained through a six month secondment working as in-house counsel for one of Canada's largest retailers. Christopher has a wide range of litigation experience in nearly every type of forum in Ontario involving employment and labour law. He has appeared as lead counsel before all levels of court in Ontario (including the Ontario Court of Justice in quasi-criminal matters), the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, the Ontario Labour Relations Board and the Canada Industrial Relations Board, and numerous arbitration boards. Christopher has a track record of success before appellate courts on behalf of both appellants and respondents. Cases he has argued have been reported in major Canadian law reports, such as the Ontario Reports and the Business Law Reports , and referred to in employment and labour law textbooks. In one widely-cited decision ( Devaney v. ZRV ), he successfully
Practice Areas
Bar Information
Called to the bar: 2008 (ON)
Professional Details
Associations
Memberships Law Society of Ontario Ontario Bar Association The Advocates' Society
Awards & Recognition
Recognition Recipient of the Mondaq Thought Leadership Award 2025 in the Employment and HR category
Articles & Speeches
Speaking Speaker, COVID-19 - Returning to Work During the 4th Wave in Ontario
Publications Employment Update: Ontario Introduces Bill 105, the Protecting Ontario's Workers and Economic Resilience Act, 2026 Employment Update: Long-Term Illness / Sick Leave in Canada: What Employers Need to Know Employment Update: Restrictions on Employer Sick Note Requests in Canada - Nov 2025 Employment Update: Guidance from the Court on the Forfeiture of Equity Incentives Upon Dismissal Author, Employment Update: Reminder to Employers Regarding Imminent Changes to Ontario Workplace Legislation Author, Employment Update: Enforceability of Termination Clauses in Ontario: The Saga Continues Author, New Ontario ESA requirements regarding pay transparency, job postings and more coming in 2025 and 2026 Author, Ontario's Fifth Working for Workers Act Receives Royal Assent Author, Ontario Introduces the Working for Workers Five Act, 2024 Author, Ontario Working for Workers Four Act, 2023, Receives Royal Assent Co-Author, Employment Update: Pay Transparency, the Use of AI in the Hiring Process, and More , Employment Update: Enforcing Employment Contracts After Substantial Changes , Employment Update:
Selected Decisions
Niang v Lakeshore Gardens Co-operative Homes Inc , 2016 HRTO 189 Murray v G4S Secure Solutions (Canada) Ltd , 2015 HRTO 940 Lewis v Lavern Heideman & Sons Ltd , 2015 ONSC 3752 Qamar v G4S Secure Solutions (Canada) Ltd , 2015 HRTO 386 Knox v Niagara Falls Taxi Ltd , 2014 ONCA 140 International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 793 v 1476247 Ontario Limited (DeGrandis Concrete Pumping) , 2014 CanLII 53384 (ON LRB) Whitfield v Steckley , 2014 ONSC 1742 Gill v CPNI Inc , 2014 ONSC 6500, aff'd 2015 ONCA 833 Ali v Fruci , 2014 ONCA 596 Ram v Celco Inc , 2014 CanLII 74839 (ON LRB) United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, Local 27 v Diamond Aluminum Inc , 2013 CanLII 21008 (ON LRB) Devaney v ZRV Holdings Ltd , 2012 HRTO 1590 G4S Secure Solutions (Canada) Ltd v UFCW, Local 333 (2012), 218 LAC (4th) 313 (ON LA) G4S Secure Solutions (Canada) Ltd v UFCW Canada Local 333 , 2011 CanLII 26532 (CA LA) St. Croix v Terceira , 2009 CanLII 32264 (Ont Sup Ct J) St. Croix v Terceira , 2009 CanLII 66613 (Ont Div Ct)