Overview
Catherine Phelps is building a broad labour and employment practice. She assists employers with a variety of issues including terminations, human rights, grievances, occupational health and safety, workplace safety and insurance, employment contracts, workplace policies and workplace investigations. Catherine continues to expand on her litigation experience by participating in small claims proceedings, examinations for discovery, arbitrations, mediations and trials.
Catherine attended law school at Western University, where she graduated with distinction and was awarded the Law Society of Upper Canada Prize for academic achievement. In her third year of law school, Catherine spent a semester studying abroad at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark.
Catherine summered and articled with Miller Thomson and joined the firm as an associate after being called to the bar in 2020.
Professional achievements & leadership
- Law Society of Upper Canada Prize, 2019
- Dean’s Honour List, 2017 – 2019
Thought leadership
Publications
- Author, “Construction owners take note: Supreme Court will rule on important OHSA issue“, Breaking Ground: MT Construction Law Ontario Edition, March 9, 2022; re-published in the LexisNexis Canadian Employment Safety and Health Guide newsletter, April 2022 edition
- Co-author, “Ontario Court of Appeal issues welcome decision for employers on termination entitlements,” Labour & Employment Comunique, November 9, 2021
- Co-author, “Legal: Are prefabricated modular buildings lienable?,” Canadian Consulting Engineer Magazine, July/August 2021
- Author, “OHRT releases important decision on family status discrimination,”Labour & Employment Communique, April 8, 2021
- Author, “Wage subsidy and rent subsidy amounts to be extended,” Labour & Employment Communiqué, March 4, 2021
- Author, “Ontario government extends stay-at-home order across most of the province while announcing plans for re-opening,” Labour & Employment Communiqué, February 10, 2021
- Co-author, “Federal update: New monetary penalties effective under the Canada Labour Code on January 1, 2021,” Labour & Employment Communiqué, December 29, 2020
- Co-author, “Labour Board rules that Foodora couriers can unionize“, Labour & Employment Communiqué, March 2, 2020
- Co-author, “Labour Relations OLRB Sheds Light on Central and Local Bargaining,” Labour & Employment Communiqué, December 5, 2019
Presentations
- “Respectful Employee and Labour Relations”, Ontario Municipal Human Resources Association 2022 Spring Workshop, April 21, 2022
- “Legal Update with Miller Thomson LLP”, Human Resources Professional Association Guelph & District Chapter, March 24, 2022
- “The Next Wave: Employee Vaccination, Testing and Everything in Between,” Miller Thomson LLP V-Series, October 28, 2021
- “Issues in the Post-Lockdown Workplace,” Miller Thomson LLP V-Series, May 6, 2021
- “Employers’ Legal Obligations with Employee Severance,” Ontario Motor Coach Association Webinar, July 22, 2021
Community involvement
- Ryerson University Pro Bono Legal Clinic
Professional memberships
- Waterloo Region Law Association
- Human Resources Professionals Association
- Law Society of Ontario
- Canadian Bar Association
- Ontario Bar Association
Bar admissions & education
- Ontario Bar, 2020
- Osgoode Advanced Certificate in Workplace Investigations, June 2021
- J.D., Western University, 2019
- B.A. (Hons.), Huron University College (Western University), 2016