Matthew L. O. Certosimo

First Year of Call
Ontario, 1995

Areas of Practice
Employment Law

Description
Matthew is certified by the Law Society of Ontario as a Specialist in Labour Law. He represents employers in labour and employment-related litigation, including wrongful dismissals and labour arbitration. He frequently appears before the courts, including at the appellate level.

He also acts for employers in grievance arbitrations, matters before the Labour Relations Board, and in collective bargaining.

And he represents employers, supervisors and constructors in proceedings under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, including in defence of quasi-criminal charges further to workplace accidents and injuries.

Matthew acts for and advises private and public sector employers on a full range of labour and employment matters, including:

dismissals and discipline
employment contracts and policies
human rights issues, such as discrimination and harassment
workers’ compensation, employment standards, and occupational health and safety matters

Matthew is the co-author of Just Cause: The Law of Summary Dismissal in Canada, which is frequently cited in decisions.

Within BLG, Matthew held the role of National Leader of BLG’s Labour & Employment Group from 2011-2016, and before that was the Toronto Leader from 2008-2011.

Matthew is certified by the Law Society of Ontario as a Specialist in Labour Law (which includes employment law), and he has held this Certified Specialist designation since 2011. Matt is the recipient of the Ontario Bar Association Randall Echlin Award for Excellence in Labour and Employment Law (2022).

He represents employers in labour and employment-related litigation, including wrongful dismissals and labour arbitration. He frequently appears before the courts, including at the appellate level.