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Lisa Stam practices all aspects of employment, labour and human rights law, and has a particular interest in legal issues involving technology in the workplace and the various methods by which people continue to mess things up with technology.

She regularly advises clients on the usual employment law fare: domestic and international employment advice, remote workers, drafting offer letters and employment contracts, workplace policies and handbooks, advising on bonus and commission plans, benefits, workplace privacy issues, independent contractors, confidential and proprietary information, and discipline and terminations. She has also advised on a variety of human rights issues such as accommodating disabilities in the workplace, sexual harassment, discrimination and gender transition.

Lisa frequently speaks on and advises clients about the impact, risks and opportunities of technology in the workplace, including social media legal issues, privacy breaches, and ownership of data. She remains perplexed at humanity’s inability to more carefully set their social media privacy settings but continues to enjoy the juicy bits of evidence that could form the basis of a future best-selling novel.

Lisa is a member of the Holland House, Verity Women’s Business Club and various bar associations (the legal not fun kind). She graduated from the University of Toronto with a specialty in medieval history, and therefore went to law school, graduating from Dalhousie Law School in 2003, and has since been licensed to practice law by the Law Society of Ontario.

When not practicing law, Lisa practices adulthood with a spouse, two kids and a dog, hikes outdoors, watches anything historical, and probably enjoys more opera and science fiction than is socially acceptable.

Lisa in the News

Lisa's Publications

Articles

Books

Other selected publications (available upon request):

Ontario Bar Association Labour Relations Monthly Newsletter:
  • Court Awards BC Police Officer $950,000 in Damages for Negligent Infliction of Mental Suffering by her Supervisor (April 2007)
  • Labour Not Subject to Higher Threshold than Other Creditors in Insolvency Proceedings: TCT Logistics (September 2006)
Canadian Benefits & Compensation Digest (International Foundation) case summaries:
  • Indexation Benefits Can Vest Upon Retirement: Dinney v. Great-West Life Assurance (August 2005)
  • Arbitrator Cannot Award Punitive Damages Against Insurer in Fibromyalgia Case (June 2005)
  • Update on Nova Scotia “Grow-In” Benefits (June 2005)
  • New CAPSA Guidelines for Pension Plan Governance (February 2005)
  • Nova Scotia Flip-Flops on Grow-In Benefits (February 2005)
  • A Letter of Credit Is Not an Asset (December 2004)
  • Financial Services Tribunal Addresses Pre-Retirement Death Benefits (June 2004)
  • The Financial Services Tribunal Considers Awarding Costs out of a Pension Fund (April 2004)
  • The Ontario Ministry Of Labour’s 2004 Discussion Paper: Ending The 60-Hour Workweek (April 2004)
Lancaster’s Bi-Weekly Pension & Benefit Law E-Bulletin:
  • Remedy Limitations with the Third Party Insurer: Hotel-Dieu Grace Hospital (February 4, 2005)

Lisa's Past Speaking Engagements

2023

  • Employment Law & Contracts – Benefits Certificate Program, CPBI May 5, 2023)
  • The Workplace in the Social Media Age, Human Resources Law for HR Professionals – Osgoode Hall Law School (May 3, 2023)
  • Building a Virtual Law Firm Through Blogging – Legally Contented (May 1, 2023)
  • Post-Covid Clauses, Annotated Employment Law Clauses 2023 – LSO Ontario (February 28, 2023)

2022

  • What: The First Thing We Do, Let’s Get Rid of All The Lawyers – DisruptHR Ottawa (November 8, 2022)
  • Helping businesses gear up for holiday sales – BMO Small Business Month Client Event (October 27, 2022)
  • Employment Law & Contracts- Canadian Benefits Certificate Program – Canadian Pension & Benefits Institute (October 13, 2022)
  • Watching the Watchers – Your October 11 Compliance Deadline for Employee Monitoring – In partnership with The Privacy Pro and nNovation (September 20, 2022)
  • Examining how automation and AI are driving law firm productivity – Legal Tech Summit – Canadian Lawyer (June 15, 2022)
  • Employment, Labour & Contracts Law – The Wellness of Your Practice, Info & Advice for Healthcare Business Owners, RBC (June 9, 2002)
  • Employment and HR Law – Secretary Treasurer’s Association (May 19, 2022 )
  • Employment Law & Contracts – Canadian Benefits Certificate Program; Canadian Pension & Benefits Institute (May 13, 2022)
  • The Workplace in the Social Media Age: Confronting the Challenges – Osgoode Hall Law School, York University; HR Law for HR Professionals Certificate (April 28, 2022)
  • Employment Contracts Mistakes to Avoid in 2022 – Benchmark Benefit Solutions (January 12, 2022)
  • Labor Law Trends to Watch: 2022 – ADP Insights@Work podcast (January 10, 2022)

2021

  • Top 5 Employment Law Mistakes to Avoid in 2022 – SpringLaw’s SpringForward Legal Updates Webinar Series (December 15, 2021)
  • OMG! Back to the Office? – CNBPA (November 23, 2021)
  • OMG The Office is Open – SpringLaw’s SpringForward Legal Updates Webinar Series (August 27, 2021)
  • Mindfulness and Stress Management – How to Humanize Your Remote Lifestyle – LegalTech Summit Canada (June 29, 2021)
  • From Languishing to Flourishing During Covid-19 – SpringLaw’s SpringForward Legal Updates Webinar Series (May 19, 2021)
  • The Workplace in the Social Media Age: Confronting the Challenges – The Osgoode Certificate in HR Law for HR Professionals (April 26, 2021)
  • Top 4 Tips For Your Top 4 Legal Docs – SpringLaw’s SpringForward Legal Updates Webinar Series (April 21, 2021)
  • HR Professionals vs Employment Lawyers – SpringLaw’s SpringForward Legal Updates Webinar Series (March 17, 2021)
  • Employment Law & Contracts – Canadian Pension & Benefits Institute and HRPA (February 26, 2021)
  • Romance in the Workplace – ADP Insights@Work podcast (February 4, 2021)
  • Managing and Protecting a Stressed-Out Workplace – Benchmark Benefit Solutions (January 21, 2021)

2020

  • This Week in Legal Blogging – Robert Ambrogi (October 22, 2020)
  • Building a Book of Business (Even During a Pandemic) – Solo Small Firm Lady Lawyers (October 15, 2020)
  • Crunched by the Numbers: Artificial intelligence, algorithmic discrimination, and other emerging issues in workplace privacy law – Lancaster House (July 10, 2020)
  • Running a virtual law practice – Law Society of Ontario, Annual Six-Minute Employment Lawyer (June 18, 2020)
  • Working in the Future – What’s Next? – Thomson-Reuters (June 10, 2020)
  • Workplace Issues During Covid-19 – Canadian Netherlands Business and Professional Association (May 12, 2020)
  • The Workplace in the Social Media Age: Confronting the Challenges – Osgoode Hall Law School, Human Resources Legal Issues for HR Professionals (May 4, 2020)
  • An Employer’s Duty to Accommodate Cannabis Use” –  blueJ Legal (March 24, 2020)

2019

  • “Welcome our Robot Overlords – AI, Technology and Employment Law”, Human Resources Professionals Association/2019 HRPA Toronto LegalEase Conference (November 12, 2019)
  • “Technology Use at Work” – Law Society of Ontario, Employment Law Summit (November 1, 2019)
  • “Employment Law and Tech Panel: Risks and Pitfalls of Using Technology/Social Media during Recruitment”, Human Resources Professionals Association (June 25, 2019)
  • “Social Media & Tech in the Workplace”, Osgoode Certificate in Human Resources Law for HR Professionals (April 30, 2019)
  • “Remote Employees in a Digital Age”, British Computer Society in Canada (April 18, 2019)

2018

  • “The Workplace in the Social Media Age: Confronting the Challenges”, The Osgoode Certificate in Human Resources Law for HR Professionals (April 24, 2018)
  • “Winning Clients in the Age of the New Advertising and Referral Rules”, Ontario Bar Association Institute (February 8, 2018)

2017

2016

  • “Hiring for Your Firm: A Human Resources Guide for Interviewing and Making Employment Decisions” at OBA Enterprising Lawyer Series (November 18, 2016)
  • Hot Button Issues for In-House Counsel and Business Lawyers: “Employment Issues in Corporate Transactions” at OBA Professional Development (May 18, 2016)
  • “The Workplace in the Social Media Age: Confronting the Challenges” at The Osgoode Certificate in HR Law for HR Professionals (April 6, 2016)
  • “Computers, Cell Phones, and Surveillance: Drawing the line between employees’ privacy rights and management’s business interests” at Lancaster House 2016 Toronto Human Rights and Accommodation Conference (March 30, 2016)

2015

  • “Settlements in the Digital Era: Essentials for Non-Techies” at the Osgoode PD Program on Successful Settlements: Strategies & Tactics for Civil Litigation (November 26, 2015)
  • “Impact of Technology on the Expert” at the Osgoode PD Program on Property Valuation Disputes (November 3, 2015)
  • “Social Media, Just Cause & Restrictive Covenants” at the HRPA HR Law Conference (October 22, 2015)
  • “Minding Your Own Business: Privacy rules on collecting, using and disclosing employee information at Lancaster House Audio Conference (July 21, 2015)
  • “Family Status and the Duty to Accommodate” at the Ontario Bar Association’s 13th Annual Current Issues in Employment Law Conference (May 1, 2015)
  • Co-chair at Osgoode’s “Managing Employment Law Issues in the Digital Age”, and panel moderator on Employee Privacy Rights and Interests (April 20, 2015)
  • “Social Media in the Workplace” at the Osgoode Certificate in HR Law at HRPA (April 8, 2015)
  • Quoted in “Target to Close all Stores in Canada” published in SHRM Online (January 25, 2015)

2014

2013

  • “BYOD: Building a Program Right for your Organization” at Canadian Institute Workshop (Nov 2013)
  • “The ESA Beyond the 9-5: Mobile Workforce, Overtime, BYOD and Social Media” at Lorman Conference (Oct 2013)
  • “Social Media in the Health Care Sector” at Heath Professionals Appeal and Review Board & Health Services Appeal and Review Board Joint Tribunal Members’ Educational Conference (Oct 2013)
  • “BYOD: Employment, Organizational & Tech Issues”, co-presenter at the International Association of Privacy Professionals Seminar (Sept 2013)
  • “Employment Law Issues in the New Immigration Law Regime” at firm client event (Sept 2013); *video link available upon request
  • “The Workplace in the SM Age: Confronting the Challenges” co-presenter at Osgoode HR Law for HR Professionals Certificate Program (July 2012)
  • “Social Media for Executives”, to Women President’s Organization, Toronto chapter (June 2013)
  • “Identifying and Managing Risk in Using Social Media and Bring-Your Own Device (BYOD) in Your Organization”, co-presenter at Canadian Institute (May 2013)
  • “Social Media, Overtime and the Salaried Worker – How to Deal with the Elimination of the 9-5 Workday” at Lorman Conference (May 2013)
  • “What’s New in Social Media, Technology & Privacy in the Workplace”, at Osgoode Professional Development CLE Program of “What’s New in Employment Law 2013” (May 2013)
  • “Implications of Accommodation & AODA“, at firm client event (April 2013)
  • “When International Employee Assignments Go Bad“, on panel hosted by Canadian Employee Relocation Counsel program (April 2013)
  • “Social Media in Business“, participant in Canadian Netherlands Business & Professionals Association program on business development (March 2013)
  • “Social Media and Terminations: Caselaw Update“, at Federated Press program (February 2013)
  • “Social Media & Legal Marketing“, on Ontario Bar Association’s Institute 2013 panel (February 2013)

2012

  • “How to Get Fired Because of Facebook: Social Media and Terminations in the Health Sector”, at Manitoba’s InterAct EMS conference (October 2012)
  • “The Borderless Workplace: Social Media, Privacy and Technology Issues”, at firm client event (October 2012)
  • “Update on AODA”, at firm client event (September 2012)
  • “Jones v Tsige: The New Privacy Tort”, at Lorman Conference (July 2012)
  • “Freedom of Speech & Social Media in the Academic Workplace”, McMaster University (June 2012)
  • “Taking Your Social Media Policy International”, global client event (April 2012)
  • “Professionalism and Practice Management Issues in Social Media, at LSUC Employment Law Summit on the New Workplace in the Age of Social Media (April 2012)
  • “Social Media in the Global Workplace”, presentation hosted by Foreign Lawyers Association in Tokyo, Japan (April 2012)
  • “Social Media, Terminations and Slander”, Federated Press Program (March 2012)
  • “Canadian Employment Law 101”, firm client events in Chicago, Houston and Dallas (February 2012)
  • “Employment Law Issues in Hiring & Interviews”, firm client event (February 2012)
  • “AODA Update”, firm client event (January 2012)

2011

  • “Accessibility for Ontarians with a Disability Act in the Workplace”, at Human Resources Professionals Association conference (October 2011)
  • Participant on firm Privacy Panel with the Ontario Privacy Commissioner, Dr. Ann Cavoukian (October 2011)
  • “Privacy & Proprietary Information”, for Retail Council of Canada (September 2011)
  • “Workplace Disability Law: Accessibility for Ontarians with a Disability Act and the Human Rights Code”, at Rehabilitation Network (September 2011)

2008-2010

  • “Bill 168 – Employer’s Sword or Shield?” at Employer’s Advocacy Council’s Business Summit –(March 2010)
  • “Ontario Human Rights Regime – A New Era: Should Employers Be Concerned?” at Employer’s Advocacy Council’s Business Summit on Workplace Safety & Insurance (March 2009)
  • “Remedial Certifications”, at Law Society of Upper Canada 6 Minute Labour Lawyer program (June 2008)
  • Ontario Bar Association Continuing Legal Education Programs:
  • Co-Chair of Labour Law 101 (November 2009)
  • Co-Chair of When Health Law & Labour/Employment Law Collide (December 2008)
  • Co-Chair of Clients, Clients Everywhere: Tips for Aspiring Rainmakers (November 2008)
  • Co-Chair of Pension Law 101 (November 2007)
  • Co-Chair of You Can Run But You Cannot Hide: Pension Primer for Everyday Practice (November 2006)
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