Spotlight: Litigation and employment/labour law with Matthew Macdonald
Matthew Macdonald practices commercial litigation in a variety of areas with a specialty in employment and labour, contractual dispute, confidential information, professional body regulatory work, and reputational risk litigation. He has represented clients before in Alberta's Provincial Court and Queen's Bench, the Canadian and Alberta Human Rights Commissions and the Canadian Labour Board. He has significant experience with both federally and provincially regulated workers in unionized and non-unionized environments.
Drawing on a breadth of experience to help his clients solve their disputes in an efficient and pragmatic manner that works for their business, Matthew has worked as an associate with Bennet Jones and as a Senior Advisor to Cabinet Ministers in both the federal and provincial governments. From 2012 to 2014 Matthew served as a Senior Advisor to the Premier of Alberta and was responsible for directing the government's agenda and priorities. He then returned to Bennett Jones and has recently ventured out on his own to start Matthew Macdonald Law.
We sat down with him to get the story of one of our very own amazing lawyers in Calgary.
Pride In Business Community Spotlight, in partnership with TD.
By Jarom Moriyama-Bondar
How long have you been in Law and what type of law do you practice?
I have been practicing law since 2010. I have a general litigation practice with a focus on employment, labour (unionized environments), health and safety, health, and regulatory law. I have represented clients in matters before all courts in Alberta, the federal courts, various administrative tribunals, and professional regulatory bodies.
Can you tell me a little about your professional/educational background?
I received my Honours Bachelor of Science with a focus on Human Biology and Church History from the University of Toronto (St. Michael’s College) in 2005 and my law degree from the University of Windsor in 2009. I worked for a federal cabinet minister at the House of Commons in 2006 and the summer of 2007. I completed my article (practicum) as a Judicial Law Clerk for the Chief Justice of the Superior Court of Ontario. Following which I worked at a major national law firm for most of my career. I took a three-year break and was a senior advisor to the Premier of Alberta, and then returned to the same law firm. I started Matthew Macdonald Law in June 2020.
What inspired you to create your own practice?
The structure of a large law firm was a benefit to my professional development, as a junior lawyer, but it restricted the breadth and types of cases I could take. I enjoy working on lots of different files for lots of different clients. I believe that a diversity of professional experiences is key to staying sharp. I can better decide what matters and cases I take on as my own boss without the restrictions and conflicts that can come at a large law firm.
What’s your impression of the LGBTQ+ business community in the city?
It is a small but growing force. Which is a good thing. I think we as business individuals have historically been more closeted for fear of it hurting our businesses. Visibility as LGBTQ+ individuals in the broader business community sends a strong message to the world that we are everywhere. Think of the positive message that it sends to LGBTQ+ youth who are struggling with their own identity and expressing it. What a great message to those youth that they can be anything they want to be.
It is also important that we share our experience, successes, and challenges to support each other and grow. The LGBTQ+ business community does this and hopefully we can do it more. None of us should feel like we are alone in the business and other unique challenges we face. It is great that your organization is facilitating this – thank you!
How do you see your business contributing to the LGBTQ+ community and promoting Inclusion and Diversity?
Living out lives – in all aspects of our lives — is so important to Inclusion and Diversity. By being out business individuals supporting the LGBTQ+ community, we are doing vital visible work in supporting and promoting Inclusion and Diversity.
In my business, I have acted for a number of individuals that have faced barriers to being fully included in their workplaces. Often in representing them, I help them realize other unfair challenges they face and then use my legal practice as a platform to advocate for them. I also advise businesses and corporations on their human rights and related legal obligations that often have Inclusion and Diversity philosophical underpinnings. I have helped educate employer clients on areas of conflict and brought my perspective as an LGBTQ+ lawyer to this advice and helped them see how some employees might feel marginalized.
What advice would you have for LGBTQ+ community students or professionals looking to join the legal profession?
Law is a great profession. Sure, it has challenges, but at its heart is helping others with problems they do not know how to fix. To do that you are always learning about people, business and their challenges. Our experience as LGBTQ+ individuals makes us particularly empathetic and insightful to the challenges of others. That will serve you well in the practice of law. It will also serve you well in work and volunteer activities that are community-based and help others. When I was on the admission committee of my law school, these types of community-based and community-service experiences were particularly important in my assessment of the application.
Are you open to being approached from members of our community would who like to connect on topics we discussed in this article? How do you prefer to be contacted?
Yes. Email – Matthew@MatthewMacdonaldLaw.ca is best.
What impact has COVID had on your work/business?
I would not have taken the opportunity to start my own business if it were not for COVID. It has also created an opportunity for smaller local/independent law firms to provide more cost-effective legal services to clients that are now prioritizing legal costs over big-named national law firm advice.
Who should consider your services and when is the right time to reach out? Is there a cost for the initial consult?
I practice both employer and employee side employment and labour law. Any employer that has employment, OHS, labour, regulatory, or general litigation matters can benefit from early advice by someone like me. Individuals who are dealing with employment terminations also can benefit from my advice.
I have a general litigation practice as well and advise on negligence, contractual disputes, and other matters.
Depending on the circumstances and issue, I am usually able to give an initial quick discussion. If the issue is reviewing a severance offer to a terminated employee, I have set rates for the initial review and can discuss rates if further legal services are required.
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