Chris Pigott’s practice is focused on labour, employment, human rights and public law. Chris provides employers with strategic advice, representation in negotiations and litigation, and guidance on law reform and policy development. Chris has been recognized by Chambers Canada as a lawyer with "a 'wealth of legal knowledge' and a growing reputation as a 'leading thinker.'"
Chris has extensive experience in complex labour, employment, and human rights disputes. He advises clients on how to achieve their goals in the face of major labour negotiations, organizational change and restructuring, and other critical developments that impact their workplace. Chris frequently provides advice in negotiations and other labour matters that stretch across provincial and international borders.
In addition to negotiation and advisory work, Chris focuses on litigation arising from labour, employment, and human rights disputes. He appears in arbitrations, labour board proceedings, before the Ontario and Federal Courts, and in the Supreme Court of Canada. Chris routinely acts in judicial review and appeal proceedings and has acted as lead or co-counsel in several significant recent appeals in the Supreme Court and Federal Court of Appeal, including:
- Canada Post v. CUPW (federal sector health and safety inspections)
- Mounted Police Association of Ontario (constitutional right to collective bargaining)
- Saskatchewan Federation of Labour (constitutional right to strike)
- AECL v. Wilson (unjust dismissal in the federal sector)
Chris has considerable experience representing federally regulated employers in transportation, telecommunications, banking and other industries. He acts as counsel to FETCO (Federally Regulated Employers - Transportation and Communications), the association that serves as the principal representative of employers in the federal sector.
Chris deals frequently with public law and public policy issues in the labour, employment, and human rights context. He provides advice to private and public sector clients on legislative action and government initiatives that impact their operations, and helps them craft legal and practical strategies in response. He acts for clients in matters that involve administrative or constitutional law issues, including litigation under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Chris also has an active international practice. He advises Canadian, foreign, and multinational employers on business and human rights, international labour standards, the international union movement, and cross-border industrial relations. He is active within the Canadian Employers Council (CEC), the exclusive representative of Canadian employers concerning global labour and employment issues.
Chris has taught labour and employment law and policy at the Western University Faculty of Law, the Queen’s University Faculty of Law, the Centre for Industrial Relations and Human Resources at U of T, and the Osgoode Hall Law School Certificate in Labour Law.
