Mark is a part of the labour and employment group at Blaney McMurtry and a member of the Labour Section of the OBA. In addition to Employment and Labour law, Mark also has considerable expertise in Health law and has recently obtained an LL.M. in Health Law at the University of Toronto.
Mark has had a varied practice over many years. He has been deeply involved in labour and employment related issues in the film industry for many years and has negotiated Canada-wide agreements for film and television producers across Canada. Mark was the point person in negotiating framework agreements between the Ontario Medical Association and the Ontario government over many years, a deal worth in excess of $6 billion per year and affecting 22,000 doctors. He has taught employment law at George Brown College, trial advocacy as part of the Bar Admission courses and is a frequent contributor to Continuing Legal Education sessions sponsored by the Bar Association as well as other conference organizers. He has negotiated Alternate Funding Agreements for Academic Health Science Facilities, Primary Care Physician Agreements in use across the Province and a myriad of collective agreements in virtually every sector of the economy. Many of these have involved unusual situations, some outside the standard framework of normal labour legislation.
"It takes a little more thinking out of the box and some innovative approaches when you don’t have the statutory framework that you have when you’re dealing in standard labour relations."
Mark acts for a wide variety of employers and individuals in many sectors of the economy with respect to employment and labour relations. That includes giving advice and negotiating collective agreements, arbitrations and labour board hearings, occupational health and safety cases, human rights, employment standards and many civil cases. Mark has represented a number of Employer Associations and individual companies in the construction industry for many years and has represented them in construction certification applications, unlawful strike applications, accreditation applications, grievance arbitrations and other matters before the OLRB and other tribunals.
"The rules that apply to construction labour law in Ontario are unique and often counter-intuitive. Experience in this area is a definite asset to the client, especially when faced with the very short deadlines inherent with this legislation."
He says the most satisfying part of his practice is finding constructive solutions that work.
"I can fight hard if that’s what’s required. On the other hand, the employment relationship, especially in a unionized context, is often one that continues regardless, and you need to make it work. Achieving that result is an important part of what I think I do best."