Employment, Pensions and Executive Compensation

In a business landscape defined by rapid change, regulatory complexity and growing expectations around workforce management and employee remuneration, clients need proactive, practical and forward‑looking advice. Employment, pensions and executive compensation issues now carry strategic significance—impacting transactions, talent retention, organizational culture and overall risk profile.

Our clients trust us to help them confidently navigate employment, pensions and executive compensation matters, such as:

• Employment Law Advisory and Workforce Compliance. We help clients manage risk, maintain compliance and build strong, resilient workplace practices by delivering practical and timely counsel on employment standards, human rights, workplace policies, investigations, performance management, discipline, terminations and layoffs.
• Employment and Compensation Support for Complex Transactions. We lead due diligence, employee transfer planning, severance strategies, employee benefits and change‑of‑control arrangements across some of Canada’s largest and most sophisticated transactions. We provide integrated advice on employment, benefits and compensation matters arising in domestic and cross‑border mergers and acquisitions, reorganizations, divestitures, restructurings and insolvencies.
• Executive Compensation Strategy and Governance. For boards, HR teams and compensation committees seeking to design and implement executive and incentive compensation programs, our lawyers develop customized executive agreements, retention and change‑of‑control packages, equity and bonus plans, and advise on compliance with securities, tax and governance requirements.
• Pension and Benefits Advisory. For employers and plan administrators seeking counsel with navigating the evolving legal and fiduciary obligations of pension and benefits plans, our team provide comprehensive support on pension and benefit plan governance, administration, wind‑ups, plan design changes, de‑risking strategies, solvency funding and regulatory compliance.
• Workplace Litigation and Dispute Resolution. For clients in need of representation in wrongful dismissal claims, executive disputes, human rights and harassment matters, restrictive covenant enforcement, pension litigation and issues involving employee misconduct or fraud; Goodmans lawyers regularly appear before all levels of court, arbitration panels and administrative tribunals, on behalf of our clients. Our focus is always on delivering efficient and strategic resolutions aligned to our clients’ goals.

In every mandate, we align our legal counsel with each client’s operational realities and strategic goals, using our deep technical expertise, commercial awareness and a solutions‑driven mindset.