
Overview
Joe Conforti is a partner in the Dispute Resolution Group and heads the Employment, Pensions and Executive Compensation Group at Goodmans. His practice covers all aspects of human resources management for public and private sector employers and executives in diverse industry groups. With a focus on commercial transactions, Joe regularly provides strategic guidance regarding the employment and labour aspects of mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, restructurings and insolvencies, as well as establishing Canadian operations.
Joe also provides ongoing employment services and human resources advice, including with respect to negotiating and drafting executive employment and consulting agreements; preparing bonus and compensation plans; implementing severance arrangements, corporate policies and procedures; compliance with occupational health and safety, human rights, employment standards, workplace privacy and other legal requirements; harassment and other workplace investigations; and restrictive covenants.
Joe appears regularly before the courts and at administrative tribunals and private arbitrations.
Joe has expertise in the area of defamation law, providing pre-publication and pre-broadcast advice to print, broadcast and internet media and conducted libel as well as copyright, trade-mark and confidential information litigation.
Joe is
recognized as a leading employment lawyer by The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory (most frequently recommended),
The Lexpert/American Lawyer Guide to the
Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada and Best
Lawyers in Canada.
Awards & Recognition
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The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory Most Frequently Recommended, Employment Law: Employer 2023
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Best Lawyers in Canada Recognized, Labour and Employment Law 2023
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Best Lawyers in Canada Recognized, Labour and Employment 2022
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The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory Most Frequently Recommended, Employment Law - Employer 2021
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Lexpert/American Lawyer Media Guide Most Frequently Recommended, Employment Law 2021
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The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory Consistently Recommended, Employment Law - Employer 2020
Credentials
Professional Involvement
Credentials
- University of California at Los Angeles, LL.M., 1988
- University of Toronto, LL.B., 1985, Gold Medalist
Professional Affiliations
- Law Society of Ontario
- Canadian Bar Association (Ontario)
- The Advocates' Society
- The Canadian-Italian Advocates Organization
Call to Bar
- Ontario
Insights
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Employment, Pensions and Executive Compensation
Back to Work in the Wake of COVID-19
This template Back-to-Work Plan sets out basic step-by-step considerations for employers as they look to reopen their physical places of business and welcome workers back to work… -
Employment, Pensions and Executive Compensation
Amendments to Employment Standards Act, 2000 Provide Temporary Relief to Employers From Termination and Severance Obligations due to COVID-19-Related Wage or Hours Reduction
The Government of Ontario recently published Ontario Regulation 228/20 – Infectious Disease Emergency Leave (the “Regulation”), which amends the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (the “ESA”) as it… -
Employment, Pensions and Executive Compensation
Changes to Eligibility Criteria for Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy Announced
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced changes to the eligibility criteria for the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) to make it easier for businesses affected by COVID-19 to access the CEWS and… -
Employment, Pensions and Executive Compensation
What We Know About Canada's Emergency Wage Subsidy So Far
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the federal government's plan to implement the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS), a 75% wage subsidy for eligible employers. This Update discusses how the… -
Employment, Pensions and Executive Compensation
So You're Not an Essential Workplace in Ontario: Considerations for Managing Your Obligations to Employees During the COVID-19 Pandemic
This Update highlights considerations for non-essential employers and their payroll obligations, including wage reductions, work-sharing agreements, forced vacation, SUB plan and temporary layoffs… -
Employment, Pensions and Executive Compensation
So You're an Essential Workplace in Ontario: Considerations for Maintaining a Safe Workspace Amid COVID-19
Essential workplaces need to make every effort to introduce effective infection control measures to ensure employees are not exposed to COVID-19 in the workplace, as recommended by the Ministry of…
News & Events
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Banking and Financial Services
The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory 2023 Continues to Recognize Goodmans
We are proud to announce we have once again been recognized in The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory 2023.85 Goodmans lawyers have been recognized as top-tier in their fields and leaders across… -
Private Equity and Venture Capital
100+ Goodmans lawyers recognized in Best Lawyers in Canada: 2023 Edition
Goodmans is delighted to announce we have been recognized by the 2023 edition of Best Lawyers in Canada with 101 lawyers ranked across 41 practice areas.Congratulations to Dale H. Lastman, C… -
100+ Goodmans lawyers recognized in Best Lawyers in Canada: 2022 Edition
We are delighted to announce 100+ Goodmans lawyers have been ranked in the Best Lawyers Canada - 2022 Edition!Congratulations to our partners, Monique McAlister and Neil Sheehy who have both been…