Sheryl L. Johnson

A Partner in the firm, Sheryl joined Sullivan Mahoney LLP in 2019. In her employment practice, Sheryl provides timely strategic advice and perspective on all aspects of the employment relationship provincially and federally, including recommending and assisting in implementing effective measures to expediently manage and proactively address all types of workplace issues, negotiations and disputes. This includes negotiating executive compensation packages and employment contracts; drafting and interpreting restrictive covenants such as confidentiality, nondisclosure and intellectual property agreements; providing advice on and negotiating severance packages and wrongful dismissal actions; drafting human resources handbooks, policies and best practices and providing training and seminars on the same; advising clients on all employment and privacy statutory matters (i.e., human rights, occupational health and safety, workers compensation, pay equity, workplace and medical privacy, cannabis and employment standards entitlements and obligations); advising on governance matters and jurisdictional issues; and conducting or overseeing workplace assessments, audits and investigations.

In her labour practice, Sheryl advises management on all facets of labour relations in the provincial and federal jurisdictions. This includes such matters as union certification drives and employer free speech campaigns, unfair labour practice applications, related and successor employer applications, collective bargaining, and conciliation and representation before the Ontario Labour Relations Board, the Canada Industrial Relations, grievance arbitrators and grievance arbitration boards. Sheryl’s practice focuses on, but is not limited to, construction labour law.

Sheryl is the author of Sexual Harassment in Canada: A Guide for Understanding and Prevention and has appeared before the HUMA Committee as an expert witness on the issue of workplace violence.

Prior to joining Sullivan Mahoney, she practiced employment and labour, privacy, cannabis, Aboriginal and Indigenous, administrative and civil litigation law in Toronto at recognized and well-respected labour and employment law boutique firms and a mid-size full-service firm. Sheryl is committed to giving back to her Niagara community and sits on a number of not-for-profit boards.