Michelle Cook

Associate
  • she / her / hers
Admitted to the Alberta Bar: 2022
Admitted to the Ontario Bar: 2019

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  • Bio
  • Awards & Recognition
  • Professional Involvement
  • Education

Michelle is an experienced lawyer who brings thoughtful insight and sound judgment to sophisticated employment law matters. She is a skilled advocate with a strong business and litigation background, which informs her strategic and pragmatic handling of complex disputes. Michelle provides clear, actionable advice to help clients navigate the often nuanced and sensitive issues that arise in the workplace.

Michelle is a member of the firm’s Workplace Law Group. She advises on all aspects of labour, employment and human rights law, and regularly handles employment litigation matters. Michelle represents federally and provincially regulated employers in labour arbitrations, court proceedings, labour board matters, human rights hearings, appeals and applications for judicial review. Her practice has a particular specialization in workforce equity and compensation-related areas, including pay equity, accessibility, compensation and benefits, as well as workplace discrimination, harassment and violence. Michelle has extensive experience delivering complex advisory services, conducting compliance audits, drafting contracts and workplace policies, and reviewing partnership agreements. She also has expertise in termination package negotiations and workplace investigations and assessments.

Michelle has appeared before the Federal Court, Canadian Human Rights Tribunal, Canada Industrial Relations Board, Ontario Divisional Court, Superior Court of Justice, Small Claims Court, Ontario Labour Relations Board, Employment Standards Investigations and the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario. She has published her work in numerous prestigious law journals, including the Alberta Law Review, and has presented at national conferences on a wide range of topics, including legal education and marijuana law.

Prior to joining Aird & Berlis, Michelle held positions in both the professional services industry and at a prominent regional law firm in Toronto.

Awards & Recognition

  • Labour Law Essay Prize, Osgoode Hall Law School, 2018
  • Alexander David McKenzie Scholarship, Osgoode Hall Law School, awarded for academic excellence and public service, 2018

Professional Involvement

Memberships

  • Canadian Bar Association
  • Ontario Bar Association
  • Canadian Association for Counsel to Employers (CACE)
  • The Advocates’ Society
  • Toronto Lawyers Association
  • NextUp
  • Women’s Executive Network

Education

  • Grievance Handling Certificate, Queen’s University Industrial Relations Centre, 2024
  • Achieving Pay Equity in Federally Regulated Organizations Certificate, Université TÉLUQ, 2024
  • Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification, University of Alberta, 2024
  • Certified Job Evaluator, Korn Ferry/Hays, 2023
  • Labour Law Certificate, Osgoode Hall Law School, 2022
  • Conducting Workplace Harassment Investigations Certificate, University of Toronto, 2022
  • Designation in Labour and Employment Law (LELP Curricular Stream), Osgoode Hall Law School, 2018
  • JD, Osgoode Hall Law School, 2018
  • BA (with Distinction), University of Toronto, 2015