Allan is Chair of Osler’s Employment and Labour Department. He represents and provides strategic advice to management in all areas of labour and employment law. His employment law practice includes executive compensation arrangements, human rights and accommodation in the workplace, employment contracts and workplace policies, workplace restructuring, plant closures, outsourcing and corporate transactions, insolvencies, employee terminations, wrongful dismissals, constructive dismissals, employment standards, occupational health and safety, health care and privacy.
Allan’s labour relations practice involves advising management on union organizing, collective bargaining, and the administration and enforcement of collective agreements. He represents management before the courts, employment tribunals, the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, the labour board and boards of arbitration.
Representative Work
Select Reported Deals:
- Dream Industrial REIT in its $5.9 billion acquisition, in partnership with a leading global sovereign wealth fund, of Summit Industrial Income REIT
- Dream Office REIT in the sale of business properties, including the Scotia Plaza in downtown Toronto, for $1.7 billion to KingSett Capital and Alberta Investment Management Corporation
- Kinder Morgan Underwriters as an advisor on employment matters and critical labour considerations that factored into the syndicate’s offering
- National Tire Distributors Inc. as lead employment counsel, advising on a broad range of general employment concerns, as well as on the acquisition of Pneus Supérieurs Inc
Select Reported Cases:
- Weston Bakeries Ltd. in representing the company at the Ontario Labour Relations Board in response to an application by the union, Teamsters, for bargaining rights over a unit of independent distributors
- Michael Garron Hospital as lead counsel, advising the hospital on a wide variety of issues that have been referred to arbitration
- Thermo Fisher Scientific as primary counsel on all Canadian employment and labour law issues, assisting with matters such as compensation arrangements, terminations, claims, and accomodations
- Honeywell Ltd. as an advisor on a broad range of employment and labour issues including providing business critical legal and strategic advice on HR matters across Canada
Other Work:
- Advising a large property management corporation regarding how to structure a transfer representing $18 billion CAD and hundreds of employees, in the context of labour relations issues
- Guiding an entertainment service provider through necessary employment and labour processes and critical considerations as it establishes a large, multi-level entertainment complex in Canada and begins to staff the venture
- Advising a critical Canadian power generator on occupation health and safety issues during shutdown and maintenance periods
- Negotiated collective agreements on behalf of large hotels
Latest Insights
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Blog Sep 5, 2024
‘Working for workers’ means more work for employers
The Ontario Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development is proposing significant changes to the requirements of job postings...
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Webinar Aug 20, 2024
Employment and Labour Law Insights quarterly webinar – September 2024
No matter your industry, staying up to date on employment and labour law is critical for legal and business professionals across Canada. Osler has...
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Webinar May 10, 2024
Project owners as employers under the OHSA and other implications of the SCC’s R. v Greater Sudbury (City) decision
Members of Osler’s Construction and Infrastructure, Litigation and Employment and Labour teams for a 30-minute webinar to discuss the case and its...
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Webinar Apr 19, 2023
Employment and Labour Law Insights: Post-employment restrictive covenants and family status accommodation
Join us for our webinar series, Employment and Labour Law Insights. Staying informed on the latest developments in this area of law is critical for...
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Awards and Recognition
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Chambers Canada: Ranked in Canada’s Leading Lawyers for Business in Employment and Labour (Ontario)
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Best Lawyers in Canada: Ranked in Labour and Employment Law
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Thomson Reuters: “Stand-out Lawyer”
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Legal 500: Recognized as a Leading Individual in Labour and Employment
Media Mentions
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Media Mentions Apr 14, 2021
Can your employer require you to be vaccinated? It’s very likely – The Ottawa Citizen
As an increasing number of Canadians become eligible to be vaccinated against COVID-19, some employers may be wondering if they can require employees...
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Media Mentions Oct 12, 2018
What will happen to Ontario’s new employment legislation? — Benefits Canada
Osler partner Allan Wells says that he would be “surprised” if the Ontario government scrapped Bill 148 (the Bill) entirely, according to an...
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Community Involvement
- The Concerned Kids
- Jessie’s Centre for Teenagers
- Street Haven at the Crossroads
Speaking and Writing
Speaking Engagements
Project owners as employers under the OHSA and other implications of the SCC’s R. v Greater Sudbury (City) decision
Read moreEmployment and Labour Law Insights: Post-employment restrictive covenants and family status accommodation
Read moreEmployment and Labour Law Insights: DEI accommodations; ESG data, protected grounds and human rights; Employment Standards Act and Bill 88
Read moreCredentials
Education
- Dalhousie University, LL.B.
- University of Manitoba, B.A.
Languages
- English
Professional Affiliations
- Canadian Bar Association, Labour Section
- Ontario Bar Association
- Law Society of Ontario