Kelly O’Ferrall

Kelly O’Ferrall

Partner, Employment and Labour

Contact Information

koferrall@osler.com

tel: Ott: 613.787.1066
To: 416.862.4897

Office

Ottawa, Toronto

Bar Admission

Ontario, 2009

Education

Osgoode Hall Law School, J.D.

Queens University’s, Honours B.A.

Queen’s University, B.Sc.

Language(s)

English

Kelly helps local and international clients identify and implement strategies to mitigate workplace related legal risks. She provides tailored advice to clients on best practices for developing and maintaining workplace policies and for complying with employment standards, human rights, workplace safety, and employee privacy laws. Kelly regularly negotiates contractual agreements on behalf of employers, including executive employment and consulting agreements, restrictive covenant terms, as well as termination arrangements for departing employees. She also represents clients in response to constructive dismissal, human rights, as well as other employees claims and complaints.

Kelly has substantial experience providing timely and practical advice on the labour and employment law aspects of corporate transactions, such as mergers and acquisitions, insolvencies, restructuring and outsourcing transactions. She also assists public and private companies with implementing employee and executive compensation arrangements, such as bonus plans, stock option plans, and other equity and non-equity based compensation arrangements, in all cases tailored to meet her clients needs.

Kelly has recently advised numerous clients on workplace-related matters arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. She works with her clients to create practical COVID-19 health and safety policies, re-opening and return to office (RTO) plans, as well as the necessary practices and protocols to promote workplace safety in the current environment. She also frequently advises on temporary layoffs and mass terminations, special leaves and other statutory exceptions related to COVID-19 and managing changes to employees’ terms and conditions of employment (including compensation arrangements in response to the pandemic).

  • Russell Reynolds Associates

    Russell Reynolds Associates in its acquisition of Kilberry

  • AtomVie Global Radiopharma

    AtomVie in its spinout and Series A Financing

  • MOSCOT

    MOSCOT in the opening of its first Canadian location

  • smartTrade

    smartTrade in its acquisition of TickTrade

  • Frontenac Company

    Frontenac in its acquisition of EFC International

  • theScore

    The Levy Family in theScore’s US$2 billion acquisition by Penn National Gaming

  • Tantalus Systems Holding

    Tantalus Systems Holding Inc. in its $90 million Qualifying Transaction with RiseTech Capital Corp., concurrent financing and graduation to the Toronto Stock Exchange

  • The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.

    The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. in its agreement to increase its ownership in DECIEM Beauty Group Inc.

  • Workplace Safety and Insurance Board - Pension Plan Conversion

    The Board of Trustees of the WSIB Pension Plan Fund in the conversion of WSIB’s defined benefit, single employer pension plan to a jointly sponsored pension plan

  • Fusion Pharmaceuticals

    Fusion Pharmaceuticals in its $212.5 million IPO

  • Ventas, Inc.

    Ventas in its acquisition of a high quality Canadian seniors housing portfolio valued at $2.4 billion in partnership with Le Groupe Maurice

  • Morgan Stanley

    Morgan Stanley in its acquisition of Solium Capital for $1.1 billion

  • Quad-C Management

    Quad-C Management on its investment in S.i. Systems

  • Select Reported Deals:

    • Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan in its agreement with Duo Bank of Canada to purchase Fairstone Financial Holdings Inc.
    • Transdev Canada Inc. in its acquisition of Voyago 
    • BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited in connection with its strategic alliance with RBC Global Asset Management Inc. to create a combined $60 billion ETF solution suite under the RBC iShares brand.
  • Find More

  • Chambers Canada: Canada's Leading Lawyers for Business: Recognized in Employment & Labour (Ontario)

  • Canadian Bar Association
  • Ontario Bar Association
  • Law Society of Ontario

Publications

Selected Events - As Speaker

  • Buying and Selling a Business: A Comprehensive Guide, Employment Law Considerations after COVID-19, Ontario Bar Association, September 30, 2020.