A commitment to practical legal solutions and an innovative approach to client education has earned Lorenzo Lisi recognition as one of Canada’s foremost employer-side labour lawyers.
As practice group leader of Aird & Berlis LLP’s Workplace Law Group, Lisi has spent more than three decades representing employers on labour and employment matters across federal and provincial jurisdictions.
His dedication to building a respected practice is evident in the group’s numerous accolades, including being named recipient of Canadian HR Reporter’s “2024 Readers Choice Award: Employment & Labour Full Service Law Firm” and recognition in Chambers Canada, The Legal 500 Canada, and the inaugural edition of Best Lawyers’ “Best Law Firms in Canada.”
Lisi has also earned individual recognition as a leading practitioner in multiple legal directories, including Chambers Canada, The Legal 500 Canada, The Best Lawyers in Canada, The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, and The Lexpert/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada.
“Lorenzo has built the firm’s Workplace Law Group from the ground up in the past twelve years,” his nomination states. “The Group now consists of nine dedicated employment, labour and occupational health and safety lawyers who work with employers to navigate regulations, manage risks and ensure compliance.”
His practice spans all aspects of workplace law, from defending employers against employee claims involving wrongful dismissal, human rights violations and harassment to handling complex labour matters in unionized workplaces. His extensive experience includes grievance and labour board litigation, injunctive proceedings, union certification applications, collective bargaining and grievance arbitration.
Beyond direct client representation, Lisi has established himself as a thought leader in workplace law through an extensive program of educational initiatives. He was the originator of the firm’s regular seminars, webinars and legal bulletins that keep clients and HR professionals informed about legislative and interpretive changes affecting workplace policies.
Lisi frequently engages in external speaking engagements and publishing on human resources topics. Recent presentations have covered diverse subjects including diversity and inclusion, workplace accommodations, employee free speech, hybrid work arrangements, mental health, and gender identity in the workplace.
His contributions to the profession extend to leadership roles in key organizations. Lisi has served on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Association of Counsel to Employers and as a member of the Government Affairs Committee of the Human Resources Professionals Association of Ontario. He is also a board member for both the Toronto Foundation for Student Success and Scarborough General Hospital Foundation.
His client roster includes multinational corporations such as PepsiCo Canada, Xerox Canada, Lear Corporation Canada, and Evonik Corporation, along with numerous Ontario municipalities.
“Lorenzo is very good at giving us the advice we need that fits our business needs and risk tolerance,” one client testimonial states.
