James G. Knight

Jamie has more than 40 years of experience representing management in labour and employment law.

Jamie regularly represents employers before courts, arbitration boards, labour relations tribunals, and adjudicators in human rights, employment standards, and health and safety matters. He has extensive experience in collective bargaining and in guiding employers through the process of responding to union organizing campaigns.

Jamie’s clients operate in various sectors, including manufacturing, municipal, health care, entertainment, and financial and other services.

Jamie is a Fellow of the American College of Labor and Employment Lawyers. He was named by Best Lawyers as the Lawyer of the Year for his work in Labour and Employment Law in Hamilton for 2019, 2021, and 2024. In 2017, he was named the Canadian HR Reporter 2017 Employment Lawyer of the Year, as selected by Canadian Lawyer Magazine. Jamie served as the firm's Managing Partner from 2021 to 2024.

Jamie has authored or co-authored around 20 publications for human resources professionals and lawyers, many of which have multiple editions. These include the Employment Litigation Manual, Halsbury’s Laws of Canada; Labour, and Accommodation in the Workplace, as well as several Thomson Reuters Quick Reference Guides to key labour and employment legislation. Jamie also has authored Guides to Effective Human Resources Management in both Union and Non-Union Workplaces, and co-authored Investigating Harassment in the Workplace.

Jamie is a frequent speaker and media commentator on labour and employment topics, including workplace violence, respectful workplaces, and attendance management. For 20 years, he taught employment law to management and human resource professionals at the University of Guelph, focusing on workplace safety and legislative workplace requirements.

Jamie was a member of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Association of Counsel to Employers (CACE) from 2008 to 2019. He is a past President (2016-17), former Chair of the Human Rights Committee (2010-15), and was Co-Chair of the 2011 CACE Conference. He also co-chaired the annual LSO Conference, “6-Minute Labour Lawyer” from 2008 to 2014, as well as the Lancaster House Human Rights Conference in 2013 and 2014. Jamie was an active participant in HRPA and spent several years serving on the Complaints, Investigation and Discipline Committee. He is on the Board of the Niagara-on-the-Lake (“NOTL”) Museum, President of the NOTL Rotary Club, an enthusiastic supporter of the Shaw Festival, and was Co-Chair of the NOTL Diversity Committee for several years.