Jack Siegel, a member of Blaneys' Labour and Employment practice, focuses largely on workers' compensation, wrongful dismissal, occupational health and safety and human rights matters. Jack is a former Chair of the Workers' Compensation Section of the Ontario Bar Association. Jack has been named as one of the best lawyers in Canada in Worker's Compensation Law in the Best Lawyers in Canada list published by the Financial Post Business Magazine for 2006 - 2010.
Distinct and growing areas of practice for Jack are the fields of Election and Political law and Government Relations. As one of the only lawyers in Ontario whose practice entails a significant and ongoing component of work in this area, participants at all levels of the political process turn to Jack to assist them in navigating the increasingly complex electoral processes and financial regulatory schemes that have arisen in recent years. His knowledge of the players throughout government enables him to provide assistance to clients in advocacy and problem solving with various government departments and agencies, both federal and provincial.
In his Labour and Employment practice, Jack represents employers, workers and trade unions. He has a wealth of experience before the Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal (where he served as staff counsel for three years in the 1980's), Appeal Resolution Officers of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), the Ontario Labour Relations Board, grievance arbitrations, prosecutions under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, hearings under the Employment Standards Act, and before the Courts on wrongful dismissal actions, judicial review applications, and restrictive covenant injunction applications.
A considerable proportion of Jack's practice is dedicated to workers' compensation matters. He represents employers in such areas as rate group and return-to-work rulings and employees on matters such as duration and amount of entitlement, return to work rights, and labour market re-entry. He acts as well on insurance defence matters relating to the loss of the right to sue in certain cases where an injured person may be entitled to Workers' Compensation benefits.
In the area of election law, Jack has acted on behalf of federal, provincial and municipal candidates for office on judicial recounts, making arguments as to whether and how particular votes should be counted.
He has also been involved in numerous court applications relating to election finance law, appeared before the Lortie Commission on Electoral Reform and Party Financing in 1990, and has made several presentations over the years to committees of both the Parliament of Canada and the Ontario Legislative Assembly on matters of electoral law and reform.
Jack was General Counsel to the Ontario Liberal Party campaigns of Premier Dalton McGuinty in 2003 and 2007, continues to serve as General Counsel to that Party, and represents it as a member of the Political Parties' Advisory Committee to the Chief Electoral Officer of Ontario. He acts in a similar capacity on the Advisory Committee to the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada. Co-Chair of the Constitution and Legal Affairs Committee of the Liberal Party of Canada from 1998 to 2003, Jack has been the party's Senior National Legal Counsel (Election Law) for each federal election campaign since 2000, and served as Ontario Campaign Co-Chair, for the 2008 federal election.
Jack is listed and recognized by Lexpert Legal Directory as a leading practitioner consistently recommended in Workers' Compensation - Labour, 2011.
Publications and Seminars
ˇ "Review of Parliamentary Democracy in Crisis", published in the Journal of Parliamentary and Political Law (2010), 4. J.P.P.L. 133
ˇ "Setting the Stage: An Accident and Causation Refresher", part of the Ontario Bar Association Continuing Legal Education Program, "When is an Accident Really An Accident?", 2006
ˇ "Charter Litigation at the Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal", part of the Law Society of Upper Canada Continuing Legal Education Program, Advanced Workers' Compensation Advocacy, 2004
ˇ "Under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, It Matters", part of the Law Society of Upper Canada Continuing Legal Education Program, The Sixth Annual Six-Minute Employment Lawyer, 2003
ˇ Editor in Chief, 2002 - 2003, "Workplace Injuries: Managing Claims", a monthly Workers' Compensation Law newsletter published by Canada Law Book
ˇ "Workplace Safety and Insurance Board Premiums", September 2002, Labour and Employment Seminar, Lorman Education Services
ˇ "Compensation for Mental Stress", part of the Ontario Bar Association Continuing Legal Education Program in "Workplace Safety and Insurance Law: New Developments in the Law and Advocacy Before the WSIAT", 2002
ˇ "Some Nuts and Bolts of Workers' Compensation", part of the 6th Annual Human Resources Professional Association Fall Conference, 1999
ˇ "Understanding, Managing and Defending Chronic Pain Cases in Workers' Compensation", Corporate seminar, 1999
ˇ "Recent Developments in Workers' Compensation Law", part of the Law Society of Upper Canada Continuing Legal Education Program, The Second Annual Six-Minute Employment Lawyer, 1999
ˇ Associate Editor, Dismissal and Employment Law Digest, Canada Law Book, 1988-1989
Memberships
ˇ Member, Law Society of Upper Canada
ˇ Member and past Chair (2003-2004), past Vice-Chair (2002-2003), past Secretary (2001-2002), Workers' Compensation Section, Canadian Bar Association (Ontario)
Related News & Seminars
Blaneys Political Law Veteran Comments on Robo-Call Controversy
Jack Siegel continues to be sought out for his election expertise in ongoing media coverage of the current robo-call controversy.
Blaneys Election Law Expert Comments on Mayor's Application to Set Aside Audit Committee Decision
Blaneys lawyer and election law expert, Jack Siegel, was quoted in an article in The Globe and Mail, on December 2, 2011, Ford Asks Court to Set Aside Decision to Audit his Election Expenses, commenting on the decision by Mayor F
Blaney Partner Speaks to Next Generation of Political Staff
Jack Siegal was part of a group of veterans from various political parties and career backgrounds who passed on their experience and insight at a training symposium for the next generation of polical staff held at Seneca College, Toronto, on November 5, 6, 12 and 13. The symposium was intended to be a practical, how-to program for anyone wanting to work as a staffer in the field of politics. Other guest lecturers included Steven Paikin (host of TVO's "The Agenda"), George Smitherman and Gerry Caplain.
Blaneys' Election Law Expert Comments on Fundraising Disclosure
Blaney McMurtry's election and political law expert, Jack Siegel, is quoted in an article in the October 15, 2011 edition of The Globe and Mail, "Ford Family Firms Gave Mayor's Campaign a Break on Late Payment Fees".
Blaneys Lawyers Named in Best Lawyers in Canada® 2012
Six lawyers from Blaney McMurtry LLP were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in Canada® 2012 edition.
Robert J. Potts (Aboriginal Law)
Mark G. Lichty (Insurance Law; Personal Injury Litigation)
Dominic T. Clarke (Insurance Law)
Marcus B. Snowden (Insurance Law)
Margaret E. Rintoul (Trusts and Estates)
Jack B. Siegel (Workers' Compensation Law)
Blaneys Elections Law Lawyer: "severe inadequacies" in Municipal Elections Act
In an article in the August 20, 2011 issue of the National Post newspaper, Jack Siegel, the firm's Elections Law expert, says the debate about whether former Mississauga-area Liberal MP Bonnie Crombie violated elections law in her bid to become a city councillor "highlights 'severe inadequacies' in the Municipal Elections Act".
Blaneys Lawyers Named in Lexpert Directory as Leading Practitioners
Several Blaney McMurtry lawyers have been rated by the 2011 Lexpert Legal Directory as leading practitioners in their respective fields, as voted by their peers. Congratulations are extended to:
Jack Siegel on Faculty of OBA Workplace and Safety Professional Development Program
Jack Siegel will be on the faculty of the Ontario Bar Association's Professional Development Program, Workplace Safety and Insurance Law: Practice and Professionalism, on May 25, 2011. Jack will lead a session on Written Advocacy - Tools of the Trade, addressing effective written advocacy strategies before the Workers' Safety Insurance Board (WSIB) and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal (WSIAT).
Blaney McMurtry Lawyers Named to 2011 Best Lawyers in Canada
Blaney McMurtry is proud to announce that 6 of its lawyers have been named to the 2011 edition of Best Lawyers in Canada®, one of the most respected peer-review publications in the legal profession: Robert J. Potts (Aboriginal Law); Dominic T. Clarke (Insurance Law); Mark G. Lichty (Insurance Law); Marcus B. Snowden (Insurance Law); Margaret E. Rintoul (Trusts and Estates); and Jack B. Siegel (Workers' Compensation Law).
Jack Siegel was guest speaker at OBA's Professional Development program
Jack Siegel was a guest speaker at the Ontario Bar Association's Professional Development program, Emerging Issues in Workers' Right to Sue, held on February 3, 2010.
Related Publications from Siegel
Mandatory WSIB Coverage in the Construction Industry
Conventional wisdom would lead most people in Ontario to assume that Workers' Compensation is something that applies to anybody who has a job, most particularly in an industry where they might be at risk of getting hurt. Conventional wisdom however, is wrong.
Employment Benefits and Terminated Employees: The Hidden Peril
In wrongful dismissal actions, the best outcome for a client is often to be found in settling a case, rather than pursuing it through to trial. This is particularly the case when the former employee has mitigated his or her damages by finding alternate employment.
Facebook - Friend or Foe? The Impact of Social Media on Hiring and Firing [Powerpoint Slideshow]
Powerpoint slides from Jack B. Siegel and Catherine Longo's presentation, "Facebook - Friend or Foe? The Impact of Social Media on Hiring and Firing," as part of the seminar Hiring & Firing: What You Need to Know in 2011, which took place November 20, 2011.
NOTE: The information and views expressed in this presentation are for information purposes only and are not intended to provide legal advice. For specific advice, please contract us.
"Let The Games Begin - What Every Business Needs to Know About Election Law This Year"
"WSIB Premiums Payable on Separation"