Sari L. Springer

Sari L. Springer has been practicing law for almost 30 years. She is a dedicated, compassionate, focused and efficient practitioner who leaves “no stone unturned” in servicing her clients.

Sari has developed a hybrid practice: focusing on employment law as well as higher education law.

In terms of her employment law practice, Sari acts for management to provide strategic, practical and thorough advice with respect to all matters that arise in the life cycle of the employment relationship. This includes advice and counsel regarding the promotion and onboarding process, the hiring process, and the myriad of issues that arise while the employee is employed, which are boundless. Sari has developed a particular proficiency in the human rights arena, having guided numerous clients through the complexities of employer obligations and successfully settling and defending high-stakes cases at the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario.

In terms of her higher education practice, Sari has acted for multiple universities throughout her career and in particular has defended universities in connection with numerous human rights applications filed at the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal. In that regard, Sari has had an unblemished record of success in resolving these cases either by settling them at mediation, having the cases dismissed on a preliminary basis at summary hearing and/or having the cases dismissed following complex hearings on the merits.

Sari has also been lead counsel on several occasions for groups of universities across the province in the context of high stakes, precedent setting systemic discrimination cases, and has succeeded in having all of those cases dismissed.

Sari also regularly acts on behalf of faculties in the context of academic appeals at various levels of appeal within the universities’ academic appeal system. Once again, Sari has achieved an unblemished record of success in upholding the faculty’s decisions, winning those cases each and every time.

Sari’s university practice also includes conducting highly sensitive internal investigations (sexual and workplace harassment most often) as well as overall reviews of the structure and leadership in departments as a whole. She also provides ongoing daily advice to her higher education clients to assist them in navigating diverse, time sensitive issues.