Jeff’s career has focused on dispute resolution on anything related to the workplace including collective bargaining, drafting employment contracts and policies, management of employees, workplace safety and health disputes, privacy matters, human rights and accommodation issues, discrimination and harassment claims and wrongful or unjust dismissal claims as well as interest and rights arbitrations. He also practices sport law.
He has been honoured to be listed among the peer-selected “Best Lawyers in Canada” in employment and labour law every year since 2008.
As a partner and the leader of the Labour and Employment Law Practice Group at Taylor McCaffrey LLP, Jeff’s work includes practical advice as well as creative and effective advocacy for clients. He is recognized as principled and fair, appreciative of the reality there are always different perspectives, and so has been accepted as an unbiased and experienced solution-facilitator and decision-maker in many contexts.
Jeff first served as an arbitrator with the Automobile Injury Compensation Appeal Commission over 20 years ago. He later became a Canada Labour Code adjudicator and referee and heard cases for about a decade, until the system changed and the CIRB assumed those functions.
Since 2015 Jeff has been on the list of arbitrators mutually agreed-to by a significant Manitoba municipality and its bargaining agent, and since 2018 he has been on the Manitoba Labour Board’s approved list of grievance arbitrators. Since 2014 Jeff has also been included on a national list of arbitrators appointed to decide disputes under the Sport Dispute Resolution Code of Canada. He presently is on the SDRCC Doping Panel, its Safeguarding Panel, and its Ordinary Panel.
Jeff is the primary member for Taylor McCaffrey LLP as the exclusive Manitoba member of the Employment Law Alliance, the world’s largest network of labour and employment lawyers with representation in more than 120 countries, every Canadian province and all 50 U.S. states.
Jeff approaches everything he does with enthusiasm and gratitude for being able to make a positive difference. This passion has inspired him to volunteer with organizations such as The Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame, Prairie Theatre Exchange, the United Way and Sport Manitoba. Volunteer highlights include being selected four times as Team Canada’s Ombudsperson with the Canadian Paralympic Committee, at the Paralympic Games in Beijing, Vancouver/Whistler, London and Sochi. More recently Jeff has been a fundraiser for and on-stage performer in the annual co-production between the Manitoba Bar Association and the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre.
Jeff also teaches employment law at the University of Manitoba’s law school Robson Hall.
Practice Areas
- Labour & Employment
- Accessibility
- Administrative Proceedings
- Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Cannabis & Substance Abuse in the Workplace
- Collective Bargaining
- Employment Litigation
- Human Rights
- Labour Board Proceedings
- Sport Law & Arbitration
- Unionization Issues
- Workplace Investigations
- Workplace Policy and Contract Development
- Workplace Privacy
- Workplace Safety and Health
- Alliance Française (2008 to present)
- Collège Universitaire de Saint Boniface, CLIC (culturel, linguistique intégration dans la communauté) (2006, 2007 et 2008)
- Arbitration and Mediation Institute of Manitoba, Inc. Intensive Arbitration Course (2005)
- Civil Law/Common Law Exchange, Université de Sherbrooke and Dalhousie University (1983)
- Canadian Bar Association, Member, 1986 to present
- Manitoba Bar Association, Manitoba Bar Council Life Member
- Association des juristes d’expression française du Manitoba Inc., 2008 to present
- Taylor McCaffrey is the exclusive Manitoba member of the Employment Law Alliance, the world’s largest and leading management side network of labour and employment lawyers with selected members literally worldwide
- Canadian Association of Counsel to Employers (CACE) 2006 to present – the leading management-side labour and employment lawyers organization in Canada
- Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame, Co-Chair, 2024 to present
- Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada, Arbitrator, 2014 to present
- Human Resources Skills Development Canada, Adjudicator and Referee (Canada Labour Code) 2010 to present
- Sport Manitoba, Board Of Directors, 2008 to 2017, Chair 2013 to 2017
- Canadian Paralympic Committee, Team Canada Mission Staff, Athlete Ombudsperson, 2008 Paralympic Summer Games (Beijing, China); 2010 Paralympic Winter Games (Vancouver/Whistler, Canada); 2012 Paralympic Summer Games (London, England); 2014 Paralympic Winter Games (Sochi, Russia)
- United Way of Winnipeg, 1989 to 2017, Cabinet, Co-Chair of Professions, 2015 to 2017
- Employment Law Alliance, Primary Contact, present
- Labour and Employment Group, Practice Group Leader, present
- Manitoba Bar Association/Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre Annual Lawyers Play, Fundraiser and Performer, present