About
Workplace Sage Legal
What does Human-First and Trauma-Informed mean to us?
We know that consulting and retaining a lawyer to manage a workplace conflict can be stressful and uncomfortable; so we do everything we can to make the process easy, lighthearted, and safe.
We run a human-first and trauma-informed practice through:
1. Empathetic Support & Informed Choices
2. Safety
3. Respect for Boundaries
4. Ongoing Education
5. Accommodations
Empathetic Support & Informed Choices
At Workplace Sage Legal, we empower my clients to make choices that align with their values, preferences, and priorities. We pay attention to our clients’ needs and feelings while maintaining a cool, calm, and composure to guide them to meeting those needs.
We provide validation, positive feedback, and encouragement to support our clients through the legal process and toward their career goals.
We break down complex concepts into clear terms, and give clients all the information needed to make an informed decision.
Safety
At Workplace Sage Legal, we provide a safe, friendly, and confidential environment for clients to obtain advice without fear.
We maintain a non-judgmental attitude as we sit and actively listen with empathy and care.
We build and maintain trust by giving clients an accurate estimate of the likelihood of success, providing a clear picture of the nature of the legal process, and carefully following through on client instructions.
Respect for Boundaries
We observe our clients’ preferences, triggers, boundaries, and values seriously and without judgment.
We are flexible with manner, content, timing, or duration of communications and meetings.
We are clear about our own boundaries and limits and enforce them consistently.
Ongoing Education
We are committed to continuing to learn about trauma from qualified individuals.
We are committed to fostering a safe environment that clients feel comfortable providing honest and candid feedback about.
We are committed to seeking out feedback and responding without defensiveness, judgment, or blame.
Accommodations
We are extremely open to accommodating our clients in any way they see fit, big or small. We are also happy to work with clients to come up with a plan that will assist in improving their access to legal services.
Our goal is to ensure that the clients who would like to access our services are able to do so with minimal effort.
If you have any accommodation requests, please do not hesitate to bring them to our attention.
About
Stephanie McDonald
Stephanie obtained her law degree (Juris Doctor) from the University of Western Ontario. She spent her entire law school tenure working in the legal clinic where she obtained valuable litigation experience and excellent mentorship. Stephanie articled and started her career at the largest plaintiff-side employment law firm, Samfiru Tumarkin LLP. She obtained excellent experience there and developed her passion for assisting employees. After the pandemic, Stephanie made the move to work at Milburn & Associates to gain specialized experience in executive employment law. She has a solid understanding of variable compensation like commissions, bonuses, deferred compensation, equity compensation, etc.
While Stephanie gained valuable experience working for and learning from other people, she was not satisfied with traditional law firm culture and practice norms, and decided to open Workplace Sage Legal so she could remain her authentic self while practicing law.
Stephanie is neurodiverse and is a member of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. From the moment you contact her, Stephanie will lead you with care, kindness, and patience. She will listen, answer all of your questions, validate your experience, and leave you with a clear understanding of your options.
As an employee with Stephanie on your team, you will be able to reach your personal and professional goals by using your rights and the legal system to your advantage, stepping into your power at work and breezing through uncomfortable workplace conflict.
As an employer with Stephanie on your team, you will have confidence in improving workplace culture, creating/implementing workplace policies and procedures, and managing workplace conflicts.
It is easy to work with Stephanie because throughout stressful situations, she maintains a calm and collected demeanour. While lawyers can’t always control external situations, Stephanie is skillful and creative in coming up with the most effective solution to roadblocks and curveballs.
Why does this all matter to Stephanie? Stephanie love being an employment lawyer for employees because it allows her to have a positive impact on workplaces.
After meeting with Stephanie even one time, you will have a deep understanding of your situation, feel relief in having a clear path forward and will feel supported and empowered to keep forging ahead with your goals.
Our Values
Our Practice Areas
- Negotiating severance packages for constructive dismissal and wrongful dismissal
- Reviewing offers of employment
- Disputing "just cause" allegations
- Building a case for constructive dismissa
- Responding to allegations of workplace misconduct
- Requesting and managing a medical leave of absence
- Drafting employment contracts and independent contractor agreements
- Drafting workplace policies
- Coaching on best practices for a healthy and happy workplace
- Completing workplace assessments to identify discord and improve workplace culture
- Implementing progressive discipline for misconduct and poor performance
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Representation of employees in litigation to seek
compensation for: - Wrongful dismissal
- Constructive dismissal
- Breach of the duty of good faith
- Breach of contract
- Discrimination and failure to accommodate
