Summer Danakas

Summer is an associate in Osler’s Employment and Labour Group. Summer provides advice and representation to Canadian, U.S. and international private and public sector employers on a wide range of labour and employment issues including employment standards, human rights and the duty to accommodate, occupational health and safety, workplace restructurings, corporate transactions, accessibility, workplace investigations and employee terminations. Summer has an industry focus on advising emerging and high growth companies on a broad range of employment issues, including new hires, terminations, workplace investigations, incentive compensation arrangements, day-to-day HR risk management, and employment-related issues in connection with financings and other transactions.

Summer regularly assists employers with drafting and implementing workplace policies, employment and contractor agreements, restrictive covenant agreements, separation packages, and bonus and other incentive compensation arrangements. Summer also has experience representing and advising clients with unionized workforces and assisting with collective bargaining, grievance and interest arbitrations on a wide range of labour issues. Summer also has experience representing and assisting clients with respect to human rights applications, wrongful dismissal litigation, and insolvency proceedings.

Summer routinely provides advice to clients regarding workplace investigations, hiring new employees, terminating employees, negotiating settlements of wrongful dismissal claims, and overall HR risk management.

Summer also has experience advising clients with respect to various workplace-related matters arising from the COVID-19 pandemic including with respect to terminations, temporary layoffs, special leaves and other statutory exceptions related to COVID-19.


Awards and Recognition

  • Queen’s University Gold Medalist (highest academic standing in English & History)
  • Dean’s Honour List & Dean’s Honour List with Distinction (Queen’s University, 2011-2014)

Community Involvement

  • Law Help Ontario, Small Claims Court Duty Counsel Volunteer (2017-2018)
  • University of Toronto Downtown Legal Services, Student Caseworker (2016-2017)
  • University of Toronto, J.D. Ambassador (2015-2017)
  • University of Toronto, Peer Mentor (2015-2017)
  • University of Toronto Law in Action Within Schools (LAWS Program), Volunteer (2014-2016)
  • Queen’s University Kaleidoscope Program, Committee Member/Volunteer (2011-2014)

Credentials

Education

  • University of Toronto, J.D.
  • Queen’s University, B.A. (Honours), with Distinction (Gold Medalist)

Languages

  • English

Professional Affiliations

  • Law Society of Ontario