Inspire Law

05/19/2026

The BC Court of Appeal has upheld a $600,000+ human rights tribunal award against the City of Nanaimo.

The Court confirmed that discrimination may still exist even where employee misconduct is alleged, if racial stereotyping or subconscious assumptions are a factor in workplace investigations and termination decisions.

Read more about this decision here: https://inspirelaw.ca/600000-human-rights-award-upheld-against-city-of-nanaimo-despite-alleged-misconduct/

BC Court of Appeal upholds $600,000+ human rights award after finding racial bias factored into a workplace suspension and dismissal

05/08/2026

Is a worker really an independent contractor, or only (incorrectly) labelled as one?
That distinction can have significant legal consequences for both businesses and workers. Canadian courts will look beyond the wording of an agreement and examine the reality of the relationship.
Our latest article explains:
• the Supreme Court of Canada’s legal test for worker classification;
• the difference between employees, dependent contractors, and independent contractors; and
• why misclassification can create serious financial exposure for employers.
Read more here: https://inspirelaw.ca/employee-independent-contractor-or-dependent-contractor/

04/17/2026

Laid off as part of a large workforce reduction in BC?

If you have worked for your employer for many years, your severance may be worth far more than what your employer has offered you.

In mass layoffs, employers must follow special rules. But that is the minimum. Many employees are entitled to significantly more under the law.

Before you sign anything, make sure you understand your rights.
Read our latest article here: https://inspirelaw.ca/mass-layoffs-in-british-columbia-what-long-serving-employees-need-to-know/

Laid off as part of a mass termination in BC? Learn your severance rights, ESA group termination rules, and why you should not accept a low offer.

04/16/2026

Class actions are becoming an increasingly important part of employment law in Canada.

In my latest article, I look at how class actions are being used to challenge workplace issues including unpaid overtime, employee classification, and compensation practices that impact groups of employees rather than individuals.

Recent cases, including Cheetham v. Bank of Montreal, show that courts are more willing to allow these claims to proceed as class actions where there are common issues across a workforce.
Class proceedings can be an important tool to help level the playing field and allow widespread workplace concerns to be challenged.

You can read the full article here: https://inspirelaw.ca/employee-class-actions-on-the-rise-in-canada/

Learn about Canadian employees bringing claims against employers through class actions, including vacation pay, holiday pay, and other workplace rights.

02/24/2026

I was quoted this morning in a CBC News article about a B*HRT decision awarding $750,000 against an individual respondent. Awards of this magnitude at the Tribunal level are rare, but may become more common. Human rights damages have been trending upward for some time and clearly are continuing to do so. The decision is a clear reminder that human rights liability is not confined to organizations. Individuals can face very significant personal exposure where the facts warrant it. Employers, managers, and professionals should pay attention.

Home » Law Library » B.C. Human Rights Tribunal decisions » Recently released decisions » 2026 B*HRT 49 Chilliwack Teachers’ Association v. Neufeld (No. 10), 2026 B*HRT 49 Date Issued: February 18, 2026File: CS-001372 Indexed as: Chilliwack Teachers’ Association v. Neufeld (No. 10), 2026 B*H...

02/24/2026

I was quoted this morning in a CBC News article about a B*HRT decision awarding $750,000 against an individual respondent. Awards of this magnitude at the Tribunal level are rare, but may become more common. Human rights damages have been trending upward for some time and clearly are continuing to do so. The decision is a clear reminder that human rights liability is not confined to organizations. Individuals can face very significant personal exposure where the facts warrant it. Employers, managers, and professionals should pay attention.

Barry Neufeld will be seeking a judicial review in the B.C. Supreme Court after the Human Rights Tribunal last week ordered the payment to members of the Chilliwack Teachers Association who identify as 2SLGBTQ+.

01/24/2026

We are !
Legal Assistant - Litigation
Remote/ Hybrid (Kelowna, B.C.), Full time

Inspire Law is a growing law practice based in Kelowna, B.C. focused employment and human-rights law. We are hiring. Join our growing law practice and do meaningful work.

We practice law differently. We fight hard for our clients and want to see the legal profession, workplaces, and society evolve. We push for this by acting as an accelerator for meaningful change and being client centered. We are also developing innovative solutions to increase access to justice.

Why join us?

Inspire Law is not a typical law practice. We fight for those who have been wronged at work and we work toward larger change. If you are passionate about making things right, we may be the place for you. We believe deeply in our purpose, our values and the growth of our team, our clients and the law firm.

We can readily accommodate those who may have left the work force to start a family and are motivated to put their college education or university degree to good use.

If you are a proactive, detail-oriented professional who is energized to work hard to right wrongs, and have strong technical skills, we would love to hear from you.

About the Role

In this role, you will be instrumental in guiding legal processes, and advocating for clients with clarity and compassion. While you will independently manage files, you will also work with an experienced lawyer and our founder and clients to advance complex legal files with precision and purpose and deliver outstanding service to our clients.

Key responsibilities include:

• Case Management: Manage complex legal files from intake through to resolution, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with procedural requirements.
• Client Relations: Serve as a trusted point of contact for clients, demonstrating empathy, clarity, and advocacy.
• Legal Research & Drafting: Prepare documents such as pleadings, affidavits, court documents, applications, briefs, books of authorities, and general correspondence.
• Court and Tribunal Support: Coordinate court filings and assist at tribunals, mediations, hearings and trials, where appropriate.
• Liaison Work: Communicate effectively with opposing counsel, court staff and regulatory bodies to move cases forward efficiently.
• Advocacy Support: Champion client rights and dignity on every file.
• Document Drafting: Assist with policy development for the firm and with materials to facilitate access to justice

As we are largely a paperless office, a technical interest and familiarity with systems is a must.

Qualifications and Requirements:

• Thorough understanding of BC civil litigation practices and procedures, filing requirements and relevant legal software
• Skilled in Outlook, MS Word, Excel and Adobe Acrobat professional, word processing and proofreading
• Experience working as a litigation legal assistant or paralegal, preferably in employment/ human rights law, for either (a) at least three years or (b) at least one year with a Legal Assistant diploma or equivalent
• Highly organized, detail-oriented and ability to multi-task and prioritize
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Strong client service skills and ability to communicate with clarity and compassion

Compensation will be discussed based on experience.

How to Apply

Please visit https://inspirelaw.ca/careers/ to submit your résumé and a cover letter that includes your experience working as a litigation legal assistant or paralegal, what achieving justice means to you, and what motivates you to work in employment law specifically. If you do not have experience working as a litigation legal assistant or paralegal, please state that. Please also state in your cover letter if you have a reliable internet connection and a professional workspace conducive to maintaining confidentiality, and if you are able to work in person if required.

If available, please include a sample of a formatted legal document you have prepared (redacted).

Please upload documents in PDF, Excel or Word format.

For more information, please visit https://inspirelaw.ca/careers/.

No phone calls please. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.
Must be legally entitled to work in Canada.

Inspire Law is a Western Canadian-based law practice focused on employment and human-rights law. We hire people who are passionate, driven, innovative and kind. We pride ourselves on taking initiative, caring deeply about clients, and wanting to help create a more just society for all. At Inspire La...

01/04/2026

When someone calls me asking for help “just settling” a wrongful dismissal claim, my answer sometimes surprises them.

The strongest settlements are not achieved by asking nicely or signalling a desire to avoid court. They certainly aren’t achieved by pleading. They are achieved by building the case to be ready to be proven in court.

Employers settle when they believe the legal position is strong, and the other side is fully prepared to litigate. That is what creates real leverage in a claim.

This is not about being aggressive. It is about being prepared. Some employers are simply not reasonable. In other cases, a genuine legal issue must be resolved by a court. Either way, the only way to protect an employee’s interests is to be, and remain, trial-ready.

Losing your job or experiencing unfairness at work may profoundly impact the trajectory of a person’s life. That kind of injustice deserves disciplined, strategic advocacy that keeps all options on the table, including trial if necessary.

I explore this in more detail in my latest article on , , and . https://inspirelaw.ca/why-the-best-settlement-strategy-is-being-ready-for-court/

12/17/2025

Many employees assume that they must be expressly fired to have a potential legal wrongful dismissal claim. That is not always true. Under Canadian employment law, can arise not only from a major unilateral like a demotion or significant pay cut, but also from such as harassment or a poisoned work environment, even without being dismissed.

This article explains the two legal paths to constructive dismissal recognized by the Supreme Court of Canada, and why promptly seeking legal advice is important. https://inspirelaw.ca/constructive-dismissal-in-canada-legally-terminated-without-being-fired/

Constructive dismissal arises from fundamental contract changes or workplace conduct the employer causes or fails to address. Learn your rights.

11/21/2025

Check out our most recent article, which takes a brief look at the Bardal v. Globe & Mail decision and the hashtag . Courts often consider these factors when assessing hashtag in Canadian hashtag :

Understand the Bardal factors and how Canadian courts determine reasonable notice in wrongful dismissal cases. Clear guidance from an employment lawyer