Jean Torrens acts as a strategic partner with human resources and business leaders to manage complex legal situations involving employees and unions. She has extensive experience acting for management in conducting collective bargaining, advising on discipline and terminations, navigating challenging human rights and harassment situations, and defending employers facing litigation. She offers guidance to employers regarding the use of medical and recreational cannabis by employees, and supports employers responding to urgent OH&S situations.
- Represented companies in several sectors, including mining, construction, industrial, retail, oil and gas, transportation, and food services in wrongful dismissal trials and appeals
- Represented several medium to large-sized businesses in grievance arbitrations and human rights complaints
- Conducted collective bargaining on behalf of employers in energy, mining, food services, technology, research and development, mining and non-profit sectors
- Represented mining company in OH&S hearing and appeals
- Member, MLT Aikins Executive Board
- Past Chair and current Member, Labour & Employment (South) Section, Canadian Bar Association
- Former Director, Human Resources Association of Calgary
- Past Member, Legal Affairs Committee, Human Resources Association of Calgary
- Member, Canadian Association of Counsel to Employers (CACE)
- Presenter, “Back to Business During COVID-19 – Western Canada Legislative Updates and Other Important Considerations,” MLT Aikins webinar (July 2020)
- Presenter, “Return to Work in the Wake of COVID-19: Tracing Apps, Privacy and Labour and Employment Considerations,” MLT Aikins webinar (May 2020)
- Presenter, “Who, What, Where, When and Why? A Guide to Workplace Investigations,” CPHR Alberta Law Conference (February 2019)
- Presenter, “Facing the Challenges of Cannabis in the Workplace,” HR Council Meeting, Conference Board of Canada (November 2018)
- Presenter, “#MeToo: Preventing and Investigating Workplace Sexual Harassment,” Calgary Exchange Group (November 2018)
- Presenter, “#MeToo: Preventing and Investigating Workplace Sexual Harassment,” MLT Aikins Employment Law Update (October 2018)
- Presenter, “Accommodating Mental Health Conditions: Options and Pitfalls,” 2018 Western Cities HR Conference (October 2018)
- Presenter, “Beyond #MeToo: Practical Steps for Leaders,” Beyond the Hashtag seminar, CPHR Manitoba (June 2018)
- Presenter, Accommodation Law Conference, Centre for Labour-Management Development (April 2018)
- Update on Accommodating Family Status
- Update on Accommodating Mental Disabilities
- Update on Accommodating Substance Addiction
- Update on Accommodation Remedies
- Presenter, “Accommodation Update,” Alberta Labour Law Review (Fall 2017)
- “Weed in the Workplace,” MLT Aikins Medical and Recreational Marijuana Workshop (Winter 2018)
- “Changes to Alberta’s Labour Relations Code,” MLT Aikins Employment Law Update (Fall 2017)
- “Marijuana in the Workplace,” MLT Aikins Medical and Recreational Marijuana Workshop (Spring 2017)
- “Offer Letters, Policies and Severance Packages,” MLT’s Employment and Labour Law Update (November 3, 2016)
- Top 10 Employment Law Developments General Counsel Should Know, Alberta General Counsel Association (October 15, 2015)
- Centre for Labour-Management Development (Fall 2015)
- Accommodation Remedies
- Discipline and the Disabled Employee
- Medical Questions
- Post-Discharge Evidence
- Managing Difficult Accommodation Issues in the Workplace, SMHRT Presentation (May 29, 2015)
- “OHS Investigations and the Law,” MLT’s OHS Investigations and the Law Workshop (May 27, 2015)
- “Weathering the Storm,” Workplace Restructuring, Calgary Exchange Group (April 8, 2015)
- Severance Trends and Best Practices, HRIA Annual Legal Conference (March 15, 2015)
- Centre for Labour-Management Development (Fall 2014)
- Discipline in the Age of Exploding Technology
- Human Rights Remedies: From the Traditional to the Creative
- Work vs. Personal Time
- A Fresh Look at Workplace Bullying: New Takeaways from Arbitrators
- HRIA Wood Buffalo/Fort McMurray Chapter (October 2014)
- Social Media in the Workplace
- Attendance Management
- Duty to Accommodate
- “Managing Difficult Accommodations,” MLT Managing Difficult Accommodation Workshops (Regina and Saskatoon, September 2014)
- “Workplace Investigations,” MLT Workplace Investigations Workshops (Calgary and Edmonton, May 2014; Regina and Saskatoon, November 2013; Calgary, Edmonton, Regina and Saskatoon, 2012)
- “Accommodating Mental Disabilities,” MLT Accommodating Mental Disabilities Workshops (Saskatoon, May 2014; Calgary and Edmonton, January 2014; Regina and Saskatoon, November 2013)
- The Most Important Developments in 2013: And what they mean for you in 2014, Labour Arbitration and Policy Conference
- Occupational Health and Safety Update, HRIA Annual Legal Conference (March 10, 2014)
- Recognized by Chambers Canada as a Leading Canadian lawyer in Employment and Labour law (since 2021)
- Recognized in Best Lawyers, Labour and Employment Law (since 2014)
- A leading practitioner, Employment (Employer), Workplace Human Rights (Employer), Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory
- Lexis-Nexis / Martindale-Hubbell – “CV Peer Review Rated”