Lawyer

Ishat Reza

Ishat@employment-lawyers.ca 
416-593-5844 Ext. 108

Education

• J.D., B.C.L., McGill University 2011
• A.M. Harvard University, 2000
• B.A. (Hons.), University of Toronto, 1998
• Mediation and Conflict Management, Harvard Law School, 2023

Memberships & Activities

• Law Society of Ontario

Bar Admissions

• Ontario

Lawyer

Ishat Reza 

Ishat Reza practices employment and human rights law, and acts for employees, contractors/consultants and employers and has appeared before arbitration panels and all levels of the Ontario Courts. Ishat specializes in work terminations, constructive dismissals, discrimination and harassment claims, and executive compensation arrangements. She also conducts workplace investigations and organizational reviews, and acts as a neutral mediator to help identify and resolve workplace conflicts.

Working closely with her clients to understand their needs, Ishat develops a tailored and pragmatic approach to resolve their workplace issues. Ishat is detail-oriented and is an asset to employers who wish to implement employment contracts and develop employment policies and practices in line with statutory obligations and proactively address potential human resources issues using a human rights and diversity, equity and inclusion lens.

Ishat graduated from McGill University with law degrees in the common law and civil law, received a Master of Arts from Harvard University, and completed an honours Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto. She also completed a ten-week training program at Harvard Law School in Mediation and Conflict Management.

Ishat began her legal career at a large Bay Street firm and has worked in the public and private sectors in Canada and the UK, as well as at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), in Paris, France. She previously worked in policy development, led international negotiations and advised on governance issues in Canada and abroad.

Ishat has volunteered at Pro Bono Ontario’s Legal Clinic and set up a legal clinic at the start of the pandemic to advise Canadians on issues of employment law, government assistance, consumer law, family law and housing law.

Ishat is a photography enthusiast and a globe trotter, having lived in eight countries and studied seven languages. Ishat enjoys spending time with her niece and nephew, and mentoring current and prospective law students about navigating the legal profession.