Natasha Abraham
Lawyer
CONTACT INFORMATION
EDUCATION
- Call to the Bar, 2020
- University of Windsor, Faculty of Law, J.D., 2019
- University of Detroit Mercy, School of Law, J.D., 2019 (magna cum laude)
MEMBERSHIPS
- Canadian Association of Labour Lawyers
- Ontario Bar Association
- South Asian Bar Association
Natasha is dedicated to advancing the rights of workers. She provides thoughtful and strategic legal advice and representation to trade unions, associations and individual employees in all manner of workplace disputes. Whether she is negotiating or litigating, Natasha works tirelessly to achieve favourable and effective results for her clients.
Natasha advises and represents trade unions in a broad range of labour and construction labour matters, including union organizing, collective agreement disputes, and occupational health and safety and human rights issues. She has represented trade unions in court, labour arbitration proceedings, and before the Ontario Labour Relations Board.
In her employment law practice, Natasha provides advice and representation to non-unionized employees in a variety of employment matters, including wrongful dismissal and workplace discrimination claims.
Natasha graduated magna cum laude from the Dual J.D. program at the University of Windsor Faculty of Law and University of Detroit Mercy School of Law in the top 10% of her class.
Prior to joining the firm in 2022, Natasha practiced at another union-side labour firm in Toronto.
Representative Matters
Preventing Contracting Out of Services
Natasha acted as co-counsel on behalf of a large transit union in its successful response to the employer’s application for judicial review of a Grievance Settlement Board decision that held the employer’s practices of contracting out the administration of employee sick leave violated the parties’ collective agreement. The Divisional Court upheld the Board’s decision, confirming that the employer’s right to contract out the administration of sick leave to a third-party provider was limited by the language of the collective agreement.
Defending The Union’s Right to Free Speech and Electoral Participation
Natasha, along with several co-counsel, successfully represented a number of public teachers’ federations in a Charter challenge to Bill 254, which amended the Elections Finances Act. These amendments significantly constrained the ability of trade unions to advertise politically in the year before the election. In Working Families v Ontario, 2021 ONSC 4076, the Court found that the Government’s infringement of the union’s section 2(b) right to freedom of speech could not be justified under section 1, and the legislation was struck down. When the Government reintroduced the same legislation with the Notwithstanding Clause through Bill 307, Natasha was on the team that successfully challenged the legislation as a violation of the section 3 Charter right to electoral participation before the Court of Appeal for Ontario.
Protecting Employees in CCAA Proceedings
Natasha, along with co-counsel, acted as Employee Representative Counsel for thousands of former employees of a large publicly traded Canadian company in it’s CCCA proceedings. She advocated on behalf of vulnerable employees who were impacted by the insolvency.
Here to Help
Enlist objective advice and committed legal representation. Whatever your challenge—no matter how fundamental or involved—Wright Henry will help you navigate the shoals and arrive at the best possible destination. We offer wide-ranging expertise and a proven record of success.