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Brian Johnston,
K.C.

Partner

Brian Johnston21

Language(s) spoken: English

Bar Admission(s): Nova Scotia, 1981

Legal Assistant(s): Amber MacInnis

Providing legal services through a professional corporation.

Brian works with virtually every type of employer in Canada in a wide variety of industries, including transportation, manufacturing, construction, mining, financial services, universities, healthcare, telecommunications, retail and utilities. His work has included:

  • Successfully concluding collective agreement settlements.
  • Discreetly dealing with executive level and other employment terminations.
  • Dealing with unionization drives.
  • Developing labour relations strategies for clients across Canada and internationally.
  • Advising employers on drug and alcohol policies.
  • Litigating before labour arbitrators, labour boards, human rights tribunals and courts; both federally and provincially.

Practice Areas

Education & Career

Education

Dalhousie University, LL.B., 1980
Mount Allison University, B.Comm. (honours with distinction), 1977

Activities

Fellow, College of Labor and Employment Lawyers
Member, Canadian Bar Association
Member, American Employment Law Council
Practice group leader, Labour & Employment, Stewart McKelvey, 2008-2011
Member, American Bar Association
Member, Human Resources Association of Nova Scotia
Member, Employment Advisory Board for Practical Law – Canada
Chair, Board of Regents, Mount Allison University, 2005-2006

Accolades

Chambers and Partners Canada 2022-2025 Employment & Labour – Atlantic Canada, Band 1 lawyer
Best Lawyers 2021 Labour and Employment Law “Lawyer of the Year” in Halifax
King’s Counsel, 1998
Best Lawyers 2016 and 2012 Labour and Employment Law “Lawyer of the Year” in Halifax
Legal Media Group, Expert Guides, World’s Finest Labour & Employment lawyers, 2014
Best Lawyers: Labour and Employment Law, 2006 – 2025
The International Who’s Who of Management Labour and Employment Lawyers (2014-2023)
Who’s Who Legal: Global Thought Leaders 2021, 2023, 2024 (Labour & Employment)
Who’s Who Legal: Canada 2011 – 2024 (Labour, Employment & Benefits)
Legal Media Group, Guide to the World’s Leading Labour and Employment Lawyers
Lexpert rating: Employment Law, 2008 – 2025
Lexpert rating: Labour Relations, 2008 – 2025
Lexpert rating: Workplace Human Rights, 2008, 2013 – 2014
Martindale-Hubbell rating: BV Distinguished®

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Thought Leadership

Replace-me-not: Bill C-58 proposes ban on replacement workers in federal strikes and lockouts

COVID-19 vaccination soon to become mandatory in all federally regulated workplaces in Canada

Upcoming regulatory initiatives from the Federal Labour Program

Increasing pay transparency for federally regulated employers under Employment Equity Regulations

More return to work

Nova Scotia announces mandatory quarantine for public sector staff and students returning from outside Canada

Change is the only constant – Bill C-86 changes in federal labour and employment regulation

2018 Year in Review: Atlantic Canada Labour & Employment Law Developments

Countdown to Cannabis: A Stewart McKelvey Newsletter: The legalization of cannabis: 7 reasons why employers should take notice

Client Update: Medical marijuana found to be undue hardship in safety sensitive positions – the problem of residual impairment

The Latest in Employment Law: A Stewart McKelvey Newsletter – Changes to the federal pay equity scheme expected in 2018

The Latest in Employment Law: A Stewart McKelvey Newsletter – Good faith expected of employers!

Canadian employers facing marijuana challenges in the workplace

Nova Scotia Government Introduces Public Services Sustainability (2015) Act

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Publications

Regular contributor, Canadian Employment Law Today and Canadian HR Reporter

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Presentations

Co-presenter, “Federal Focus”, Stewart McKelvey Labour and Employment webinar

Co-presenter, “Trending Topics”, Stewart McKelvey Labour and Employment webinar

Nova Scotia CEO Safety Charter Council – 10 Things Every CEO Should Know About Cannabis, October 2018

CPHR Nova Scotia, “Trends in Labour and Employment Law”, May 2017

AMANS/UNSN, Legalization of Cannabis: Municipal Impacts, “Cannabis in the Workplace”, May 2017

Innis Christie Lecture & Symposium in Labour and Employment Law, “Coping with the Fissured Workplace and Precarious Employment”, March 2017

HRANS Conference, “Marijuana in the Workplace”, November 2016

American Bar Association’s International Labour and Employment Law Conference, Barcelona Spain, May 2015

HRANS Conference, “Recent Legal Developments”, May 2015

Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee, Bill C-377, Union Financial Disclosure, April 2015

Lancaster House Labour Law Conference, “The Supreme Court’s Irving Decision – Last Call for Random Drug and Alcohol Testing”, October 2014

Innis Christie Lecture & Symposium in Labour and Employment Law, “Labour Market Regulation and the Ivany Report”, October 2014

Lancaster House Labour Law Conference, “Collective Bargaining and the Right to Strike: Are they endangered species?”, October 2013

HRANS Conference, Top Legal Trends, June 2013

CBA-NS Labour & Employment Law Section Dinner Meeting “Experienced Counsel Analyze Tough Decisions”, November 2012

Insight Conference, Atlantic Canada Construction Labour Relations, “Practical Advice on Drug & Alcohol Testing. Update on Where the Law is Taking Us”, May 2012

Insight Conference, Co-Chair, Disability Claims in the Workplace, May 2012

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