Melanie D. McNaught

About Melanie D. McNaught

Melanie McNaught is a Toronto partner at Filion Wakely Thorup Angeletti who acts for employers across every corner of labour and employment law. Civil litigation, privacy, human rights and education law are where Melanie's interest runs deepest, and Ontario school boards are among the clients Melanie represents and advises.

Melanie studied law at the University of Victoria and, before joining Filion, clerked at the Court of Appeal for Ontario. The Ontario call came in 2003. Melanie also holds a journalism degree from Carleton University.

Courtroom experience reaches every level of court, and Melanie also argues before labour arbitrators and tribunals like the Ontario Labour Relations Board and the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario. Not every dispute has to end up in court, though, and Melanie negotiates settlements that often save clients the time and money litigation would cost.

Reporters covering workplace law have turned to Melanie for years. In 2021 The Globe and Mail asked about COVID-19 vaccination policies, and Melanie's answer was that employers have to balance employee privacy with workplace safety, since neither one simply wins. Canadian HR Reporter has sought Melanie's view on Ontario's electronic monitoring law and on virtual harassment, and Canadian Lawyer on how foreign privacy laws can reach an employer whose staff work remotely abroad. Melanie is also one of the co-authors of the 2026 edition of Carswell's Ontario Human Rights Code quick reference.