Nicholas Valela

About Nicholas

Nicholas Valela is a civil litigation associate at Black & Associates with a background in disputes, labour, and employment law. He has appeared before the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, the Small Claims Court, the Canadian and Ontario Human Rights Tribunals, the Social Benefits Tribunal, and the Ontario Labour Relations Board. He was called to the Bar of Ontario in 2020 after graduating cum laude with a Juris Doctor from the University of Ottawa's Faculty of Law in 2019, and he earlier earned a Master of Public Administration from Queen's University and an Honours Bachelor of Health Sciences, magna cum laude, from the University of Ottawa. Before joining the firm, he articled and worked as an associate at a boutique litigation firm handling civil litigation, employment, defamation, and human rights matters, and later worked in labour relations with a national labour union. Earlier in his career he worked with the Division of Infectious Diseases at The Ottawa Hospital, where he helped modernize the model of care for people living with HIV, and during law school he completed advocacy internships in the Ontario Court of Justice, the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal Secretariat, and a federal MP's office. He co-founded and served as a board member of MAX Ottawa, a local queer organization, work recognized with a Canada 150 Outstanding Community Builder Award in 2017.

Practice areas

Civil Litigation & Dispute Resolution Employment & Labour Law Administrative & Regulatory Law

Education & credentials

Law school

University of Ottawa

Undergraduate

University of Ottawa, Honours Bachelor of Health Sciences (magna cum laude), 2011

Other degrees

Master of Public Administration, Queen's University, 2012