Clausework
1 lawyer · City of Toronto
One of 2,345 law firms listed in Toronto, and one of 478 handling Employment & Labour Law.
About Clausework
Clausework is a Toronto employment law practice founded by Rika Sawatsky, working out of the Dineen Building at 140 Yonge Street. The firm's focus is gender based harm in the workplace, including sexual harassment and domestic violence disclosures, alongside general employment law advice for employers. Rika Sawatsky holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Ottawa (2014) and an Honours Bachelor of Arts and Science from McMaster University (2009), and was called to the Ontario bar in 2015. Before starting the firm, Rika Sawatsky worked in private practice and at Ontario's Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, drafting legislation and advising senior officials.
Clausework's services span neutral workplace investigations, inclusive workplace design (audits, policies, and programs), training for managers and employees, and employment law advice for employers. Investigation work is trauma and violence informed and billed at $300 an hour, with straightforward matters typically wrapped up in under 35 hours. Training sessions are built around scenarios drawn from each workplace rather than generic examples, covering topics such as bystander intervention, trauma informed management, and equitable hiring and promotion decisions. Clausework also does reconciliation focused work, supporting Call to Action 92 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission through its investigations and workplace design.
Practice areas
Milestones & recognition
- Rika Sawatsky earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Ottawa in 2014 and an Honours Bachelor of Arts and Science from McMaster University in 2009, then was called to the Ontario bar in 2015.
- Rika Sawatsky is a Participatory Gender Audit Facilitator certified through the International Labour Organization.
- Rika Sawatsky holds an Advanced Certificate in Workplace Investigations from Osgoode Hall, York University, and a Certificate in Gender-Based Violence Practice Skills from Western University.
- Rika Sawatsky was quoted as Clausework's principal lawyer in an April 2026 Canadian HR Reporter article on preventing workplace harassment in male dominated industries.
In the community
- Rika Sawatsky serves on the Board of Directors of Neighbourhood Information Post, a Toronto community agency.
- Rika Sawatsky provides pro bono legal education to newcomer communities, including as a guest speaker on the employment law risks of being paid in cash at a June 2025 Basic Rights at Work session hosted by MNLCT.
- Clausework's reconciliation work includes pro bono legal education delivered through the Elizabeth Fry Society of Toronto.
- Rika Sawatsky was a panelist in McMaster University's New World of Work Series on equity, diversity, and inclusion, discussing how EDI practices in employment law have evolved.
Good to know
Wheelchair accessible
Woman-owned
LGBTQ+ friendly
Parking availableLawyers 1
Who handles what
The neighbourhood
Clausework's office is in the Dineen Building at 140 Yonge Street, at the corner of Yonge and Temperance in downtown Toronto. The building was built in 1897 for the W. and F. Dineen Company, a hat and fur manufacturer, and features Renaissance Revival architecture. It was listed on Toronto's Heritage Property Inventory in 1973, formally designated under the Ontario Heritage Act in 2009, and restored in 2012. Its ground floor is now home to a coffee shop and restaurants, with the upper floors, including Clausework's suite, leased as offices.
Frequently asked questions
- Who does Clausework work with?
- Clausework works primarily with employers, offering neutral workplace investigations, inclusive workplace design, training, and employment law advice for organizations dealing with workplace harm.
- What happens during a Clausework investigation?
- An investigation typically starts with a short intake call to confirm scope, followed by document review and interviews. Investigations are trauma and violence informed and billed at $300 an hour, with straightforward cases usually finished in under 35 hours.
- Does Clausework offer workplace training?
- Yes. Training sessions are built around real scenarios from each workplace and cover topics such as bystander intervention, trauma informed management, and equitable hiring, promotion, and parental leave decisions, for managers, HR, and employees.
- Can Clausework help with a harassment complaint or a domestic violence disclosure at work?
- Clausework's practice centres on gender and power based workplace harm, including sexual harassment and domestic violence disclosures, and combines legal advice with trauma informed investigation and training services.
- Where is Clausework and how do I reach the firm?
- Clausework's office is at 200-140 Yonge Street in Toronto. It's reachable by phone at 416.987.9591 or by email at hello@clausework.ca, weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a typical response within one business day.
- Does Clausework do any pro bono or community work?
- Rika Sawatsky serves on the Board of Directors of Neighbourhood Information Post and has provided pro bono legal education to newcomer communities and through the Elizabeth Fry Society of Toronto.
Where to find them
200-140 Yonge Street Toronto, ON M5C 1X6 · 416-987-9591
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