McDonald HR Law
1 lawyer · City of Toronto
One of 2,345 law firms listed in Toronto, and one of 478 handling Employment & Labour Law.
About McDonald HR Law
McDonald HR Law is a small Toronto employment and human rights law practice founded by Maria McDonald, who has been a lawyer for more than 25 years. The firm works almost exclusively with healthcare employers, including primary care and family health teams, advising on employment, human resources, and human rights matters across Ontario. Nadine Watson also practices at the firm, handling employment, human resources, and human rights law after earlier work at a community legal clinic serving clients with mental health and substance use concerns, and has made submissions to the Federal Court of Canada and the Ontario Superior Court of Justice.
Beyond day to day advisory work, the firm runs education programs for healthcare leadership. It partners with Kate Dewhirst of Something Orange Training Inc. on a monthly webinar series, Legal Issues for Primary Care Teams, for executive directors and managers in primary care settings. It also worked with workplace investigator Cleo Noxon on a training program that teaches managers how to conduct internal harassment and other workplace investigations. The office is a Law Chambers suite inside the DBRS Tower at 181 University Avenue, a Toronto financial core building connected to the PATH system. Law Chambers is a shared office arrangement for independent lawyers dating to 1983, now spanning two Toronto locations and more than 90 lawyers.
Practice areas
In the community
- McDonald HR Law keeps an ongoing legal updates blog for healthcare employers, tracking changes to the Employment Standards Act, the Occupational Health and Safety Act, and other Ontario workplace legislation.
- Maria McDonald contributes to the Legal Issues for Primary Care Teams monthly webinar series, delivered with Kate Dewhirst of Something Orange Training Inc. for executive directors and managers at primary care organizations.
- The firm worked with workplace investigator Cleo Noxon to develop a training program that teaches managers how to conduct internal harassment and other workplace investigations.
Who handles what
The neighbourhood
The firm's office is a Law Chambers suite inside the DBRS Tower at 181 University Avenue, in Toronto's financial core. The building connects directly to the PATH system, the underground network that links downtown office towers to transit and services. Law Chambers itself is not a law firm but a shared office arrangement conceived in 1983 for independent lawyers and small firms. It has since grown to more than 90 lawyers across two Toronto locations, giving a small practice like McDonald HR Law access to boardrooms, secretarial support, and administrative services without the overhead of running its own standalone office.
Frequently asked questions
- Does McDonald HR Law represent employees or employers?
- McDonald HR Law works almost exclusively with healthcare employers, including primary care and family health teams, advising them on employment, human resources, and human rights matters.
- Can McDonald HR Law prepare an employment contract or termination letter for our organization?
- Yes. The firm prepares documents for healthcare employers, including employment contracts, termination letters, and policy manuals.
- Does McDonald HR Law offer training for managers on workplace investigations?
- Yes. The firm worked with workplace investigator Cleo Noxon to develop a training program that teaches managers how to conduct internal harassment and other workplace investigations.
- What is the Legal Issues for Primary Care Teams webinar series?
- It's a monthly webinar series McDonald HR Law delivers with Kate Dewhirst of Something Orange Training Inc., aimed at executive directors and managers at primary care organizations, covering topics such as employment law, human rights, and workplace harassment.
- Does McDonald HR Law handle human rights matters as well as employment law?
- Yes. The firm advises healthcare employers on human rights matters in addition to employment and human resources issues.
- Where is McDonald HR Law located?
- The firm's office is a Law Chambers suite inside the DBRS Tower at 181 University Avenue in downtown Toronto.
Where to find them
DBRS Tower, 181 University Ave, Suite 2200, Toronto, Ontario M5H 3M7 · 416-855-2289
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Business & Corporate LawListing compiled from the firm’s public website in August 2026. Verify licence status in the Law Society of Ontario directory ↗