Progressive Barristers
1 lawyer · City of Toronto
One of 2,345 law firms listed in Toronto, and one of 478 handling Employment & Labour Law.
Virtual appointments
Virtual appointmentsAbout Progressive Barristers
Progressive Barristers Professional Corporation is a Toronto firm built around employment and labour law, human rights law, and workplace investigations, with additional work in landlord and tenant matters and appeals. It was founded by Shibil Siddiqi, who holds an LL.B. from the University of Warwick in the UK and an LL.M. in International Human Rights Law from the University of Toronto. Before starting the firm, Siddiqi practiced at a Toronto legal clinic serving marginalized communities, worked in human rights law at an independent government agency, and helped establish a legal aid clinic in Kabul, Afghanistan with the International Development Law Organization.
The firm appears before Ontario's courts, including the Divisional Court and the Court of Appeal for Ontario, as well as the Supreme Court of Canada, and before the Landlord and Tenant Board. It represents both employees and employers, unionized and non-unionized, in matters that range from terminations and severance to harassment and discrimination complaints, and it conducts workplace investigations on behalf of organizations. Siddiqi also serves on the Law Society of Ontario's Equity Advisory Group and has held fellowships with the Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation and the Centre for the Critical Study of Power and Politics at Trent University.
Practice areas
In the community
- The firm publishes an Insight section on its site with articles written by Siddiqi on employment law developments, including changes to the Employment Standards Act and case commentary on human rights and employment decisions, going back to 2024.
- Siddiqi serves on the Law Society of Ontario's Equity Advisory Group and has held fellowships with the Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation and the Centre for the Critical Study of Power and Politics at Trent University.
Good to know
LGBTQ+ friendly
Virtual appointmentsWho handles what
The neighbourhood
Progressive Barristers works out of 174 Davenport Road, on the stretch of road that forms the northern edge of Yorkville, with Avenue Road a short walk to the west. Davenport Road itself is believed to be the oldest road in Toronto, tracing a route that started as a First Nations trail along the old Lake Iroquois shoreline long before the city existed, so the firm's own address sits on a genuinely old piece of the city's geography even though its building is a modern one.
The office is also small in scale, in keeping with a firm built around one lawyer plus a paralegal and a law clerk rather than a large team. That size lets Siddiqi handle employment, human rights and tenancy files personally rather than passing them down a larger hierarchy, which fits a practice built on appearing directly before bodies like the Landlord and Tenant Board.
Frequently asked questions
- I think I was wrongfully or unjustly dismissed. Can Progressive Barristers help?
- Yes. The firm handles wrongful dismissal claims for non-unionized employees and unjust dismissal complaints for federally regulated employees, along with severance package review and employment contract disputes, before Ontario's courts and relevant tribunals.
- Does Progressive Barristers handle workplace harassment or discrimination complaints?
- Yes. The firm's human rights practice covers discrimination, harassment and accommodation matters under Ontario's Human Rights Code, the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Charter, including cases that arise in employment, housing, and other services.
- Can Progressive Barristers conduct a workplace investigation for my organization?
- Yes. The firm conducts independent workplace investigations for employers, using what it describes as a rights and trauma informed approach, and delivers findings in a report with recommendations.
- I'm a landlord or tenant with a dispute. Does the firm handle Landlord and Tenant Board matters?
- Yes. The firm represents both landlords and tenants in residential tenancy disputes before the Landlord and Tenant Board, and in appeals of Board decisions to the Divisional Court. The firm's services page describes over two decades of experience in this area.
- Does Progressive Barristers advise non-profit or community organizations?
- Yes. The firm advises non-profit and community organizations on workplace matters including governance, hiring and termination, collective bargaining, grievances and policy development.
- Where is Progressive Barristers located and how do I reach the firm?
- The firm's office is at 174 Davenport Road in Toronto. It can be reached by phone at 1-800-816-8335 or by email, and contact details are listed on its website.
Where to find them
174 Davenport Road, Toronto, ON M5R 1J2 · 800-816-8335
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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 ↗