Jennifer Hawkins

Investigator & Workplace Assessor

Jennifer’s practice focuses on conducting independent workplace assessments and investigations into bullying, harassment, discrimination, sexual misconduct, and other workplace misconduct.

Jennifer is equally active in her work with Sport Integrity Canada conducting investigations for national sport organizations and with processes involving students in post-secondary institutions. She has worked exclusively in a neutral capacity since 2019 and has conducted investigations for both federally and provincially regulated clients in unionized and non-unionized workplaces.

Jennifer also provides guidance to a team of lawyers who conduct investigations and dispute resolution, drawing on her extensive experience representing private- and public-sector clients across a wide range of industries.

Federally Regulated Employers Investigator (National Registry)

Jennifer is an experienced investigator for federally regulated organizations under the Canada Labour Code. She has been a member of the Government of Canada’s Work Place Harassment and Violence Prevention Regulations Registry of Investigators since 2021, and has significant experience interpreting and applying provincial and federal health and safety and human rights legislation.

Mediator

Jennifer has a strong interest in assisting parties in resolving conflict. Her years working in-house in the post-secondary sector provided extensive experience with informal mediation processes, creative problem solving, and navigating multi-stakeholder environments. She has facilitated discussions with unions and leadership teams to negotiate practical, mutually agreeable outcomes and has recently led complex facilitation and mediation processes arising from workplace disputes, including at the executive level.

Trainer

Jennifer provides training on employment-related issues, including workplace bullying and harassment, sexual harassment, and conducting investigations.

Governance & Organizational Support

Jennifer supports clients in all sectors in managing risk through policy and process development. She has experience working with municipalities, including police and fire departments, and approaches her work with a clear understanding of the unique demands of public-sector organizations.

Jennifer has practised exclusively in the areas of labour, employment, and human rights law throughout her career. She began her legal career in Vancouver at a national firm, later joining a boutique workplace law firm. She also served as policy advisor to the minister of justice and attorney general of Canada before returning to the west coast, where she held labour relations roles at two post-secondary institutions and ultimately managed a team of labour relations specialists.

• Called to the Bar in British Columbia (2006)

• Called to the Bar in Alberta (2017)

• Bachelor of Laws (LLB) (Dean’s List), University of Alberta (2005)

• Bachelor of Commerce (BCom), Labour Relations, McGill University (2002)

• Mediation and Conflict Management Certificate, Harvard Law School Program on Negotiation (2022)

• Principled Engagement with Indigenous Peoples, University of British Columbia Extended Learning (2021)

• Forensic Experiential Trauma Informed Interview, Trauma Informed Investigations, Mount Royal University (2018)

• Presenter of “What’s Fresh in Fact-Finding? The latest on best practices in workplace investigations,” Lancaster House 43rd Annual Calgary Labour Arbitration and Policy Conference (2025)

• Presenter at the conference for the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner’s investigation and sport environment assessment members (2024)

• Co-Presenter of “Cracking the Code: Delving into Intriguing Workplace Investigation Issues,” Canadian Association of Counsel to Employers Future Leaders Conference (2024)

• Panelist on the topic of “Investigations,” Canadian Association of Counsel to Employers 29th Annual Conference (2023)

• Presenter of “Investigations,” Chartered Professionals in Human Resources Alberta Annual Conference (2022)

• Presenter of “No Stone Unturned: Emerging Best Practices in Workplace Investigations,” Lancaster House 40th Annual Labour Arbitration and Policy Conference (2022)

• Presenter at the Chartered Professionals in Human Resources Alberta Law Conferences (2021)

• Author of “The Relationship Between Culture and Feedback,” Chartered Professionals in Human Resources of Alberta Magazine (2020)

• Co-Presenter of “Beyond the Investigation: Opportunities to Change Culture through Other Processes,” Chartered Professionals in Human Resources Alberta VISION Virtual Conference (2020)

• Presenter at the Chartered Professionals in Human Resources Alberta Law Conferences (2020)

• Presenter at the Chartered Professionals in Human Resources Annual Conference (2020)

• Co-Author of “The View From Here: Learnings on Bullying and Harassment Obligations Six Years Later,” Chartered Professionals in Human Resources of Alberta Magazine (2019)