Sarah Lumsden
Barrister & Solicitor
Named as a troubleshooter in the collective agreement between the Health Employers Association of BC and the Health Services and Support – Community Subsector Association of Bargaining Agents (2026 to present)
Appointed as an independent investigator of Sport Integrity Canada (2025 to present)
Appointed as an independent investigation/assessor member by the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner Investigation Unit and Sport Environment Assessment Unit (2022 to 2025)
Sarah Lumsden (she/her) is an experienced labour and employment lawyer and human resources leader. She works collaboratively with employers and employees in the public and private sectors, and in unionized and non-unionized work environments, as an investigator, mediator, arbitrator, assessor, and trainer, and brings a creative, practical, culturally sensitive, and trauma-informed approach to all areas of her practice.
Sarah is a proud Red River Métis from Treaty One Territory and a member of the Manitoba Métis Federation.
Prior to starting at Hawkins Lang + Price, Sarah worked for over five years at a workplace investigation firm.
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Investigator
Sarah focuses her practice on conducting trauma-informed, fair, culturally sensitive, and impartial workplace investigations. She has experience conducting investigations into issues such as theft, bullying and harassment, sexual misconduct, misconduct, violence in the workplace, discrimination, Indigenous-specific racism, and racism. Sarah prioritizes building rapport with both clients and participants; and ensuring procedural fairness and neutrality. She provides clients with reports and findings that are accessible, reasonable, defensible, and helpful.
Sarah conducts investigations across diverse industries in the public and private sectors, in unionized and non-unionized environments, and for provincially and federally regulated employers. Her clients have represented employee levels from senior leaders to entry-level employees, from Elders to children, and from elected officials to community members.
Sarah has significant experience conducting investigations involving Indigenous participants, Indigenous organizations, and allegations of Indigenous-specific racism. As an Indigenous woman and a lawyer, Sarah brings her lived experience, cultural knowledge, and trauma-informed approach to all her files.
Workplace Assessor
Sarah conducts workplace assessments to assist employers in identifying and improving workplace issues, concerns, and risks.
Mediator & Arbitrator
Through mediation, Sarah helps employers, employees, and leaders effectively resolve and move through conflict in the workplace in a meaningful and lasting way.
Sarah brings to her arbitration practice many years of experience acting as counsel, investigator, and mediator in public and private sector workplace disputes. She employs a creative, common sense, culturally sensitive, and trauma-informed approach to the arbitration process.
Trainer
Sarah regularly provides training on employment-related issues, including respectful workplace policies, bullying and harassment, discrimination, sexual harassment, diversity and inclusion, and investigations.
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During law school, Sarah worked at an Indigenous law firm before articling at a large international law firm. She then transitioned to in-house roles, serving as legal counsel for both a health care organization—where she advised and represented health authority clients on a range of labour and employment matters—and a sports organization, before focusing her practice on workplace investigations.
Called to the Bar in British Columbia (2017)
Juris Doctor (JD), Peter Allard School of Law, University of British Columbia (2016)
Bachelor of Arts (Hons), Criminal Justice, University of Winnipeg (2013)
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Mediation and Conflict Management Certificate, Harvard Law School Program on Negotiation (2022)
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Panelist of “Procedural Curveballs in Investigations,” Workplace Investigations Section Meeting, Canadian Bar Association, BC Branch (2025)
Panelist of "Environmental Scans, Workplace Assessments, Cultural Scans—What on Earth Are We Talking About!," Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia Employment Law Conference (2023)