Executive Summary
A recognized leader and advocate, Carissa Tanzola is committed to delivering strategic business solutions while navigating legal challenges with integrity and efficiency. As the current Managing Partner of the Firm, she leads with innovation and passion, driving success for both her clients and the firm
Carissa provides employers with expert legal guidance and representation for complex workplace issues. Her practice has a special focus in workplace health and safety, workers’ compensation, disability management and accommodation matters. Carissa regularly appears before courts, arbitrators, the Ontario Labour Relations Board, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal (WSIAT), and other administrative bodies.
Prior to joining the Firm, Carissa served as a Vice-Chair at the Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal (“WSIAT”). Prior to her term at the WSIAT, Carissa worked at a leading management-side labour and employment law firm for several years.
Carissa is a co-author of the Employer’s Guide to Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance (Carswell) and regularly speaks, writes, and teaches on labour and employment issues for industry groups and legal organizations. She is a past Chair of the Labour and Employment Section Executive of the Ontario Bard Association, as well as a past member of the Ontario Bar Association’s Board of Directors. She also regularly volunteers with Pro Bono Ontario’s Legal Advice Hotline.
Selected Publications, Presentations and Media Mentions
Employer’s Guide to Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance, Carswell (2018 Edition), Co-Author
“Spotlight on Compulsive Behaviour: The duty to accommodate gaming, gambling, sex addiction, and more”, Lancaster House, June 9, 2020, Moderator
“Righting Wrongs: Extraordinary remedies for egregious cases”, Lancaster House, May 7, 2020, Moderator
“Remote Labour Arbitrations”, Ontario Bar Association, April 20, 2020
“Expertly Done: The Use of Expert Witnesses in Health and Safety Matters”, Canadian Association of Council to Employers (CACE), April 17, 2020, Moderator
RESCON’s WSIB Symposium 2020: Update on Accreditation and Rate Framework Review, March 3, 2020, Presenter
“Mental Health in the Legal Workplace: An essential guide for lawyers and paralegals”, Lancaster House, December 12, 2019, Moderator
"Chronic Mental Stress Claims: What is the Interaction Between the WSIAT and Human Rights Regimes?", 8th Human Rights Summit, Law Society of Ontario, December 3, 2019, Presenter
“Accommodating Poorly Understood Medical Conditions: A guide for employers and unions”, Lancaster House, November 14, 2019, Moderator
“Effective Management of Disability Accommodation Issues”, Faculty Bargaining Services (FBS) 2019 Annual Conference, November 7, 2019, Presenter
RESCON's 2019 Symposium: Addressing Mental Health in Construction, November 7, 2019, Presenter
“Workplace Accommodation: Navigating Evolving Legal Considerations”, 30th Annual Schedule 2 Employers’ Group Conference, October 22, 2019, Presenter
"Inclusive Job Design and Policies To Protect Psychological Safety and Prevent Legal Liability", Osgoode Professional Development's Certificate Program in Workplace Mental Health Law, October 21, 2019, Presenter
2019 Annual Workplace Safety and Insurance Conference, Lancaster House, October 1, 2019, Co-Chair
“WSIB and WSIAT files”, Introduction to Workplace Safety and Harassment Law and Investigations, Ontario Bar Association, September 12, 2019, Presenter
“Disability and Accommodation: Foundational cases and recent developments”, Lancaster House, September 10, 2019, Moderator
“On or Off the Hook: Dealing effectively with insurance claim denials and employer liability issues”, Lancaster House, June 20, 2019, Moderator
“Interplay between the WSIA compensation for chronic mental stress and the Code”, Annual Update on Human Rights Program, Ontario Bar Association, May 29, 2019, Author and Presenter
“Chronic Mental Stress Claims: Examining the current response of arbitrators, courts, and workers’ compensation boards”, Lancaster House, May 28, 2019, Moderator
“WSIB Accounts: Analyzing the information and thinking outside the box”, FWTA Client Seminar, March 20, 2019, Presenter
“WSIB Claims: Active management to achieve actual results”, FWTA Client Seminar, January 31, 2019, Presenter
“When are WSIA Benefits Set off against Wrongful Dismissal Awards”, Law Society of Ontario, Six-Minute Employment Lawyer, June 21, 2018, Author and Presenter
“Down and Out or Up and About?: What's considered permissible activity on sick leave”, Lancaster House, May 15, 2018, Moderator
“Medical Notes, Specialist Reports and IMEs: Employee privacy vs. the employer's right to know”, Lancaster House, April 19, 2018, Moderator
