Lisa Southern

Lisa’s practice focuses on work as a neutral third party for both public and private sector organizations, and she has conducted a large number of investigations into complaints involving privacy issues, human rights, harassment, and workplace health and safety. She is frequently appointed as a mediator and also arbitrates labour disputes.

In 2017, Lisa was appointed as the Registrar for the British Columbia Nurses’ Union and the Health Employers Association of British Columbia, assisting them to resolve grievances efficiently and fairly. Her work as Registrar was noted in the “Recommendations for Amendments to the Labour Relations Code,” submitted August 31, 2018 (at page 29).

In 2019, Lisa was appointed by the British Columbia Ministry of Attorney General to the 2019 Judicial Compensation Commission, where she served as a member of the Commission responsible for reviewing the compensation for provincial court judges and judicial justices and delivering recommendations to the Attorney General and Chief Judge. Also in 2019, Lisa was appointed as a member of the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada Investigation Unit, whose purpose is to investigate complaints of harassment, discrimination and bullying at the highest levels of the Canadian sport system.

In July 2020, Lisa was added to the British Columbia Collective Agreement Arbitration Bureau’s Register of Arbitrators. In January 2021, she was named on the Government of Canada’s workplace harassment and violence prevention Roster of Investigators published on the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety’s website.

In January 2022, Lisa was appointed as the first Integrity Commissioner for the City of Vancouver under the new Code of Conduct By-Law No. 12886. The Integrity Commissioner is a two-year appointment and some of the duties as set out in the by-law include: providing advice and recommendations to Council members; educating Council members, the public, and staff about the operation of the Code of Conduct By-law; and conducting investigations into complaints of alleged breaches of the code of conduct. Learn more about the Integrity Commissioner position with the City of Vancouver.

In addition, Lisa conducts workplace assessments to assist employers in obtaining information from their employees in a confidential, neutral process that helps organizations address employee challenges in a proactive and supportive way. In further support of proactive and positive organizational change, Lisa provides training on employment-related issues including workplace bullying and harassment, sexual harassment and conducting investigations.

Lisa Southern received her law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School at York University in 1996. She was called to the British Columbia Bar in 1997 after articling at Russell and DuMoulin.

Lisa is a member of the Canadian Bar Association, the Law Society of British Columbia and the Law Society of the Northwest Territories. In 2020, she was awarded Canada’s Workplace Investigations Lawyer of the Year in Lawyer Monthly Magazine. She was also recognized in the Best Lawyers in Canada 2021 and 2022 editions for achievements in labour and employment law in British Columbia.

Please contact office for details.

English