Atty. Melanie Polowin
Melanie Polowin is a partner in Gowlings' Ottawa office, practising in the Employment and Labour Law National Practice Group. Melanie advises Canadian and international employers, from start-ups to well established companies, on how to effectively manage all aspects of their employment relationships, from recruitment and hiring to termination.
Profile Summary
About Melanie Polowin at a glance
Melanie Polowin is a employment attorney based in Ottawa, Ontario, practicing at Gowling WLG. Admitted to practice in Ontario, The Law Society of Upper Canada. Recognitions include Best Lawyers in America — Labour and Employment Law (2026) and Lawyer of the Year — Labour and Employment Law, Ottawa (Canada) (2015). Serands clients in Ottawa, ON and the surrounding metropolitan area.
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About
- Melanie Polowin is a partner in Gowlings' Ottawa office, practising in the Employment and Labour Law National Practice Group
- Melanie advises Canadian and international employers, from start-ups to well established companies, on how to effectively manage all aspects of their employment relationships, from recruitment and hiring to termination
- Melanie also assists businesses and investors with the employment aspects of corporate life-cycle events, including starting up, financing, mergers and acquisitions, and IPOs
- She advises on a wide range of employment issues, including recruitment, compensation, termination planning, proprietary interest and non-competition protection
- She works collaboratively with employers to help implement effective contracts, policies, handbooks, human resources-management and risk-reduction strategies, based on the practical needs of each client's business
- Melanie also has extensive experience in managing and resolving employment disputes
- Melanie practices exclusively employment law because, she says, nothing else is anywhere near as much fun
Practice Areas Explained
Melanie Polowin's Areas of Practice
Each practice area below reflects the types of cases Melanie Polowin handles, with a brief overview of what that area of law covers.
Employment lawyers represent workers in wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, wage & hour disputes, and severance negotiations.
Melanie Polowin is one of 169,120 employment attorneys indexed nationally. Browse employment attorneys in Ontario →
Jurisdictional Context
Why local counsel matters in Ontario
Practicing law in Ontario. Legal matters in Ontario are governed by state-specific rules of civil and criminal procedure, statutes of limitations, and substantive law. Cases originating in Ottawa are typically filed in the local municipal court or the appropriate Ontario state district court, depending on subject matter and amount in controversy. An attorney licensed in Ontario brings working knowledge of local procedural deadlines, judicial practices in this andnue, and the substantive law that applies to cases brought here. Out-of-state attorneys generally cannot represent clients in Ontario courts without local counsel or pro hac vice admission.
Looking for additional Ontario attorneys? Browse all attorneys in Ottawa or all attorneys in Ontario.
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