Pamela Krauss
Managing Partner
Pamela Krauss was called to the Ontario Bar in 2006 and has over 15 years of practice experience specializing in Employment Law. She proudly became a partner of Morrison Reist Krauss LLP in January of 2018.
Legal Practice
Pamela’s career is dedicated to resolving legal issues facing non-unionized workplaces for both employee and employer clients. She effectively negotiates employment and non-competition agreements, and advises and advocates regarding issues related to: severance packages, wrongful dismissals, constructive dismissals, workplace policies, employment standards, human rights compliance and claims, personal and psychological harassment and disabled employees.
Through her years of legal experience, Pamela has developed a passion for advocacy – in particular trial and appeal work. Though she is practical, and resolution orientated, where a fair resolution is not available, she is a formidable advocate with a proven track record of litigating difficult wrongful dismissal cases both at the trial level and appeal level for both employees and employers. In representing clients in any litigation process, she is a natural advocate who brings passion and effective communication together with the goal of ensuring her client’s position is not only heard, but truly understood.
Pamela has appeared before the Ontario Small Claims Court, Superior Court of Justice, Divisional Court, the Ontario Court of Appeal and the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario. She also has a breadth of experience in handling Ministry of Labour complaints, Canadian Labour Board unjust dismissal claims, and Canadian Human Rights Commission applications.
Pamela also brings to her practice experience in corporate tax law, commercial law, intellectual property law and information technology law from her early days as an associate lawyer at a national law firm in Toronto, and as in-house legal counsel at a major technology company in Waterloo.
Advising Businesses
Pamela has become a trusted legal advisor to many small to midsize local businesses. She enjoys partnering with entrepreneurs to strategically manage legal issues that arise with their employees. Pamela continues to develop a keen understanding of the many challenges small to midsize businesses face through her career experience, non-profit board experience and her personal experience in business management both as a partner of Reist Krauss Bauer LLP, and in working with her husband in managing his local business, Berlin Contracting Inc.
When advising employers on strategy and resolution of tough legal issues Pamela’s diverse legal experience and business experience is an asset. Pamela truly appreciates the importance of creating and maintaining healthy workplaces, the high cost of employee turnover, the complexities of employee compensation, the importance of adequately protecting intellectual property and confidential information, the criticality of tax considerations in any transaction and the impact rapid advancement in software and technology is having on the workplace and on business.
Background
Before her career in law, Pamela grew up in Southern Saskatchewan in the rural farming community of Assiniboia. After graduating high school, she relocated to London, Ontario where she completed both her Bachelor of Sciences degree and Bachelor of Laws degree at the University of Western Ontario.
When she began law school, Pamela was focused on becoming a Patent Agent so she could specialize in drafting and defending biotechnology patents. However, her career path led her to the tri-city of Kitchener-Waterloo-Cambridge, Ontario where she was inspired by one of her current partners, Melanie Reist, to pursue a litigation practice and specifically, an employment law practice, in which Pamela has found her true calling.
Community Involvement
Pamela currently sits on the Board of Directors for the Ontario Bar Association representing the Central South judicial region. In her role she acts as an ambassador for the OBA and liaison from the Central South judicial region to help the organization identify issues and opportunities in the region and provide advice to the OBA Board on how to address them. She has previously served as a Board Trustee of the Waterloo Law Association and chaired the Mental Health Committee which is mandated with increasing awareness and resources regarding mental health within the Waterloo Wellington Bar. She has also served as a director, Vice Chair, and Chair of the Board of Directors for the Kitchener Waterloo Alzheimer’s Society and the Waterloo Wellington Alzheimer Society.
Pamela also enjoys educational opportunities to share her knowledge of employment law with colleagues and students. She has been a Guest Instructor for legal courses both at Wilfrid Laurier University and Trios College and has been a speaker or participating panelist at various events hosted by the Waterloo Wellington Law Association, Law Society of Ontario and Grand Valley Chapter of the Human Resources Professional Association.
Get in Touch
(519) 576-5351
