Sara Forte
Sara works with her clients to resolve workplace legal disputes,
providing professional, timely, and practical advice.
Sara advises both employees and employers on all aspects of
employment law, from hiring or accepting employment offers and
preparing or negotiating employment contracts, to termination of
employment, including preparing, reviewing and negotiating
severance packages. Sara also advises on workplace human rights
matters and labour relations issues arising out of collective
agreements, and conducts workplace investigations and training.
Since her call to the bar in 2004, Sara has practiced in the
area of labour and employment law and has appeared on behalf of
clients in various forums, including in British Columbia
Provincial Court, British Columbia Supreme Court, the Employment
Standards Branch, the Labour Relations Board and the British
Columbia Human Rights Tribunal. Sara has also written a number
of articles on labour and employment law subjects, including
co-authoring the Continuing Legal Education Annual Review
Employment Law Chapter for 2004 and 2007.
Following completion of her law degree at Queen's University in
Kingston, Ontario in 2003, Sara decided to leave 'true' Canadian
winters behind and return to the West Coast. Sara joined the
Vancouver office of a major national law firm for her student
articles and then, following her call to the bar, continued on
as an associate lawyer in the labour and employment group until
January 2010, when she joined Hamilton Howell Bain & Gould.
In advising her clients, Sara draws upon her life before law
including a Bachelor of Business Administration with a joint
major in Psychology from Simon Fraser University, as well as
varied work experience in the retail, banking, not-for-profit
and public sectors, and as a human resources professional. Sara
has also developed well-honed negotiation and conflict
resolution skills as a mother of two preschool-aged children.
When she has time, Sara enjoys running, and completed her first
half marathon in June 2008.