Simon Blackstone

UPFH partner Simon Blackstone draws on strong strategic and tactical capabilities and extensive litigation experience to advance the interests of unions and union members with energy, skill and intellect.

Simon is a labour lawyer who represents unions, associations and individual workers before administrative tribunals in Ontario and across Canada. For clients in sectors including industrial, transit, education and entertainment, he regularly appears before arbitration boards, labour boards, human rights tribunals and professional discipline bodies. He also regularly supports clients in collective bargaining and the negotiation of contracts. As a litigator or advisor, he is a resourceful, dedicated advocate committed to helping working people overcome obstacles in the workplace and society at large.

Since 2002, when he was called to the bar, Simon’s practice has focused particularly on labour arbitration and labour board matters, encompassing industrial discipline, policy grievances, human rights violations and unfair labour practices. His record of success includes prevailing in highly challenging defences of workers. In a notable recent example, he succeeded in winning reinstatement of a bus operator despite a court conviction following the death of a pedestrian in a tragic accident. 

Simon came to the practice of law following a career as a political activist for progressive causes, elected officials and candidates for office. He pursued a career in law as an instrument to help strengthen the interests of working people and to achieve progressive political change.

Simon is a member of the Canadian Association of Labour Lawyers, the New Democratic Party and Spurs Toronto. He holds an LLB from Queen’s University, an MSc (Econ) in Comparative Politics from the London School of Economics and an Honours BA from McMaster University.