Sara Forte

Tel. (604) 525-4363
Fax. (604) 688-0933
E-mail

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.

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.