Mackenzie Irwin, Partner

Employers and employees often turn to Mackenzie at pivotal moments in the workplace. They choose her for practical, strategic advice and a clear focus on results.

Mackenzie’s practice focuses on employment and disability law, particularly where workplace issues intersect with a diagnosis, financial security, and family responsibilities. She advises employers seeking to meet their legal obligations and manage workplace challenges thoughtfully, as well as employees who need effective advocacy to protect their rights.

Mackenzie litigates when litigation is the right course. While she has an impressive litigation track record, she is equally proud of the practical settlements she negotiates discreetly, before a claim reaches the courtroom.

Mackenzie has developed particular expertise in parental leave and return-to-work matters. Drawing on both her legal experience and her perspective as a working mother, she advises employers on navigating accommodation, leave, and reintegration obligations, and helps employees address concerns that arise during pregnancy, parental leave, or their return to work. Her experience allows her to identify risks early and pursue solutions that are both practical and legally sound.

Before joining the partnership at Singh Lamarche LLP, Mackenzie practised on the management side at a global Bay Street law firm and spent six years at Canada’s largest employee-side firm. Having represented both employers and employees, she brings a valuable and balanced perspective to every matter, as she understands how each side assesses risk, develops strategy, and approaches resolution.

Mackenzie was a high-performance alpine ski racer who competed internationally for the Ontario Alpine Ski Team and later at the NCAA Division I level. Outside the office, she continues to pursue that competitive spirit, spending her winters racing in a house league aptly named the Going Downhill League. The courses are shorter and the stakes are lower, but she still takes the start gate far too seriously.