Suzanne M. Porteous, partner at Burnet, Duckworth & Palmer LLP, is a senior employment and business lawyer with extensive experience advising employers on workplace and people‑management issues across a wide range of industries. Her practice focuses on employment and labour matters, employment‑related litigation, and strategic business advice in the context of mergers, acquisitions, reorganizations, and day‑to‑day operations. Suzanne regularly assists clients with termination and layoff strategies, drafting employment and independent contractor agreements, executive compensation and incentive plans, restrictive covenants, workplace policies, and investigations.
Suzanne is also a skilled advocate who represents employers in employment‑related litigation, human rights proceedings, and workplace disputes. Her strong commercial background and business‑minded approach enable her to deliver practical, strategic advice aligned with her clients’ broader commercial objectives.
Wrongful Termination of Services Agreement – Representing a private company in a multi‑million‑dollar action against a municipality for wrongful termination of a services agreement grounded in the duty of honest performance and good faith obligations.
Legal Advisor to Employers in Mergers, Acquisitions and Divestitures – Legal advisor to employers in both private and public sectors in the context of M&A transactions, providing due diligence and drafting/negotiating termination, employment, restrictive covenant, incentive plan, retention, and change‑of‑control agreements.
Legal counsel to employers in the private and public sectors – Counsel regarding employee disability claims, performance management issues, workplace investigations, terminations and severance negotiations, and OHS matters.
Legal Advisor on Workforce Integration – Strategic advisor on workforce combinations and integrations following mergers and acquisitions, collaborating with union and non‑union groups to facilitate consolidation.
- Employment Counsel to Midstream Energy Company – Employment counsel for a midstream energy company on employment agreements, terminations, workplace policies, and human rights matters.
- Commercial
- Commercial and transactions
- Commercial disputes
- Dispute resolution
- Government and regulatory
- Insurance
- Labor and employment
- Construction and materials
- Energy
- Financial services
- Government and public policy
- Industrials
- Oil and gas
- Technology and telecommunications
- Bachelor of Laws, University of Alberta, 1998
- Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in Mathematics, University of Alberta, 1994
- Law Society of Alberta
- Canadian Bar Association
- Calgary Bar Association
- Alberta, 1999