She has led firm’s employment and labour practice group in the province
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP has announced the appointment of Birch Miller – who has focused on employment, privacy, and cybersecurity law across her over two decades of experience – as managing partner of the firm’s Calgary office.
In its news release, Blakes said Miller will bring her collaborative leadership style and client-first approach to her new position. She also serves as the firm’s practice group leader for employment and labour in Calgary.
“Birch’s deep knowledge of the Western Canadian market and her unwavering commitment to client service make her an ideal choice to lead our Calgary office,” said Bryson Stokes, firm managing partner, in the news release.
Miller’s biography on the firm’s website provided more information on her professional and educational background.
Her employment practice includes providing advice on workplace issues such as recruiting, hiring, discipline, terminations, employment and labour standards, human rights, disability, benefits, and alcohol and drug testing.
Miller also helps clients draft and review employment and privacy-related documents, including employment and independent contractor agreements, confidentiality agreements, non-competition and non-solicitation agreements, and workplace policies and handbooks.
She also deals with litigation, tribunal proceedings, and arbitrations involving wrongful dismissal, employment and labour standards, provincial and federal privacy commission, and human rights commission matters.
In her privacy and cybersecurity practices, Miller assists private and public sector organizations with compliance, policies, training, complaints, and investigations regarding the collection, use, and disclosure of personal, health, sensitive, and technological information.
She also helps clients apply provincial and federal privacy and anti-spam legislation, develop and implement strategies to minimize cyber threats and data breaches, and respond to data breaches and other cybersecurity incidents.
Miller’s transactional work includes advising on the privacy, cybersecurity, labour, and employment aspects of mergers and acquisitions.
“She is highly respected within the Firm and across the legal community, and we look forward to her continued perspective and contributions in this new role,” Stokes said in the firm’s news release.
Birch K. N. Miller has been a board member of the Canadian Association of Counsel to Employers, chair of the Canadian Bar Association’s Alberta privacy and access section, and Canadian advisory board member to the International Association of Privacy Professionals.
She has also been a director of the Canadian Association of Counsel to Employers and a member of the Canadian Human Rights Reporter’s advisory legal panel, according to her firm bio.
As a volunteer in the area of domestic violence, Miller has served as a director of the Discovery House Family Violence Prevention Society and offered pro bono legal services to organizations focusing on domestic violence causes.
She has been a speaker on cybersecurity, privacy and workplace law topics. She joined the Alberta bar in 2004. She earned her LLB from the University of Saskatchewan in 2003 and her BA from the University of Victoria in 1999.
