Rebecca Thompson

Rebecca practices labour, employment, and human rights law.  She joined Chivers Carpenter in 2024 after spending close to a decade in-house at the Public Service Alliance of Canada and its component, the Union of Safety and Justice Employees.

Rebecca obtained a BSc in Biological Sciences and Psychology from the University of Alberta, spent several years working in various roles – mostly involving aquatics – in Alberta and the Northwest Territories, before attending law school at Dalhousie University.  While at Dal Law, she was active in the Law Students’ Society, captained the intramural innertube water polo team (the L’Eagles), competed in the Canadian Labour Arbitration Moot, and was awarded the Lorne O’Clarke Prize in Dispute Resolution.  She recently completed her course work for her Masters of Law at Osgoode, in Labour Relations and Employment Law.

After articling at a union-side labour firm in Ottawa, where they represented both provincially- and federally-regulated employees, Rebecca returned to her hometown of Leduc for two years, practicing family law, employment law, and other civil litigation, appearing at all levels of court in Alberta, the Alberta Human Rights Tribunal, and the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal.

At PSAC in Yellowknife, Rebecca represented union members from all levels of government in the North, as well as members at a diamond mine, forestry company, and airlines.  She conducted numerous arbitrations, mediations, and hearings before the Yukon Public Service Labour Relations Board and the Federal Public Service Labour Relations and Employment Board.  At USJE, Rebecca led the Labour Relations department and advocated on a national scale for the interests of union members, including drafting legislative amendments aimed to provide presumptive injury coverage for psychological harm for public safety personnel across Canada, and coordinated USJE’s essential services and strike protocols during the 2023 Treasury Board Strike.

Rebecca comes from a family of strong union activists, coaches, and community builders.

When she’s not at work, you can usually find Rebecca curled up with a good book, watching a movie, or taking photos of interesting scenery.  She’s an avid football and hockey fan, trivia afficionado, and she very much enjoys spoiling her niece, nephew, and her parents’ dog.

Professional Accreditations

• Called to the Bar of Ontario: June 2012
• Called to the Bar of Alberta: December 2012

Education

• LLM – Labour Relations and Employment Law, Osgoode Professional Development, 2024 (Pending)
• JD – Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University, 2011
• BSc – Major: Biological Sciences, Minor: Psychology (Arts)– University of Alberta, 2004