Lawyer Profiles

Bruce Sevigny - Partner at Sevigny-Dupuis

D. Bruce Sevigny

Partner

Bruce Sevigny is a recognized leader in the Ontario labour and employment law field, having practised exclusively in this area for more than twenty-five years.

Bruce Sevigny - Awards

Bruce regularly advises both employer and employee clients on a wide range of labour and employment law issues, including wrongful dismissal litigation, employment contract issues, federal and provincial labour board proceedings (including union certification and decertification applications), human rights complaints, labour arbitration proceedings and collective agreement negotiations. Bruce has appeared as lead counsel in labour and employment disputes before all levels of courts in Ontario, the Federal Court and Federal Court of Appeal, Ontario Labour Relations Board, Canada Industrial Relations Board, Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario and private boards of arbitration. More than 120 of Bruce’s cases have been reported on CanLII.

Bruce graduated from Queen’s University Law School in 1990, following undergraduate studies at Carleton University, where he played varsity football for the nationally-ranked Carleton Ravens. Bruce was called to the Ontario Bar in 1992, and he founded his first boutique labour and employment law firm in January, 2001, following a ten-year professional relationship with one of Ottawa’s leading law firms. In 2006, Bruce co-founded Sevigny Westdal LLP with partner John Westdal, and in 2019 he co-founded Sevigny Dupuis LLP with partner Marie-France Dupuis.

Throughout his career, Bruce has been active as a sessional lecturer at both Carleton University and the Ontario Bar Admission Course, and he is a frequent speaker on a variety of labour and employment law issues.

Marie-France Dupuis - Partner at Sevigny-Dupuis

Marie-France Dupuis

Partner

Marie-France Dupuis and Bruce Sevigny founded Sevigny Dupuis in January 2019, after having worked closely together for many years at Sevigny Westdal LLP.

Marie regularly acts for both employers and employees, in all areas of labour and employment law. She has been engaged exclusively in this field since 2012 and as such, has gained a detailed understanding of the unique complexities that arise in relation to workplace disputes.

Marie has had occasion to appear as counsel in labour and employment disputes before the Ontario Superior Court, the Divisional Court, the Ontario Labour Relations Board, the Federal Court of Appeal, the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal, as well as before private boards of arbitration. Marie also has experience conducting independent workplace investigations on behalf of employers faced with complaints.

Fluently bilingual in both official languages, Marie graduated Cum Laude from the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law in 2010, following the completion of her undergraduate degree in English Literature (Magna Cum Laude) at the University of Ottawa in 2007.

Since she established herself in Ottawa, Marie has become actively involved in the community, including as a member and past President of the Board of Directors of Geriatric Psychiatry Community Services of Ottawa, as the Chair of the Law Day Fun Run/Walk, as a volunteer for the Ontario Bar Association’s Mock Trial Program, and also as a mentor in the University of Ottawa’s Women’s Legal Mentorship Program.

In her spare time, when she isn’t trying to keep up with her two young daughters, Marie enjoys playing basketball, running and travelling.

Amelia Cooke - Lawyer at Sevigny-Dupuis

Amelia Cooke

Lawyer

Amelia joined Sevigny Dupuis as an associate lawyer in January 2020. Since her call to the Ontario Bar in 2016, Amelia has practiced exclusively in the areas of labour and employment law.

She regularly advises both employers and employees on a wide range of workplace issues and has represented clients in labour and employment matters before the Ontario Superior Court, the Divisional Court, the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal, and the Ontario Labour Relations Board. Amelia also conducts workplace investigations as part of her practice, including those related to harassment, bullying, and discrimination in the workplace.

Amelia grew up in Rockland, Ontario and studied English Literature at Carleton University before she attended Dalhousie University’s Schulich School of Law. During law school, Amelia spent a semester working at Dalhousie’s Legal Aid Clinic, where she represented clients in a variety of legal disputes and was awarded honours by clinic supervisors for her exceptional work.

After she graduated from Dalhousie in 2015 and was called to the Ontario Bar in 2016, Amelia practiced law for several years at a boutique labour and employment firm in Toronto, Ontario before she moved back to the Ottawa area to join Sevigny Dupuis.

Amelia enjoys listening to podcasts and audiobooks during her commute and is always looking for recommendations. She likes to spend her free time outdoors and can be found camping, hiking, biking, or cross-country skiing when the weather cooperates.

Walter Langley - Lawyer at Sevigny-Dupuis

Walter T. (Wally) Langley

Lawyer

Wally is a respected veteran of the courts, with more than forty-five years of experience in employment law, labour relations matters, and commercial litigation.

He was educated at the University of New Brunswick, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1969, and a Bachelor of Laws in 1971. Called to the Bar of Ontario in 1973, he worked with a leading medium-sized law firm in Ottawa until 2004, when he co-founded his own firm, Parnega Langley LLP, with Brian Parnega.

Since his call to the Bar in 1973, Wally has appeared extensively before the Ontario Labour Relations Board, the Canada Industrial Relations Board, arbitration tribunals and all levels of courts in the Province of Ontario, the Federal Court of Canada and the Supreme Court of Canada. He regularly provides advice and representation to both employer and employee clients in the areas of employment contract issues, wrongful dismissal claims, human rights complaints, and alternate dispute resolution of employment matters, as well as acting on behalf of both Plaintiffs and Defendants in commercial litigation matters.

Wally’s professional affiliations include the Law Society of Upper Canada, the Advocates’ Society of Ontario, the Canadian Bar Association and the County of Carleton Law Association. He served for several years as a Trustee of the County of Carleton Law Association and is a Past-President of that organization.

Community service affiliations include having served as President of the Better Business Bureau of Ottawa/Hull, on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Council of Better Business Bureaus, as Chairman of the Salvation Army Red Shield Campaign, Past President, and member of the Board of Directors of the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club, and as a member of the Kiwanis Club of Ottawa.

The game of golf is a passion for Wally, and he regularly fantasizes that he could have beaten Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods in head to head competition, if only he had the chance...

Noah Houlton - Lawyer at Sevigny-Dupuis

Noah Houlton

Lawyer

Noah joined Sevigny Dupuis as an associate lawyer in August 2021 after completing his articles and working exclusively in the areas of labour and employment law.

Fully bilingual, Noah has been involved in a wide array of employment, labour and human rights issues.

Born and raised in Ottawa, Noah graduated Cum Laude from the University of Ottawa with a Bachelor of Commerce in 2017 and from the French Common Law Program in 2020. Subsequently, Noah was called to the Ontario Bar in June 2021. During law school Noah gained significant practical experience, including through his work as an academic mentor, with in-house legal counsel in the private sector and at a boutique labour and employment law firm in Ottawa.

Noah enjoys physical activity and fishing. In his free time, Noah can be found playing sports, volunteering at the local track and field club or spending time with friends and family.

Support Staff

Jennifer Johnson - Office Manager at Sevigny Dupuis

Jennifer Johnson

Office Manager

Jennifer Johnson joined Sevigny Westdal, the predecessor to Sevigny Dupuis, in 2016 and has been an integral part of the team ever since.

Jennifer has had a variety of work experiences over the last 20 years, including working for Members of Ottawa City Council as an Executive Assistant and as an intermediate teacher with the Ottawa Carleton District School Board.

Jennifer is a strong supporter of amateur sport and has volunteered her time with many local clubs and organizations including: Ottawa National Diving Club, Minor hockey and Manotick Curling Club.

In her spare time, Jennifer enjoys attending sporting events with her family, and is a proud Redblacks season ticket holder.