Katherine Mather Email & Phone Number

Koskie Minsky is acknowledged as one of Canada's pre-eminent firms in the areas of Trade Union Labour Law, Employment Law, Civil and Commercial Litigation, Pension & Benefits and Class Actions, Law Firm size: Approximately 60 lawyers, 90 support staffKey Accomplishments:Streamlined Benefits AdministrationImplemented and automated a Time and Attendance and HRIS system.Conducted the first-ever D&I survey and rolled out initiatives based on employee feedback.Built the first-ever Claims Team within the Class Actions Department at the Firm.Implemented and administered a Defined Benefit Pension Plan through CAAT.Conducted a Work Allocation survey leading to the hiring of the Firm's first Billing Clerk.Recruited and onboarded the inaugural Director of PD, establishing a new focus on student and associate lawyer growth.Created an HR page on the Firm's intranet to provide enhanced self-service resources for firm members.Collective Bargaining: Engaged in negotiations for the student collective agreement, facilitating positive outcomes that reflect the needs of both the Firm and students.

Toronto, Canada Area

$2.4 billion Global Law Firm; Leader of HR for the Toronto office with a clientele of 80 lawyers & 75 staff.Created and led an onboarding strategy for 14 leading Corporate & Securities lawyers with a $10 million book of business, achieving 100% retention within the first year.Streamlined the payroll system to a more efficient operating platform.Facilitated local and regional training on the Development Framework representing the first office in the North American Region to implement the competency-based tool.Developed and rolled out a Tuition Reimbursement Program.Handled complex, staff to lawyer level employee relations cases, leaves of absences, workplace investigations, terminations, and immigration matters.Streamlined and developed strategies to proactively attract and recruit top talent within the legal market; collaborated with Financial Controller to turn the billing staff into a high performing team resulting in less than 10% turnover over a 2-year span; and mentored, trained, and coached the HR Coordinator, availing a promotion to a HR Manager.Championed a new management strategy after uncovering questionable practices through investigative audits.Developed, planned and communicated Ontario legislative changes (Health & Safety, AODA).Overhauled the employee handbook.

$500+ Billion Global Hedge Fund Administrator; Client group of 270, in the Fund Services Division.Key accomplishments:Coached and mentored leadership teams in the Fund Services Business Units, aligning HR practices with business objectives to enhance operational effectiveness.Developed a recruitment strategy that ensured a better cultural fit, resulting in a dramatic improvement in the quality of candidates and reducing costs and time to fill positions by 50%.Effectively managed the long-term disability claims process, successfully reintegrating employees back into the workplace.Collaborated on local and regional projects.Played a key role in the historical company-wide global downsizing in Fall 2008, providing support and guidance throughout the process.Planned and executed various organizational change initiatives to improve performance and employee development (Global Competency Framework and SMART Goals initiative)Created monthly PowerPoint presentations to educate all staff on HR policies and programs.Recruited difficult-to-fill positions in a highly competitive environment, filling approximately 100 positions in six months while reducing recruitment costs by 50% through an effective internal referral program.

$4 billion US Credit Card Company; Client group of 400, entry level to VP in Collections across three sites.HR Business Partner 2004 - 2007Provided strategic HR guidance and mentorship to Vice Presidents and their teams, overseeing 400 employees in Collections Units across three Ontario sites. Played a key role in organizational change initiatives, leading to a 10% reduction in employee attrition rates. Designed and implemented a Flexible Benefit program, effectively lowering overall operating costs while enhancing employee satisfaction. Focused on key HR areas, including employee relations, workforce planning, talent management, total rewards, and recognition programs.Recruiter 2002 - 2004Successfully recruited classes of collectors and customer service representatives, as well as specialized roles across various levels. Achieved a 20% reduction in attrition rates for specific portfolios through targeted recruitment strategies. Provided mentoring, coaching, and guidance to Managers and Vice Presidents, collaborating on strategic retention initiatives to enhance employee engagement and stability.Coordinator 2001 - 2002Transformed the HR department into a proactive first point of contact, streamlining issue management and enhancing the overall HR environment. Fostered a cohesive team dynamic, improving collaboration and service delivery within the HR function. Supervised, trained, and coached temporary staff, ensuring they were equipped to contribute effectively to HR initiatives.

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