Dennis Ovsyannikov is an Associate at Zeilikman Law.
Dennis completed his training as a lawyer at a boutique civil and criminal litigation firm in the City of Toronto. He has also worked as an associate lawyer at a mid-size civil litigation firm in the City of Mississauga.
Education
Dennis obtained a B.A. (Honours) in History from York University (graduating with the highest honour) and a J.D. from the University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law.
Memberships & Affiliations
Dennis is a member of the Law Society of Ontario in good standing.
Areas of Practice
Dennis practices exclusively in the areas of employment law, labour law and professional discipline matters. He advocates on behalf of employers, employees and unions in a variety of work-related disputes such as wrongful dismissals, constructive dismissals, reprisals, potential violations of human rights, injunctions, disputes surrounding restrictive covenants, allegations of workplace bullying / harassment / toxic work environment, workplace investigations, duty of fair representation applications, workplace unionizations (including preparation of union constitutions and by-laws), workplace de-unionizations, unfair labour practice applications, union grievances, union arbitrations, and inter-union disputes.
Dennis has a particular interest in representing clients who face allegations of professional misconduct before self-governing professional regulatory bodies. Dennis successfully represented professionals in complex disciplinary proceedings before a variety of professional regulatory bodies including:
- College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO);
- College of Massage Therapists of Ontario (CMTO);
- College of Medical Laboratory Technologists of Ontario (CMLTO);
- Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO);
- College of Professional Accountants of Ontario (CPA Ontario); and
- Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO).
Dennis regularly advocates on behalf of clients during motions, hearings, settlement conferences, pre-trials and other court and tribunal matters before the Ontario Court of Justice, the Superior Court of Justice, the Small Claims Court, the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, the Social Benefits Tribunal of Ontario and the Ontario Labour Relations Board.
Dennis is a client-service and results-oriented professional. He excels in formal court and tribunal settings as well as during mediations and negotiations.
Publications and Features
Terminated employees should seek legal advice promptly. Originally published in Advocate Daily
Strike the right chord when starting a union. Originally published in Advocate Daily
Protect your reputation when facing misconduct charges. Originally published in Advocate Daily
Ovsyannikov practices the art of listening in client service. Originally published in Advocate Daily
Just-cause terminations can backfire without proper evidence. Originally published in Advocate Daily
Notable Cases
I.C.C. Property Management Ltd. V. Gonidis, 2023 ONSC 53. Successfully represented a former employee on a motion for a summary judgment. The employee, who had resigned his employment, was sued by his former employer for allegedly breaching restrictive covenants contained in the employment contract between the parties. In the course of the lawsuit, the former employer brought a motion for a summary judgment, however, the motion was dismissed with costs against the employer.
College of Nurses of Ontario v. Z.M., 2021. Successfully represented a nurse who was under investigation by the College of Nurses of Ontario (“CNO”) for alleged professional misconduct. The nurse faced extremely serious allegations (patient passed away while in nurse’s care). The allegations against the nurse included, but were not limited to, the following: provided inappropriate and/or inadequate care and treatment to the patient; failed to take appropriate action with respect to nursing colleagues’ application of restraints to patient; failed to document the application of restraints to patient; failed to appropriately observe and/or monitor the patient following the application of restraints; failed to appropriately assess and/or inadequately documented the ongoing need for restraints on the patient; failed to initiate appropriate interventions after finding the patient appeared to be deceased; after determining the patient was deceased the nurse failed to notify a manager that the patient was deceased; after determining the patient was deceased the nurse failed to appropriately document information about the patient’s death; the nurse provided inaccurate information to the facility in its investigation of the patient’s death; the nurse failed to inform the facility of the nurse’s inability to accept responsibility in areas where special training is required or where the nurse was not competent to function without supervision; the nurse failed to inform the facility of the nurse’s inability to accept responsibility with respect to the application of restraints to patients; the nurse verbally, physically or emotionally abused a patient when the nurse failed to take appropriate action with respect to colleagues’ application of restraints to the patient. After Dennis negotiated a resolution of all allegations with the CNO the nurse admitted all allegations and was assigned a penalty by the Discipline Committee of the CNO which included a reprimand, a suspension of 4 months and temporary conditions on license to practice nursing. The nurse’s license was not revoked and the nurse was able to continue her nursing career.
Burlington Cumberland Square Inc. v Luck, CV-14-514563. Endorsement of Master Muir dated December 10, 2015. The Plaintiff initiated an action against the Defendant but the Defendant failed to serve a statement of defence. The Plaintiff proceeded to note the Defendant in default and obtained a default judgment in favour of the Plaintiff, thereafter the Defendant retained the services of Zeilikman Law. P.C., Dennis prepared the necessary court materials and brought a motion on behalf of the Defendant to set aside the noting in default and the default judgment. Dennis succeeded in convincing the Superior Court of Justice to set aside the noting in default and the default judgment, no costs were awarded against the Defendant despite the Defendant’s initial failure to prepare a statement of defence.
Privatized Transit Union v Miller Transit Limited OLRB Case No: 2092-14-R. Successfully represented a grassroots union in its certification process before the Ontario Labour Relations Board and the removal of a large incumbent union.College of Nurses of Ontario v. T.T., 2019. Successfully represented a nurse who was under investigation by the College of Nurses of Ontario (“CNO”) for alleged professional misconduct. The nurse was accused by her employer of altering important employment information. After Dennis prepared a response to the serious allegations on behalf of the nurse a Panel of the Inquiries, Reports and Complaints Committee of the CNO determined that the complaint should not proceed to a disciplinary hearing and closed the matter.
College of Massage Therapists of Ontario v. A.D., 2019. Successfully represented a registered massage therapist who was under investigation by the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario (“CMTO”). The massage therapist was accused by the massage therapist’s patient of performing an adjustment (which is outside the scope of practice of a massage therapist). The massage therapist had a history of prior professional misconduct. After Dennis prepared a response to the serious allegations on behalf of the massage therapist a Panel of the Inquiries, Reports and Complaints Committee of the CMTO determined that the complaint should not proceed to a disciplinary hearing and closed the matter.
Style Construction v 1875790 Ontario Ltd., 2020 ONSC 538. The Plaintiff brought a motion for summary judgment against the Defendants. Dennis prepared responding motion materials on behalf of the Defendants, upon review of the responding motion materials the Plaintiff decided to abandon its motion for summary judgment. Dennis successfully argued before the Superior Court of Justice that the Plaintiff must pay the Defendants legal costs based on the Plaintiff’s decision to abandon its motion for summary judgment. The presiding Judge awarded legal costs of the motion to the Defendants.
F.F. v Barapp Law Firm Professional Corporation, 2018. The Plaintiff alleged that she was wrongfully dismissed by her former employer and initiated a court action. The Defendant employer failed to comply with court orders issued in the course of the court proceeding, Dennis brought a motion on behalf of the Plaintiff to find the Defendant in contempt of court. The Defendant complied with court orders and the presiding Judge awarded legal costs of the motion to the Plaintiff.
United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, Local 397, Applicant v Execway Construction Limited, Responding Party, Construction Grievance, 2014, OLRB Case No: 2091-14-G. Based on a referral of a grievance to the Ontario Labour Relations Board (“OLRB”) for a determination the Board issued a default decision in favour of the Applicant. Dennis successfully represented the Respondent by filing a request to the OLRB for a reconsideration of its default decision. The OLRB granted the Respondent’s request for reconsideration and revoked its default decision.
