x

Background Mode:

photo of Nicola Simmons

Education

  • Called to the Ontario Bar in 2006
  • Bachelor of Laws, Osgoode Hall Law School
  • Bachelor of Arts (Honours), University of Western Ontario

Professional Memberships

  • Ontario Bar Association – Past Member of Executive Committees of Constitutional, Civil Liberties and Human
  • Rights Section (Past Chair 2020-2021) and Education Law Section
  • Canadian Bar Association
  • The Advocates’ Society

Nicola Simmons

Partner

(416) 367-7694
nsimmons@keelcottrelle.ca
vCard

QR Code for Nicola Simmons's Contact Details

Nicola has a broad administrative law and advocacy practice, which includes human rights, human resources , privacy, civil litigation, and commercial disputes. She also provides counsel in respect of a variety of legal issues specific to the education sector, including student discipline, special education, family law issues, and school board governance. 

Nicola has appeared before various levels of court in Ontario, and has represented clients and appeared before a variety of administrative tribunals, including the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, the Child and Family Services Review Board, the Special Education Tribunal, the Ontario College of Teachers, the Information and Privacy Commissioner, the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (formerly the Ontario Municipal Board), as well as commercial arbitrators.

Nicola is a contributing author to the book, Education Law, 5th Edition (Brown, Zuker, Simmons & Keel, Thomson Reuters 2019), co-authored the Annual Review of Education Law of the Education and Law Journal 2015-2018, and is an editor of the Firm’s newsletters. She is a frequent presenter at the Ontario Bar Association and Osgoode Continuing Professional Development Centre, where she is a member of the faculty of the Education Law Certificate Program and co-chairs multiple programs. Nicola also frequently provides professional development for client groups. Nicola is the past Chair (2020-2021) of the Constitutional, Civil Liberties and Human Rights Section of the Ontario Bar Association and a past member of the executive of the Education Law Section.

I am a strong advocate for our clients. I use a problem-solving approach to achieve positive, innovative and practical solutions to address legal issues that are often very complex.

Select Publications, Presentations & Media

Select recent presentations include: 

  • Co-instructor, University of Guelph and Ontario Association of School Business Officials, Certificate in Pupil Transportation Management Program: Contract Management Course (July 2016, July 2020, November 2022)
  • Co-Chair of Osgoode Professional Development Programs:
    • School Law for K-12 Education Professionals, (2020-present)
    • Legal Guide to Special Education Law and Advanced Issues in Special Education Law (2020-present)
    • Human Resources for Education Professionals (2019, 2020)
  • Presenter and co-Presenter at Osgoode Professional Development, including the following:
    • Statutory Framework and Education Act Primer (2021, 2022, 2023)
    • Applying the Mitigating Factors (2022, 2023)
    • Human Resources Law for Education Professionals (2021)
    • Student Discipline (2020)
    • Medical Cannabis in Schools (2018, 2019)
    • Tips and Best Practices to Conduct an Investigation (2016)
    • Child Protection Services and School Boards (2016, 2017, 2018)
    • Understanding the Latest on Privacy Rights and Obligations for School Boards (2016)
    • Anaphylaxis: Current Issues and Legal Obligations (2015)
  • Ontario Bar Association
    • Co-Chair, 19th Annual Charter Conference, and Moderator of Panel: Indigenous Peoples and the Charter (2020)
    • Co-Chair, Top Legal Issues for Education Workers in the Fall of 2020 (2020)
    • Co-Chair, 17th Annual Charter Conference, and Moderator of Panel: Making Sense of the Latest Developments in Freedom of Religion (2018)
    • Chair, Key Charter and Human Rights Developments in Education Law (2018)
    • Chair, Key Charter and Human Rights Developments in Education Law (2018)
    • Co-Chair, Human Rights Law in the Provision of Services (2017)
  • Panelist, Case Law Highlights - OPSBA Education Labour Relations and Human Resources Symposium (2017)
  • Co-presenter, Student Mental Health Issues in the School System: Legal Implications, Canadian Safe Schools Network Conference (2014) 

Nicola also regularly presents to School Board and associated clients in respect of Trustee Orientation, Student Discipline for Trustees, Student Discipline for Discipline Committees, Identifying Legal Issues, Family Law Issues in Schools, Human Rights, and other matters. Nicola also presents to provincial associations, including ECCODE, PCODE, and OASBO.

Publications

Contributing Author: Brown, Zuker, Simmons and Keel, Education Law, 5th Ed. (Thomson Reuters, 2019)

Contributing Editor:

  • KC LLP Education Law Newsletter
  • KC LLP Human Resources Newsletter

Contributor, Education and Law Journal - Annual Review of Education Law (Carswell) (2015-2018)

Show More