Central West (Mississauga) - HYBRID AI, HR and the Law: Frameworks, Responsibilities and Compliance Strategies


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Date and Time:

Starts: 03/31/2026 8:00 AM

Ends: 03/31/2026 12:00 PM

Registration Closes:03/20/2026 8:00 AM

Event Type: Professional Development

3 CPD Hour(s)

Location:
Hilton Garden Inn Toronto Airport West/Mississauga 1870 Matheson Blvd., Mississauga, ON

Price:

HRPA Members: Free

Non-Members:
IN-PERSON: $75 + tax

Non-Members:
VIRTUAL: $35 + tax

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Additional Information

**ZOOM STARTS AT 8:45am**

THIS EVENT WILL NOT BE RECORDED.
REMINDER! Our cancellation policy has changed. Click here for more information.

NEW! Chapter Connectors Program - To foster connection, support, and engagement within the HRPA community, we wish to pair in-person event attendees with experienced member "Connectors".

NEW! Ad-hoc Volunteer Opportunities - Interested in helping as a greeter, registration desk helper, speaker support and/or runner at an upcoming in-person Chapter event.

For both of the above opportunities, please click on the link during registration and you will also need to login to Communities to Volunteer with HRPA and complete the application form. Thank you for volunteering to help!

Event Sponsor

AI, HR and the Law is a concise two-part program that helps HR and organizational leaders use AI responsibly and in compliance with emerging legal and ethical requirements. The sessions provide practical guidance on managing risk, understanding legal obligations, and implementing policies and governance frameworks that support ethical, transparent, and compliant AI use in the workplace.

Session 1: Responsible AI in the Workplace: From HR Practice to Governance and Compliance  - Gayle Wadden, Lawyer, Compliance Works & Wendy Alderdice, OutPerform HR Consulting

This session will equip HR leaders and professionals with practical strategies to harness artificial intelligence responsibly while meeting emerging legal, ethical, and organizational expectations.

Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping HR, from recruitment and performance management to employee engagement and workplace analytics. As adoption accelerates, organizations face heightened risks related to bias and discrimination, privacy and data security, transparency, and regulatory compliance, alongside cultural challenges such as trust, psychological safety, and change fatigue. This session explores how HR can lead in building “responsible AI” workplaces that unlock value while protecting employees, safeguarding the organization, and reinforcing an ethical culture.

Participants will examine real-world HR use cases where AI adds value, contrasted against high‑risk applications that require stronger guardrails, impact assessments, and oversight. The session connects these use cases to applicable Canadian and Ontario legal requirements touching AI in the workplace, including privacy, human rights and anti‑discrimination obligations, transparency expectations, and emerging AI governance frameworks and directives. 

The session will focus on these key issues:

1. Understanding when and how to use AI

2. Creating and promoting a culture that supports and promotes responsible AI use.

3. Implementing AI use policies.

Learning Objectives:

  • Attendees will learn how to think critically about the use and application of AI in the workplace.
  • Attendees will learn about the legal implications of AI and will be prepared to identify legal issues related to the use of AI.
  • Attendees will understand how AI can be safely leveraged in the workplace, including learning about the need for appropriate policies and AI governanc

Session 2: Building Ethical and Compliant AI Workplaces: Regulatory framework and Governance Insights - Lisa Stam, Lawyer, SpringLaw & Jeff Adams, Lawyer, AI Portfolio Lead, SpringLaw

AI Compliance & Governance explores the rapidly evolving legal, ethical, and operational obligations organizations face as they adopt artificial intelligence tools. This session introduces the core principles of responsible AI use, highlights emerging regulatory frameworks, and provides practical guidance for building internal governance structures that mitigate risk while enabling innovation.

Artificial intelligence is transforming how organizations operate—but with that transformation comes a complex and quickly developing compliance landscape. AI Compliance & Governance is designed to equip leaders, legal professionals, HR teams, and operational decision-makers with a clear understanding of the obligations and risks associated with AI adoption.

This session provides a comprehensive walk-through of both current and emerging regulatory frameworks, including privacy laws, employment-related AI restrictions, sector-specific standards, and upcoming national and international AI legislation. Participants will learn how to evaluate AI systems for transparency, fairness, and data protection, and how to embed responsible-use principles into organizational policies and workflows.

Beyond legal requirements, the session focuses on practical governance strategies, such as creating internal AI policies, establishing risk-assessment and approval processes, implementing human oversight protocols, and ensuring vendor and third-party tools meet compliance expectations. Real-world case studies and examples highlight common pitfalls, enforcement trends, and successful governance models.

Attendees will leave with actionable insights and tools to help their organizations deploy AI with confidence—balancing innovation with accountability, safety, and legal compliance.

  • Identify Legal and Regulatory Obligations Related to AI Use - Participants will be able to recognize the key legal, ethical, and regulatory requirements governing organizational use of AI—including privacy obligations, employment-related restrictions, discrimination risks, and emerging provincial, federal, and international standards—to ensure compliant and responsible deployment of AI tools.
  • Assess AI-Related Risks Through a Governance and Accountability Lens - Participants will learn to evaluate AI systems for transparency, fairness, data protection, and bias risks, and to apply structured governance frameworks (such as risk assessments, human oversight protocols, and vendor due-diligence processes) aligned with professional and regulatory expectations for accountability.
  • Implement Practical Policies, Controls, and Best Practices for Responsible AI Use - Participants will be able to develop and operationalize internal AI policies, compliance controls, staff guidance, and monitoring practices that support lawful, ethical, and defensible use of AI technologies in legal and workplace settings, consistent with the LSO’s expectations for professional competence and risk management.

AGENDA

8:00am-8:45am        Breakfast

**ZOOM STARTS HERE**

8:45am-10:15am       Responsible AI in the Workplace: From HR Practice to Governance and Compliance  - Gayle Wadden, Lawyer, Compliance Works & Wendy Alderdice, OutPerform HR Consulting
10:15am-10:25am     Break
10:25am-11:55am     Building Ethical and Compliant AI Workplaces: Regulatory framework and Governance Insights - Lisa Stam, Lawyer, SpringLaw & Jeff Adams, Lawyer, AI Portfolio Lead, SpringLaw
11:55pm-noon           Wrap up

Registration Difficulties or Questions: Please reach out to Tracey Gallacher, Specialist, Member Engagement

Speaker bio(s)
Gayle Wadden, Chief Legal Officer & Co-Founder

Gayle Wadden is the co‑founder and Chief Legal Officer of Compliance Works, a legal information platform that makes HR compliance fast, easy, and accessible for organizations of all sizes. A lawyer with more than 25 years of experience, she has focused her practice on corporate commercial litigation, legal research, and employment law, giving her a deep, practical understanding of how regulatory requirements play out in real workplaces. She holds an LLB and has built her career at the intersection of law, risk, and people management, helping employers and professionals navigate complex compliance challenges with clarity and confidence.​ Gayle is an experienced speaker who has presented at numerous conferences on employment law compliance, artificial intelligence, and the critical connection between workplace culture and compliance. She regularly delivers continuing professional development programs for lawyers and has obtained accreditation from the Law Society of Ontario for professionalism-focused programs, reflecting both the quality and relevance of her content. Through Compliance Works and her speaking engagements, Gayle equips HR and legal professionals with practical tools and insight to build compliant, ethical, and high-performing workplaces.

Wendy Alderdice, CHRP, CHRL, Owner, Principal Consultant

Wendy Alderdice is the founder of OutPerform HR Consulting and a senior human resources leader with more than 25 years of experience supporting organizations through growth, transformation, and complex people challenges. She has held senior corporate roles, including serving as CHRO, North America for the Socomec Group and in leadership positions at Deloitte, and has worked with clients across sectors such as financial services, manufacturing, professional services, non-profit, and government to align HR strategy with business goals. Wendy’s expertise spans HR strategy, succession planning, talent development and acquisition, organizational development, complex employee relations, and change management, with a reputation for delivering practical, human-centric solutions that balance business performance with employee experience.​ Wendy holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from Western University and a Master of Industrial Relations (MIR) from Queen’s University, is a Certified Human Resources Leader (CHRL), and is certified in EQ-i 2.0 and EQ 360 leadership assessment and coaching. She has taught HR management as a part-time professor, facilitated leadership development programs, and continues to give back through volunteer roles with Queen’s University and as a strategic HR advisor to the Oak Park Neighbourhood Centre in Oakville, Ontario.

Lisa Stam, Founder, Springlaw

Lisa Stam is the founder of Springlaw​, a virtual law firm advising exclusively on workplace legal issues for employers and executives. She practices all aspects of employment, labour, privacy, and human rights law, with a particular interest in legal issues arising from technology in the workplace. Lisa’s practice includes a wide range of entrepreneurs in the tech space, as well as global companies with smaller operations in Canada. In addition to the day to day workplace issues from hiring to firing, Lisa frequently blogs and speaks on both the impact, risks and opportunities of social media and technology issues in (and out of) the workplace, as well as the novel ways in which changing expectations of privacy continues to evolve employment law. Lisa spent 3 years in union-side boutiques, 7 years at the global law firm Baker McKenzie advising global employers, was a co-founding partner of an employment law boutique in 2014, and launched Spring Law in 2017. She continues to represent both employers and executives. Lisa graduated from Dalhousie Law School, after completing an undergraduate degree in medieval history at the University of Toronto.

Jeff Adams

Jeff Adams specializes in labour, employment, and human rights law, advising employers, HR professionals, and corporate teams on a wide range of workplace issues, including litigation, negotiation, contract drafting, and compliance. His approach emphasizes practical, cost-effective strategies that foster healthy employee relations and effectively manage conflict. Jeff is fluent in both English and French and brings a unique background that spans sport, business, government, and law. As SpringLaw’s AI Portfolio Lead, Jeff explores and tests emerging legal tech and AI tools to enhance workflows, client service, and document automation. He plays a key role in shaping the firm’s strategic direction on tech adoption and innovation. Jeff’s career arc began as a Paralympic athlete with three gold medals in wheelchair racing (800m x 2,1500m). After retiring from competitive sport, he launched and led a medical device company as President and CEO before selling it in 2016 and pivoting to law. A graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School, Jeff is a member of the Order of Ontario and an inductee into the Canada Sports Hall of Fame. He is also a sought-after speaker on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, team dynamics, and workplace culture — often blending insights from his many professional chapters with stories from his glory days racing around tracks at top speed.