DAVID GELLES

I was drawn to law after spending four years working at a busy downtown Toronto restaurant. While it was a fun job, it was also eye opening. I was privy to the many issues employees faced in that line of work, as well as the challenges the restaurant faced in a highly competitive and difficult industry. The convergence of employees’ rights and the business’ interests, and the need to balance these, led me to apply to law school. I believed that as a lawyer, I would find rewarding work giving advice to clients that would enable them to solve their workplace matters effectively and efficiently.

I was called to the bar in June of 2022. I completed the Law Practice Program (LPP) at one of Ontario’s largest community legal clinics. Following my call to the bar, I began working at the same clinic as a lawyer. My practice there involved dealing with employment matters for employees in vulnerable positions – I often dealt with cases addressing workplace harassment and human rights violations in the employment law context. Having successfully resolved these kinds of files largely on my own, as a first year call, I began looking for my next challenge. I joined Rudner Law because I want to take on more complex files, for both employers and employees. I believe that knowing the ins and outs of both sides allows me to give better employment law advice.

I obtained my undergraduate degree from the University of Toronto, where I graduated with a double major in History and Political Science. I went to law school at McGill University and graduated with a Bachelor of Civil Law and a Juris Doctor (JD). I also completed a minor in Italian.

Outside the law, my biggest interests are reading, fitness, and exploring Toronto’s restaurants. Having grown up in Venezuela, with Spanish as my first language, I’m also an avid fan of learning new languages. I’m currently working on my fifth language (Hebrew).