Legal services
Pamela Costanzo is a practising lawyer whose services are informed by her legal training.
She follows the principles of procedural fairness, and makes evidence-based findings and recommendations.
Mediation and conflict transformation
I help individuals in conflict repair relationships, and help teams build consensus regarding standards of workplace conduct.
Mediation is a voluntary, confidential process aimed at assisting parties to negotiate their own resolution to workplace conflict.
As a mediator, she helps individuals and teams:
- Engage in respectful dialogue to understand each others’ perspectives
- Decide how they want to work together
- Repair past harms
Mediation can take place in person or virtually, and can involve one session or several. Pamela has completed the Harvard Mediation Intensive program.
How mediation can help
Mediation is ideal for working through issues that fall below the thresholds set by harassment policies.
Many workplace conflicts may not meet the legal definitions of harassment, but may nonetheless cause strong feelings, lost productivity, and fractured relationships. If an investigation is unlikely to address the core issues underlying conflict, a mediation may be preferable.
Alternatively, investigations can sometimes leave workplaces in disarray. New information about relationships, perspectives and identities can surface during investigations, and may need to be addressed before people can work together harmoniously. Mediation can rebuild the post investigation workplace.
Investigation services
I conduct fair and transparent investigations, and provide practical recommendations and legal advice.
Investigations are primarily fact finding processes. Employers retain investigators when they need to find out what happened in a workplace.
Pamela collects and assesses evidence through interviews, document review, and research, to provide findings of fact related to allegations or complaints. She may also provide findings on whether a standard of conduct such as a policy has been breached. In some cases, it may be appropriate for her to provide legal advice and recommendations on next steps.
Not all investigations are alike. A historical sexual harassment investigation will look very different from a conflict between coworkers with common identities and work experiences. It is important to craft the process to meet the needs of the particular file by carefully defining the scope and deliverables from the beginning of the process.
Trauma-informed practice
Pamela has completed training at the Justice Institute on Trauma-Informed Investigations. She take steps to create safety, avoid re-traumatizing participants, and recognize the effects of trauma on participants. Trauma informed practice requires building trust with all participants. She welcomes questions from all participants, to ensure they understand her role and the process.
Training:
- Trauma-informed investigations (JIBC, CBABC, workplace training)
- Active listening (a component of the Harvard Mediation Intensive)
Pro bono services
Pamela provides pro bono services to non-profit organizations that want help with internal conflict or claims of discrimination or harassment.
Please contact Pamela to arrange a consultation about whether she would be a good fit for your needs.
Tools and resources
Visit Pamela’s resources page where you will find:
- Practical recommendations
- Legal terminology explained
- Support tools that prevent harassment and promote psychological safety
Am I in the right place?
I am an employer and conflict is seriously affecting my employees or productivity
I am an employer and suspect serious misconduct, such as sexual harassment or assault
I am a lawyer and I want to retain an investigator on behalf of my client
YES Pamela may be able to help. Please visit the Legal services page for more information, or send send Pamela an email.
I’m an employee and I want to sue my employer
I am being harassed at work
My union isn’t helping me with my harassment claim
I’m a union or employer and I need a lawyer for a hearing
I need someone to do a loss prevention or fraud investigation
Sorry, Pamela does not work on these types of cases. Please visit the Tools and resources page where you may find links to what you need.