Advocis has resolved the claims of wrongful dismissal from former CEO Greg Pollock and former chief operating officer (COO) Julie Martini.
“Both matters were resolved to the mutual satisfaction of all parties,” George Vassos, counsel for Advocis and a partner with Littler LLP in Toronto, said in an email on Tuesday. Advocis provided the same comment in an email.
“The matter between Mr. Pollock and his former employer has settled,” Stephen Moreau, counsel for Pollock and a partner with Cavalluzzo LLP in Toronto, said in an email. “I am not authorized to provide further comment, including in relation to the modalities associated with that settlement.”
Martini’s counsel didn’t respond to a request for comment.
Based on available court documents, the settlements occurred this November.
Advocis’ 2023 financial statements, released in July 2024, noted that the association was named as a defendant in legal claims totalling $2.6 million.
In a claim filed in December 2023, Pollock, who had been appointed CEO in 2008, alleged he was terminated without cause and without notice when he was ousted in September 2023. The firing came the year after Advocis began to struggle with liquidity amid falling membership and higher costs. In 2022, Advocis’ expenses exceeded revenues by $2.7 million.
Pollock had originally sought $2.5 million from Advocis to cover compensation for the remainder of his employment contract, as well as other unpaid compensation amounts.
Martini, appointed COO in May 2023 after being employed with Advocis since 2017 in marketing and strategy roles, filed her claim in March 2024, alleging constructive and wrongful dismissal after Advocis told her she’d be laid off for up to 35 weeks without pay, according to the claim. She had originally sought $208,000 in damages consisting of her base salary and lost RRSP contributions, along with other compensation amounts. Since April 2024, Martini has been employed with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce as vice-president of public affairs.
Advocis previously denied any wrongdoing related to either claim.
Earlier this year, Advocis settled a claim from SeeWhy Financial Learning Inc. for non-payment of learning materials. As noted in the association’s 2023 financial statements in July, Advocis recognized “an estimated cost” to resolve a claim of $100,000.
The two latest settlements come after the association reached a “stable” financial state under interim CEO Harris Jones, as announced in a letter to members in June 2024. The latest financial statements (2023) showed that expenses exceeded revenue by $766,426.
Jones had been appointed interim CEO in September 2023, shortly after the poor 2022 results were released.
At the annual general meeting in July, John Hamilton, board vice-chairman, had said the 2024 budget was planning for a small surplus.
Also in 2023, however, the association received $2.7 million from its contingency fund, $2 million of which is payable with interest. The fund stood at $3.3 million at year-end 2023.
This past September, Advocis appointed Kelly Gorman as CEO.