Working to End Gender-Based Harm
All Up in Your Business with Clausework
by
Danielle Mustarde
When most people picture the legal world, they think of stuffy corporate websites, jargon, and an atmosphere that often intimidates rather than welcomes. Rika Sawatsky is rewriting that brief.
As founder of the Toronto-based Clausework, Rika is on a mission to strip the fear and stuffiness out of workplace law. While she supports a huge range of employers with day-to-day employment guidance, her core motivation lies in helping organisations proactively tackle gender-based harm—from domestic violence and sexual harassment to intersectional discrimination at work.
We had the joy of partnering with Rika to bring Clausework's brand and website to life—ditching the traditional "stuffy suit and serious headshot" tropes in favour of a bold, human visual identity that feels distinctly Rika. Here, we sit down to talk breaking down barriers in a traditional industry, building supportive feminist networks, and why empathy is a necessary tool for workplace change.
Let's start with the basics. Who are you, where are you, and how do you describe Clausework to someone you've just met?
I'm a Toronto-based employment lawyer and the founder of Clausework. Although I support employers in all areas of employment law, I am particularly committed to helping employers tackle gender-based harm at work, including domestic violence, sexual harassment, and intersectional discrimination. I'm also certified by the International Labour Organisation as a participatory gender audit facilitator.
Describe a typical day. Who are you working with and what kinds of support might you be giving them?
All of my clients are employers, but they're a diverse bunch. Charities, tech, construction, mining, renewable energy, higher ed, and transportation, to name a few. Mostly day-to-day employment law advice, but I'm seeing a gradual increase in interest in preventative, anti-GBV (Gender Based Harm) measures.
"You need to create space for good faith and exploratory conversations. It's okay to not have all the right vocabulary or not know how to deal with these challenges the right way. If you did, then you wouldn't need me"
Creating space
The legal world is notoriously 'traditional' in its approach. What made you want to build Clausework differently, and how did you get started?
To do our jobs well, we need to not be intimidating to our clients. We need to be relatable and approachable. Otherwise we don't get the full story, and without the full story, we end up giving bad advice. It's also a little surprising to me how often I've heard clients complain about past counsel as being rude or unresponsive. That's how they lost those client relationships.
When you're dealing with challenging issues like GBV (and in a climate where cancel culture has shut down a lot of well-meaning but uninformed discussion), you need to create space for good faith and exploratory conversations. It's okay to not have all the right vocabulary or not know how to deal with these challenges the right way. If you did, then you wouldn't need me.
You partnered with us to bring Clausework's website to life with a visual identity that felt human, bold, and distinct—how did you find this process?
Yes, I definitely did not want the “corporate blue” with the serious headshot. No thanks. I've had many people tell me the website is “very you”, which is a good sign that the Lutalica team accomplished it perfectly! Working with the broader team was also a very nice experience. Since starting my practice almost two years ago, I've had to engage with several contractors—some of whom were very disappointing—both in terms of service quality and product quality. Not the case with Lutalica: everyone was very nice, responsive, and did a great job.
"A hard lesson is to keep getting back up and not giving up"
Awesome Feminist Networks
What is one hard-won but worthwhile lesson you've learned while building your business?
I'm not sure if I can call it “hard-won”, but a hard lesson nonetheless is to keep getting back up and not giving up on the anti-GBV fight. I've grown an awesome feminist network in the last couple of years, but I've also received comments from incredulous lawyers questioning what I'm doing. Convincing employers to care about GBV (especially when preventative measures aren't legally required) can be hard. But with my supportive network and the speaking opportunities I've received, I've been able to make some slow but sure progress there. And that is always encouraging.
What do you enjoy most about your work?
The awesome, supportive, feminist network of professionals I've gotten to know in the anti-GBV sphere.
Ending Gender Based Harm for Good
In three words, what does the future of Clausework look like?
I'd so love to shift the focus almost entirely to supporting employers in tackling GBV at work. Right now, there's still a lot of day-to-day employment law work happening. I'm very grateful for that business, of course. And that's giving me the runway to build the anti-GBV services. But over time, it would be nice to focus exclusively on ending GBV for good in whatever small way I can contribute.
And when you're not at Clausework, what's bringing you joy right now? How do you rest?
Well, not a lot of rest is happening with a four-year-old in the picture, but we are very lucky to live near the water in Toronto. Lots of nice outdoor space and time with the family. I love baking, too!
See more of our work with Clausework here.
