Advocacy Matters - Summer 2020

Q. Why did Bennett Jones decide to sign the BlackNorth Initiative?
A. There has never been an initiative of its kind. The BlackNorth Initiative has real momentum
and commitment behind it and has the support of a number of prominent companies and firms
that will hold each other accountable. Associating with the initiative will unify and amplify the
ongoing efforts of individual organizations. It will take a lot of work, coordination and advocacy,
but I believe BNI is set up for success. The pledge Bennett Jones signed requires that we commit
to meeting, on a 5 and 10 year trajectory, certain targets to be filled by Black and other BIPOC
individuals. These positions include board positions, leadership positions, associate and student
positions, etc. The targets were not what interested me. The numbers will fluctuate, but without
having a target in mind, we have been meeting and beating those numbers for years. I was more
interested in other aspects of the pledge, which included an acknowledgement of anti-Black racism,
a need to approach diversity and inclusion holistically, a commitment to increase efforts to make
the workplace a welcoming place to have difficult conversations, a requirement that we share
best practices and unsuccessful practices with other firms, and a commitment to use resources
to work with members of the Black community. As Wes Hall put it, signing the pledge signalled
commitment internally and externally to lead by example. Only about two hours elapsed between
the time I brought the pledge to our CEO’s attention and the firm’s national commitment.
Q. It is early, but any plans you can share yet as to how Bennett Jones plans to tackle the issue?
A. Plans are in progress. We are reviewing what efforts have been most effective for us to date and
areas in which we could and should improve. We are communicating our efforts more regularly
throughout the firm to increase awareness of the issues and of our efforts and practices. We are
openly and regularly having conversations on the Board, throughout management, with partners,
associates, our professional development team and our administrative team and brainstorming
on ways to work with Black communities. Having open discussions makes having conversations
that could otherwise be uncomfortable become commonplace—and feel safer for all.
Q: When, and why, did you get involved with TAS?
I have been a member of The Advocates’ Society since 2006. My litigation career started in Ottawa
and continued in New York until I returned to Canada in 2005. The Advocates’ Society was very
important to my development as an effective litigator and for me to develop a network of litigators
because I was effectively new on the scene in Toronto. I originally became involved because Barb
Murchie, a partner at the firm and a past recipient of The Advocates’ Society Award for Excellence
in Teaching, encouraged me to get involved at a level beyond simply holding a membership. She
cast me in the role of the judge in the Court House Series videos she directed, insisting that having
a Black judge was a good image for people to get used to. I played the role for 13 years and have
avoided seeing the result for fear that I would never do it again. [Editor’s note: she is fantastic!]
Barb also encouraged me to take the Train the Trainer course and teach regularly at TAS educational
programs. I enjoyed teaching, and found I learned a lot from the experience. Eventually, two
TAS past presidents—Jeff Leon and Mike Eizenga—put me forward as a candidate for
the TAS Board of Directors. I joined the Board, and the rest is history!
Q. What are you most looking forward to in joining the TAS Executive Committee?
A. I have officially been on the Executive Committee since June, but participated in the weekly
meetings for several months before then. I now have a true sense of the amount of work the EC
does, and how exceptionally committed its members, CEO Vicki White, and the TAS staff really
are. It is mind blowing. I look forward to contributing sweat equity, and hope that I can provide a
different and useful perspective to the immense body of important work this Society does. I am
looking forward to working with TAS staff, the board, its standing committees, task forces and its
members, to help to steer TAS through our rapidly changing environment. I would like for TAS to
emerge as an increasingly diverse, inclusive, dynamic, adaptable, productive and respected society
of advocates.
Q. What is your best tip for parenting kids while working from home?
A. I mean, it’s not like they are clients, right? Tell them you don’t want to hear from them during
working hours, they can get by on their own, and you don’t have time to argue! I really have no
good advice. Every day is different and everyone’s situation is different. None of it is easy. We all
just have to do our best to carve out space and time to work effectively while maximizing the quality
time we have with our children. In our case, we always try to remember to feed them. We tell
them that we love them and understand isolation is especially hard on them; and try to convince
them that screens can never replace real human interaction. Between Zoom calls.
#DidYouKnow that TAS Members can
post their job opportunities on our
Career Board for free? That’s right,
free! Check out our Career Board
page for the easy steps to get your
next job opening posted with us.
Visit the Career Board
26