Diversity and Inclusion

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Clay Horner, Chair, Osler
The mission statement for the Osler Diversity Committee describes our Osler culture in five words:  “mutual respect, collaboration, service, excellence”.  Those five simple but powerful words reflect who we are, and what we believe in as a firm.  First and foremost is respect:  respect for the widely different backgrounds and life experiences that our legal professionals and staff represent, and respect for who we all are as individuals.  Our goal is to ensure that Osler is home to the best and brightest no matter their background, and is reflective of the diversity of the communities where we operate.  Our diversity allows us to deliver top quality legal services to our clients augmented by the power of diverse views, ideas and perspectives.  Our clients face increasingly complex challenges in today’s globalized environment, and by harnessing the incredible creativity and diversity of our lawyers and staff we can partner with them to meet those challenges.

 Rienzo  

Douglas Rienzo, Chair, Osler’s Diversity Committee
Osler has offices in some of the most diverse cities on the face of the earth.  We believe that if we strive to build a firm that is reflective of that diversity, we will not only be able to attract lawyers and staff who are the best at what they do, but we will also be able to provide our clients with the benefit of the diversity of viewpoints and experiences that they offer.  Welcome to Osler’s Diversity Initiative, and share the pride we feel in creating a workplace that embraces and celebrates diversity in all its manifestations, and helps each of us to achieve our own personal potential.

Diversity Policy

At Osler, we strongly believe in treating all of our employees with dignity and respect.  It is Osler policy to employ people with the highest qualifications regardless of gender, race, culture, nationality, ethnic origin, colour, creed, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, family status or disability, and to provide equal opportunity to all legal professionals and staff with respect to compensation, promotion, transfers and conditions of employment.

As a reflection of Osler's multicultural diversity, a total of 37 languages (in addition to English and French) are represented by our lawyers and staff.

If you have any questions regarding diversity and inclusion at Osler please contact diversity@osler.com

Diversity Committee

Osler has a formal Diversity Committee.  The goal of our Diversity Committee is to enhance diversity within our workplace, as well as to celebrate and support diversity initiatives in the communities in which we do business.  Policies and procedures already in place at Osler include a formal “Respect at Work” policy that addresses issues such as sexual harassment and includes clear reporting, investigation and resolution processes; programs aimed at assisting lawyers returning from maternity leave; as well as a program conducted jointly by the University of Toronto Faculty of Law and Rotman Business School that sponsors female senior associates wishing to attend a business leadership program.

Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 - Accessibility Standards for Client Service

Accessibility-Standards 

Internal Initiatives: Policies, Events and Programs

Osler has developed numerous internal policies, events and other programs aimed at fostering a culture of diversity and inclusion at the firm. Some examples include:

  • Kids & Company – Through Osler’s corporate membership, all Firm members in Canada have access to reliable, high-quality child and elder care solutions including guaranteed child care spots and emergency back-up child care. With 31 locations across Canada, Kids & Company offers a variety of child/elder care options to help all those in the workforce achieve a better work-life balance.
  • Osler Women’s Event – Annually, the women partners in all offices host a women’s event for women associates and articling students.  The event provides an opportunity to network with women partners in an informal setting.
  • Alternate Track Policy – This policy provides associates with a more flexible work arrangement through the establishment of an alternate non-partnership track.  The increased flexibility is intended to permit individuals to better balance a career at the firm with other significant external demands or interests, including child-care and other responsibilities.
  • Domestic Partner / Same-Sex Spouse Health Benefits – Firm-subsidized health insurance for domestic partners and same-sex spouses, standard in Canada, is provided to all Osler employees outside of Canada.

External Initiatives: Sponsorships and Community Involvement

Osler sponsors or has been involved in numerous community initiatives and programs in support of diversity, including the following:

  • Aboriginal Law Student Summer Employment Program – Osler is a participant in this program facilitated by the Law Society of Alberta. The purpose of the program is to allow law firms and the legal profession to gain greater insight into aboriginal culture and issues as well as provide an opportunity for aboriginal law students to obtain work experience in a legal setting and to foster ongoing relationships between aboriginal students and practising lawyers.
  • Ascend Canada – Pan Asian Leaders - Since August 2011, Osler has been a proud member of Ascend Canada, a non-profit professional association dedicated to enabling its members, corporate partners and the community to realizing the leadership potential of Pan-Asians in global corporations.
  • Asian-Canadian Law Students Conference – Osler is a sponsor of the 2012 Osgoode & University of Toronto Asian-Canadian Law Students Conference.
  • Black Law Students Association of Canada (BLSAC) – Osler is a sponsor of the 2012 BLSAC Conference. We were also a sponsor in 2011.
  • Business Leadership for Women Lawyers – Osler has provided financial support and industry expertise for, and continues to participate in, the development of the Business Leadership for Women Lawyers program at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management. Senior associates and junior partners may participate in this two-day intensive program designed specifically to help women lawyers who want to build professional confidence and acquire relevant business skills in order to advance within their firms.
  • Canadian Association of Black Lawyers (CABL) – Osler is proud to sponsor CABL's 15th Anniversary Gala and Conference, held on October 21 and 22, 2011.  CABL is a national network of law professionals and other individuals committed to reinvesting in the community. CABL's continuing goal is to bring together law professionals and other interested members of the community from across Canada to cultivate and maintain the association of Black professionals in Canada.
  • Canadian Association of Drug Treatment Courts – Osler has provided legal advice to the Canadian Association of Drug Treatment Courts, which aims to reduce substance abuse and crime through rehabilitation of those who commit crimes to support their substance dependency.
  • Canadian Centre for International Justice – Osler has provided legal advice to clients of the Canadian Centre for International Justice, which works with survivors of genocide, torture and other atrocities to seek redress and bring perpetrators to justice.
  • Canadian Civil Liberties Association – Osler has provided legal advice to the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, which promotes respect for and observance of fundamental human rights and civil liberties through research, public education and advocacy.
  • Canadian Jewish Law Students Association of Canada – Osler was a sponsor of the CJLSA 23rd Annual Conference, held in Toronto in October 2010.
  • Catalyst Canada – Osler is a long-standing supporter of Catalyst, a leading organization working globally with businesses and the professions to build inclusive workplaces and expand opportunities for women in business.
  • Child Advocacy Project – Osler has provided legal advice to low-income children and their families through the Child Advocacy Project, which is sponsored by Pro Bono Law Ontario and dedicated to enhancing access to justice for children by providing free legal services to children and low-income families who cannot afford a lawyer.
  • Community Volunteer Involvement – Osler maintains a Community Volunteer Involvement page on our Intranet, which pairs lawyers and staff with community agencies where volunteers or board members are needed.  We seek to work with agencies that assist individuals facing socio-economic barriers to professional or other employment, including new Canadians.
  • Connect Legal – Osler has joined with Connect Legal to time to provide legal education and assistance to low-resource immigrants engaged in launching and growing independent businesses.
  • Dress for Success: Bay Street Suit Challenge – Osler is a proud participant in the Bay Street Suit Challenge which aims to raise donations of business attire to benefit the Dress for Success organization. 
  • Family Day Care Services – Osler has provided legal advice to Family Day Care Services, an organization dedicated to the care and education of economically disadvantaged children.
  • Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers – Osler is a member of the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers for 2011 and a sponsor of the Federation’s 4th Annual Fall Conference and Banquet.
  • Habitat for Humanity Build – Osler women volunteered to participate in a Habitat for Humanity project where they contributed in building a home that is for women and by women. Our Osler group was one of many women's only groups who helped build a home for women in need.
  • Half the Sky Foundation – Osler has provided legal advice to Half the Sky Foundation, which provides educational programs for children in state-run Chinese orphanages.
  • Interdisciplinary Medical and Allied Groups for Improving Neighbourhood Environment – Osler has provided legal advice to IMAGINE, an organization that provides health promotion and education to economically disadvantaged downtown Toronto communities, run by Toronto medical students.
  • Journalists for Human Rights – Osler has provided legal advice to Journalists for Human Rights, which specializes in training African journalists about human rights issues.
  • Judy Project – Osler participates in the Judy Project at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management.  The Judy Project is designed to strengthen organizations by advancing more women into senior leadership and CEO positions. The Judy Project gives women the networking opportunities and skills they need to be effective and inspiring leaders and to position them to help build stronger organizations.
  • June Callwood Centre for Women and Families – Osler has provided legal advice to the June Callwood Centre for Women and Families (formerly Jessie's Center for Teenagers), an organization that offers services for pregnant teenagers, teenage parents and their children.
  • Justicia Project – Osler is one of the principal firms involved in the Law Society of Upper Canada's Justicia Project, which is designed to foster the retention and advancement of women lawyers in private practice.
  • Law in Action Within Schools (LAWS) – Osler participates in the LAWS Summer Job Program, which exposes children entering grade 11 or 12 who have little work experience and limited knowledge of the law, and who face barriers to success due to their socio-economic status, racial or cultural background, or family or personal circumstances, to a professional workplace and introduces them to positive role models. LAWS is a partnership between the University of Toronto Faculty of Law and the Toronto District School Board.
  • MIRA Foundation – Osler has provided legal advice to MIRA Foundation, which seeks to bring greater autonomy to disabled persons by providing dogs bred and trained to respond to their adaptation and rehabilitation needs.
  • MomCafe – Osler has provided legal advice to MomCafe, which organizes monthly networking events for professional women trying to balance career and motherhood.
  • Out on Bay Street – Osler has been a proud sponsor of Out on Bay Street’s Annual Conference & Case Competition since 2009. This is an annual event for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, & Transgender (LGBT) Undergraduate, Graduate and Recent Graduate students within the specializations of Business, Law and Engineering.
  • Pride at Work Canada – Since September 2011, Osler has been a proud corporate partner of Pride at Work Canada, which aims to improve the climate of inclusiveness for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans-identified employees in the workplace.
  • Pro Bono Law Ontario (PBLO) – Toronto litigation associates participate in pro bono legal clinics administered by PBLO. All self-represented litigants who get help through PBLO programs must meet certain financial need criteria.  Osler currently participates in Law Help Ontario (a Superior Court duty counsel model), the Small Claims Court Clinic, and the Ontario Court of Appeal Amicus Program for motions with self-represented litigants. Also, starting in 2011, Osler is pleased to pledge $50,000 over five years to PBLO, which faces significant funding challenges for its important pro bono litigation programs. Osler is proud to be able to support the legal representation of Ontario citizens in need.
  • Pro Bono Québec – Osler provides free legal services to persons who are ineligible for legal aid but who nonetheless lack the financial resources to obtain adequate legal representation.
  • Safe Haven Foundation Endowment Fund – Osler Calgary’s female partners hosted clients and the Editor-in-Chief of Lexpert Magazine, Jean Cumming, at Fashionata, a night of fashion, style and food in support of the Safe Haven Foundation Endowment Fund, which provides Calgary's vulnerable children and youth with financial and emotional support systems.
  • SciHigh Program – Since 1999, Osler has committed $150,000 ($10,000 annually) to SciHigh – a free program offered through Mount Sinai Hospital’s research institute. The aim of the program is to get kids excited about life sciences. An element of SciHigh’s mandate is outreach to disadvantaged schools.
  • Sheena’s Place – Osler sponsors the annual Sheena’s Place breakfast.  Sheena’s Place offers help and support to individuals affected by eating disorders and their families.
  • Somaly Mam Foundation – Osler has provided legal advice to the Somaly Mam Foundation, which combats human trafficking and slavery.
  • Trailblazers (Meeting Women in Law) – Osler hosts this educational event for female high-school students.  It is a joint project of LEAF and the Ontario Justice Education Network.
  • United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF) Dispute – Osler successfully represented the surviving same-sex spouse of a deceased UN employee in his appeal in front of the UN Dispute Tribunal of the UNJSPF's administrative decision to deny him surviving spouse pension benefits.
  • United Women in Business Foundation (UWIB) – Osler has represented UWIB, a New York not-for-profit that endeavours to improve the experiences of women as professionals and provide mentoring, educational and outreach opportunities to women and girls in underserved communities.
  • Vinifera – Osler is a sponsor of Vinifera 2012, which is an annual event hosted by Women in Capital Markets – a non-profit organization that promotes the entry, advancement and development of women in the capital markets industry.
  • Women Rainmakers Roundtable – Osler participates in the Women Rainmakers Roundtable, which helps successful women lawyers become successful rainmakers by providing women partners the skills, structure, support and network needed to develop business.
  • Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF) – Osler is a long-time supporter of LEAF through its annual “Person’s Day Breakfast,” commemorating the landmark 1929 case permitting women to be appointed to the Senate of Canada, recognizing them as “persons” under the law.

External Recognition

  • Top 25 Women of Influence (2011) – Women of Influence Magazine has published its “Top 25 Women of Influence” in its Winter 2011 issue. This ranking is meant to “provide national recognition to Canada’s top female influencers of the year, whose successful achievements contribute to the Canadian and global economies as well as to their communities.” Dale Ponder, Managing Partner of the Firm, was recognized as the most influential woman in the Professional Services category. Candidates were ranked based on their “influence in their current roles, industry and beyond.”
  • Women in Law Leadership Awards (2011) – Maureen Killoran, Managing Partner of Osler’s Calgary office, was honoured with aWomen in Law Leadership Award by the Association of Women Lawyers in the category of “Leadership in the Profession (Private Practice)”. This award recognizes extraordinary leadership in areas such as legal skills and capabilities, and contributions to legal and diversity initiatives.
  • Lexpert’s 2011 Zenith Awards – In 2011, the Zenith Awards celebrated Social Responsibility and recognized Mary Paterson, an associate in Osler’s Litigation Department, for her pro bono work with the UN OSLA Project and the same-sex pension fund case. Mary was successful in arguing that a same-sex spouse was entitled to survivor benefits under the U.N. Pension Fund.  This decision firmly establishes the precedent that the Pension Fund must respect same-sex partnerships that are recognized by UN employers.
  • Calgary’s First Female Managing Partner. As noted by Marzena Czarnecka, a Calgary-based freelance writer and a frequent contributor to Lexpert, in the January 26, 2011 edition of The Globe and Mail, “Maureen Killoran made history. The 45-year-old energy litigator became the new managing partner of Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP's Calgary office ― Calgary's first female managing partner”.
  • Guide to the World's Leading Women in Business Law – Osler lawyers Laurie Barrett, Linda Currie, Jean Fraser and Michelle Lally have been recognized as leading women in business law in Euromoney’s 2010 Guide to the World's Leading Women in Business Law.
  • Canada's Most Powerful Women by Women's Executive Network – Dale Ponder, Managing Partner and Chief Executive, has been named as one of Canada’s Most Powerful Women by the Women’s Executive Network for 2009 and 2010. These awards recognize the country's highest achieving female leaders from the private, public and not-for-profit sectors.