Community

We are launching the CCCA In-House Appreciation Initiative to provide the in-house community with an opportunity to recognize these people who have had a positive influence on our lives and the in-house community.

Thousands of lawyers across Canada are struggling to find “work-life balance.” But to balance two things, they must first be separate. So they try to split up the two parts of their lives. In my view, widening the gulf between work and home doesn’t solve the problem. It is the problem.

As the world evolves in new and uncertain ways, legal professionalism requires more than meeting traditional principles of high competence and specialized knowledge. We need to be empathetic leaders, enshrining the rigorous ethical and moral ideals, and taking action to connect with and uplift the communities in which we live and serve.

Hiring at the entry level has been targeted in attempts to increase diversity. But, while the diversity numbers overall have improved, the progress has been much slower at the more senior levels. Why is that the case?

Many in-house counsel departments are small. While it may seem overwhelming at first to be the “loneliest number,” here are eight tips I have learned to help you survive and thrive as a solo practitioner or in a small department.

As Thanksgiving approached, I found myself barraged with annoying platitudes about gratitude. But I am far from grateful these days. I see a world that is tired and scared and has been living on the edge too long.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement—which itself has become shorthand for systemic discrimination against any people due to their colour or creed, particularly Indigenous peoples in Canada—have highlighted both the limitations and inequities in the legal profession and the justice system, as well as the opportunities that can come from major disruption.

I begin my term as Chair in unprecedented times. The pandemic has increased the value we at the CCCA can provide to our members. I am proud of how we have handled the crisis so far, redesigning existing services and creating new ones.

Unconscious bias had suddenly manifested itself in my professional life. Without even introducing myself, how had my appearance conveyed that my role was merely that of a messenger and coffee fetcher? How did I transition from the role of a lawyer-to-be to a state of defensiveness in a span of seconds? And more importantly for female, racialized lawyers like myself, would defensiveness and self-justification be an inherent part of my job?

The CCCA is pleased to announce the winners of the 2020 In-House Counsel Awards.