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Diversity still a challenge for law firms
BY CHRISTOPHER GULY |
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| There were far fewer women practising law in Canada when Lisa Vogt joined what would become McCarthy Tétrault LLP in Vancouver in 1983.
By her estimation, roughly one in three associates at the national firm were women, compared to today’s 50-50 split between female and male lawyers. Back then, just over 10 per cent of the partners in the Vancouver office were women, or about half of today’s complement.
“But it never occurred to me that I couldn’t be a partner and wouldn’t be if that’s what I wanted to do,” explains Vogt, who has been a partner at the firm since 1990.
“I always felt at McCarthy’s that I was treated like everyone else. All you had to do was be a good lawyer.”
Her confidence has some basis in history. In 1921, McCarthy & McCarthy, as it was then known, was one of the first firms...
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| ETC global news briefs |
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United States
It’s going to cost the City of New York more than $3.3million to change its examinations for the fire department after a Brooklyn federal judge declared the previous test discriminatory. Last year Judge Nicholas Garaufis demanded that the city alter its method of recruiting firefighters and blocked the FDNY from hiring any candidates until a new test was created. The City hired California-based PSI Services to develop the test and will start administering it in early 2012. The FDNY has also dramatically boosted its recruitment budget in an effort to attract more minority applicants. The department is currently 91% white. The deadline to apply for the new exam is September 15....
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| MVP diversity champions |
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| Twelve inductees from across Canada are now in the Canadian LGBT Human Rights Hall of Fame (Q Hall of Fame) which recognizes pioneers in the area of LGBT human rights. This year’s inductees include: Rick Bébout, Karen Busby, Jeremy Diaz, Gens Hellquist, NiQ Lavergne, k.d. lang, Kevin Dale McKeown, Cynthia Petersen, Mirha-Soleil Ross, Delwin Vriend, Garth Weins and the Dogwood Monarchy Society....[ read more ] |
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POV Making Presentations
BY DONNA J. JODHAN |
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When it comes to making presentations, there a few tips that I would like to pass on based on my years of experience in the mainstream workplace. For the sighted employer and their sighted employees, if there is a blind or sight impaired person in your audience, you would need to find ways to communicate the contents of your visual displays and foils to these persons. One quick way to do this is to ensure that you fully describe everything that is listed on your display or foil. If you have printed handouts to pass along, then it may be a good idea to send these along to your blind and sighted guests before making your presentation.
You may be saying to yourself: how would you know beforehand if there are going to be any persons in your audience who is blind or sight impaired? And it's a very good question....[ read more ] |
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| Top6 diversity is an integral part of HR |
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“Diversity is an integral element of HR work. It’s a recurring theme that touches all topics, including workforce planning, recruiting, and career management.”
According to Hard Wiring Diversity into Your Business, the latest report by The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and European Association for People Management, diversity is an integral part of HR—and the entire company. Only initiatives that go beyond the minimum level of diversity required by legal mandates and social norms can help companies gain advantage. As a first step, companies must analyze which aspects of diversity can promote their business success. The BCG/EAPM report explains how employee diversity can be increased to advance business imperatives through several stepse....[ read more ] |
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We are the champions….of diversity!
BY TIMOTHY HOLDEN |
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What is a diversity champion?
Forward-thinking employers throughout Canada are increasingly embracing the concept of diversity champions. These are individual employees or departments who gather and evaluate best practice from around the world, and adapt this information to suit the values, needs, culture and budget of their organization.
High-quality diversity champions raise awareness of topical issues, encourage individuals to speak up regarding issues & concerns, demonstrate positive behaviours to colleagues/customers/clients/suppliers and constructively challenge those who speak or behave inappropriately.
How do they go about their work? Diversity champions typically get involved with activities such as... [ read more ] |
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