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Dentons Canada LLP - Toronto, Ontario
Diversity & Inclusion
| Please describe your diversity programs and initiatives |
Inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility (IDEA) are fundamental to who we are at Dentons and integral to our vision and strategy. We understand it is critical to the success of our business and comprehensive strategic plan, and enables us to attract exceptional talent, deliver innovative client solutions, think critically, and improve decision-making and the engagement of our people. As a firm, we know that greater inclusion offers a broader perspective to foster creative ideas to help you achieve your career goals, which enhances our ability to provide our clients with the best possible advice and service. Importantly, our commitment to IDEA is driven by the belief that our people are inherently worthy of respect, safety, encourage and supportWe welcome your unique differences and strive to foster a flexible work environment where you feel safe, supported and free to bring your authentic self to work. In 2023, we were pleased to release our national IDEA strategy under the umbrella of Belonging@Dentons, which includes a number of strategic focus areas: gender parity, racial equity, 2SLGBTQ+ inclusion, increasing accessibility, and generational and life stages inclusion.
As a testament to our continued dedication, we take pride in being the only law firm to be recognized as one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers for thirteen consecutive years (2011-2023) by Canada’s Top Employers. In addition, we are proud to be one of Stonewall’s Top Global Employers (2018, 2020, 2022, 2023) for 2SLGBTQ+ inclusion; one of British Columbia’s Top Employers (2017-2021); one of Canada’s Best Employers for Young People (2012, 2016, 2020, 2021, 2022) and shortlisted by Chambers for our diversity and inclusion efforts in North America (2020). Dentons also won the Canada Private Practice - Firm Award at the 2021 Chambers Diversity & Inclusion Awards for our efforts to combat systemic racism within the firm and our communities. Most recently, we have been named as one of Canada’s Top 100 employers for the second consecutive year – a prestigious accolade that recognizes the Firm’s commitment to its people. Across Canada, we have implemented leadership teams, learning opportunities and initiatives to support our people, including: • Our national IDEA Council, headed by our Canada Director of Inclusion, Diversity and Equity, includes IDEA leads from all offices and affinity groups, who collectively focus on monitoring IDEA trends and discussing difficult issues • Support for our local Belonging Networks and regional Indigenous, Black, 2SLGBTQ+ and Women affinity and working groups • Support for anti-racism efforts to combat system racism, with a direct focus on allyship • Support for the personal and professional development of all our people • Partnering with clients, community organizations and student associations to advance our shared inclusion and diversity values We are committed to creating inclusion across our Firm, including understanding the systemic barriers faced by people in Black, Indigenous and underrepresented communities. Our commitment is backed by a comprehensive plan designed to challenge systemic barriers within the legal profession and create a culture of allyship by: • Providing opportunities for our team members to learn about system racism, inequality and privilege •Learning from Indigenous voices, relying on Indigenous experts, and engaging with our people to ensure our progress is authentic, impactful, and informed – we recently released a five year Reconciliation Roadmap and Dentons Canada Statement of Commitment to Reconciliation. •Partnering with a client to offer a joint Indigenous Development Internship – the initiative is designed to provide a unique paid internship for Indigenous undergraduate business students to gain hands-on practical experience in the business environment. •Annually sponsoring and participating in 2SLGBTQ+ student career fairs and conferences across Canada •Collaborating with organizations like the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers, the Black Female Lawyers Network, the Canadian Association of Urban Financial Professionals and the South Asian Bar Association to engage in conversations surrounding the recruitment and advancement of women and lawyers from underrepresented groups. • Taking a leadership role in developing "Avenue", a first-ever national internship program to help Black undergraduate students in Canada gain real-world experience in the legal industry, created as a collaborative effort by various Canadian law firms and organizations in partnership with LLD and the LFDIN, with the support of the Canadian Associate of Black Lawyers (CABL) and the Ontario Bar Association (OBA) • Alongside with other law firms, we have committed to the BlackNorth Initiative Law Firm Pledge, designed to make change in the legal industry with concrete, measurable actions to advance inclusion • We are Mansfield 4.0 Certified, Mansfield 5.0 Plus Certified, Mansfield 6.0 Certified and are currently participating in Mansfield 7.0. The purpose of Mansfield is to consider at least 30% women, lawyers from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, lawyers with disabilities, and/or LGBTQ+ lawyers for 70% or more of the firm’s leadership roles, committees, and activities during the annual review period. • Partnering with the Canadian Association of Urban Financial Professionals to create scholarship opportunities for Black students who have an interest in business law, have demonstrated a commitment to the Black community and are pursuing post-secondary education in Canada • Partnering with the Black In-House Counsel Network to bridge the gap between the theory and reality of the legal profession though our Black Professionals mentorship program • Motivating high school students from marginalized Toronto neighbourhoods through a mentorship program and summer co-op placement terms in partnership with Law in Action within Schools To learn more about how we are advancing inclusion at our firm, visit our Inclusion and diversity in Canada page at https://www.dentons.com/en/about-dentons/inclusion-and-diversity. |
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Diversity Contact Information |
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| Students who have questions about EDI initiatives and/or would like to connect with someone with a similar lived experience, please contact |
Justin Khan, Manager, Diversity and Equity |
| Diversity website: | https://www.dentons.com/en/about-dentons/inclusion-and-diversity |
| Please list the various initiatives your firm has undertaken related to providing an accessible workplace and barrier free culture for people with disabilities, as well as any information you may be able to share regarding the types accommodations provided. |
One of the core pillars of our IDEA commitment is building a work environment that respects the dignity and independence of all our people that have physical disabilities, ensuring all our people feel safe. To achieve this, our Accessibility Policy meets provincial legislative requirements and outlines best practices and procedures to help recognize and eliminate physical and digital barriers that can affect a person’s ability to do their best.
Examples of initiatives include: •Development of an external-facing email inbox to support any candidates requiring specific accommodations during the recruitment process •Mandatory harassment and discrimination, and accessibility training to reinforce the rights and responsibilities of each Firm member •Accessibility Committees and Facilities teams set meetings to address any accessible concerns – the Committee’s mandate includes government compliance, policy management, communication, and physical features and amenities of local offices • Include both English and French transcripts with any video or audio leadership message distributed within Canada To ensure equal access to messaging for Anglophone and Francophone colleagues, and for accessibility for persons with disabilities |
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