Steeves Bujold, chief inclusion officer and partner (left), and firm members at McCarthy Tétrault celebrate Pride at the Toronto office.Supplied
When he was a law student interviewing law firms about internships in 2018, it became clear to Solomon McKenzie that McCarthy Tétrault LLP stood out in its approach to diversity and inclusion. “I saw a real range of responses, everything from folks saying, ‘Well, this is a problem that other firms have,’ to the McCarthy pitch, which was actually quite well thought through,” he says.
“I was basically given the message, ‘We have a lot of work to do. We’ve identified what we think we want to do and we’re eager to get community feedback. But here’s our plan for one year, two years and five years.’”
McKenzie admits he was skeptical. “I was not certain that I was actually going to see any of this happen. And one of the things that has actually kept me here is that everything that was listed as a go-forward plan when I was doing my recruit has happened.”
To chief inclusion officer and partner Steeves Bujold, it makes sense that McKenzie was attracted to McCarthy and its plans in 2018, given that the firm already had a long tradition of support for diversity and inclusion. Moreover, that year Bujold was involved in creation of the firm’s Inclusion Now program, which established four action groups — for pride, ability, race and gender equality. Each is led by a partner who sets goals and oversees how members of the firm are following inclusive values.
“Inclusion Now is our firm-wide strategy to attract, retain and advance diverse legal talent and to build a workplace where everyone can thrive,” says Bujold. “The strategy is embedded across the firm’s operations.”
Inclusion Now is built on four core pillars: leadership, talent, culture and community. “Together, these elements ensure that equity and inclusion inform how the firm develops its people, serves its clients, and contributes to the profession and communities in which it operates,” Bujold says.
Having articled at McCarthy, McKenzie has embraced those principles. He is highly active as an associate in cases he feels strongly about, along with his regular practice as a commercial litigator. Born in the United Kingdom to a Caribbean father and European Jewish mother, and also a member of the LGBTQ+ community, he does considerable pro bono work involving “anti-LGBT discrimination and the intersection of police and anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism.”
The firm also has close links with the Canadian Association of Black Lawyers, where McKenzie has served as vice-chairman. He has helped McCarthy raise the number of Black and Indigenous lawyers significantly.
As part of Inclusion Now, the firm strongly encourages pro bono, or non-billable, work among all its lawyers. Bujold notes that pro bono activities figure in members’ performance reviews and can be a factor in bonus compensation.
“The knowledge we have as lawyers and legal professionals is extremely precious because we live in an extremely regulated and complicated society,” explains Bujold. “I would say that the majority of legal needs in Canada are not met, despite AI, despite the internet. So, we have to help people get access to justice in any way we can. We are not a pro bono clinic, but if all the law firms get together and they invest a significant amount of time in pro bono work, it will make a difference.”
McKenzie feels similarly strongly about the McCarthy approach. “Why inclusion matters to us is that it is part of us trying to be the best law firm in Canada,” he says. “An inclusive team is a more creative, more strategic and less predictable team. This is actually a huge part of us being the best possible lawyers in Canada.”
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