Work-Life Balance Resource Centre: Diversity

CBA Resources

Videos produced by the CBA Equality Committee
In 2010, the CBA’s Equality Committee produced three videos that were launched at the CBA’s Canadian Legal Conference on Aug. 15. Available for viewing on YouTube, the videos showcase three members of the CBA who are trailblazers for equality seeking groups. 

Tips for Firms and Member Organizations Seeking to Promote Inclusion and Diversity (.pdf)
As a follow-up to the videos that were made available online, the CBA’s Equality Committee developed a list of specific tips on promoting inclusion in law firms.

Towards diversity in the law
The face of the legal profession — and the society it serves — is constantly changing and evolving. In response, the CBA has identified equity and diversity as one of its strategic plan’s fundamental themes, and the CBA Equality Committee has developed a new Equity and Diversity Guide and resource manual for the legal profession.

Mentoring as a path to diversity
The legal profession can excel at mentoring, but it needs a more diverse core of mentors to reflect Canadian society and support diversity within the profession.

Establishing benchmarks for diversity
Without the kind of information which would establish baseline representation, it is difficult to assess what progress is being made towards more proportional representation of social groups in the legal profession, to determine whether members of disadvantaged groups are leaving the profession in atypical numbers, and to ascertain whether members of disadvantaged groups enter particular kinds of legal careers.

Guide to Accessibility Planning for Law Firms
There is no sharp line between a disability policy and a healthy workplace policy—a fact that law firms would do well to remember when they are considering accessibility issues for lawyers with disabilities. Accessibility benefits entire firms, their members and their clients.

A Diversity Self-Assessment Tool for Law Firms
While many firms have the best of intentions when it comes to fostering an inclusive working environment, it’s often hard to measure how the firm is progressing in relation to the benchmarks it has set in terms of diversity. Besides the obvious indicators, how do you know if you’re truly making progress on diversity?

CBA Report

Touchstones for Change: Equality, Diversity and Accountability
Canadian Bar Association Task Force on Gender Equality in the Legal Profession
1993

From Across the Web...

Diversity in the Legal Profession: The Challenge Remains!
Bench & Bar of Minnesota – By Terri Votel (January 2011)

Course Handbook from the program Diversity in Law Practice 2011: Legal Update, Inclusion Strategies, and Work-Life Balance
Practicing Law Institute (2011)  

Diversity in the Legal Profession in England and Wales
By Legal Services Board (October 2010)

Diversity on Corporate Boards: How Much Difference Does Difference Make?
Rock Center for Corporate Governance, Stanford University – By Deborah Rhode and Amanda K. Packel (September 2010)

The Case for Diversity: Legal Profession's White, Male Legacy Persists
The Guardian – By Crispin Passmore (October 2010)

Legal Profession “AIMs” for Diversity: CCIE’s Innovative Inclusiveness Program
The Colorado Lawyer – By Katheleen B. Nalty (March 2010)

Recession Hurting Legal Profession’s Diversity Efforts, Report Says
ABA Journal – By James Podgers (February 2010)

Driving Diversity: A Call to Action to Canada’s Legal Community
Canadian Lawyer – By Joel Stern (January 2010)

Firms, GCs to Develop a 'Best Practices' List for Diversity, Work-Life Balance
The National Law Journal - By Karen Sloan (January 2009)

Moving Beyond the Hype about Generational Diversity
Asae & the Center – By Jamie Notter (Fall 2007) 

Visible Invisibility:  Women of Color in Law Firms (Executive Summary)
ABA Commission on Women in the Profession (2006)

In Pursuit of Attorney Work-Life Balance
Susan Fortney – NALP Foundation (2005) 

Employers and European Flexible Working Rights: When the Floodgates Were Opened
UC Hastings College of the Law (2005) 

Working time, discrimination and the law: The family responsive workplace in Europe and the United States
American University Washington College of Law and the Washington Office of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation (2005)

Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity - Creating an Inclusive Work Environment – A Model Policy for Law Firms and Other Organizations
Law Society of Upper Canada (2004) 

Diversity and Changes – The Contemporary Legal Profession in Ontario
F. M. Kay, C. Masuch, P. Curry - The Law Society of Upper Canada (2004) 

Report on Equity and Diversity in Alberta’s Legal Profession
Alberta Law Foundation (2004) 

The New Glass Ceiling: Mothers--and Fathers--Sue for Discrimination
UC Hastings College of the Law (2002) 

Survey Shows Workplace Discrimination is Still an Issue in the Legal Profession
Law Society of Alberta