Recruiting Indigenous lawyers and legal professionals is not about meeting a diversity metric. It requires transforming your firm’s strategy, culture, outreach, and HR systems so that Indigenous applicants at all stages of their career can equitably access opportunities. Strong Indigenous inclusivity positioning will provide a much higher probability of attracting Indigenous talent. Anti-bias recruitment means widening where you look for talent, how you assess that talent, and how you support Indigenous employees once hired. This section offers tips, tools, strategies, and considerations to guide legal firms toward anti-bias and inclusive Indigenous-focused recruitment practices.
Job Advertising Strategies
- Post on Indigenous-specific platforms such as NationTalk, Indigenous Bar Association, Indigenous regional job boards, with Accredited Indigenous post-secondary program job boards.
- The power of Indigenous networking is significant, reach out to known Indigenous lawyers and agencies, Elders, and Indigenous legal services to build a relationship with intention, the relationship may also be beneficial as a support network for future employees.
- Build Indigenous relationships with authenticity and for the long-term, rather than one time asks.
- Share the job postings within Indigenous professional networked on social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Indigenous law groups
- Go to local Indigenous communities and Indigenous leaders and ask for advice on potential recruits. Note that you should not expect them to offer this information for free; respect their time and knowledge and discuss payment for their advice and insight.
- Attend and sponsor Indigenous sector-specific events relevant to your business lines to build visibility and meet potential hires.
- Consider including information on your website regarding bias-free recruitment practices – for example, McCarthy Tétrault.
- Sponsor or attend Indigenous legal events, even within higher-learning student spaces, to build visibility provided your strategy is Indigenous inclusive.
- Consider posting your firm’s commitment to Indigenous inclusivity on your webpage.
- Indigenous-focused HR Hiring and Management Strategies
- Conduct cultural safety auditing of hiring practices (job description, interview questions, job advertising, panel composition).
- Avoid criteria that privilege certain socioeconomic backgrounds such as unpaid internships, elite-school bias.
- Provide hiring panel with a hiring guide that includes education, awareness, and reminders on what are the known hiring biases are.
- Consider cultural competency training prior to hiring.
- Use plain language and avoid legal jargon where unnecessary (which can be inaccessible).
- Clearly articulate the firm’s commitment to Reconciliation and Indigenous inclusion.
- Highlight learning supports, mentorship, and professional development opportunities.
- Provide interview questions ahead of time (supports equitable preparation).
- Offer multiple interview formats (virtual, in-person, panel, conversational).
- Avoid scenario questions that assume colonial legal norms.
- Review retention and promotion rates for Indigenous employees.
Cultural Competence Lens on the Hiring Processes
- Ensure processes and questions do not have barriers for Indigenous employees and consider retaining Indigenous expert advisors to do a review for the organization. (CHRC Levelling the Field)
- Ensure human resources employees are culturally competent and want to champion the process in the best possible way for the betterment and attractiveness of the firm.
- Retain Indigenous expert advisors on how to address questions about Indigenous self-identity ahead of time, as this is sometimes complicated. (IBA Guide for Lawyers Working with Indigenous Peoples)
- Start adapting human resource policies (i.e. Indigenous ceremony days have the same prominence as any other cultural day off), so Indigenous employees do not face unique barriers.
- Consider how to retain and support Indigenous employees – there may be differences in learning needs or supports to ensure success.
- Ensure that racism is considered a serious infraction like harassment, is noted in anti-racism disciplinary policies, and is acted on when necessary.
- Provide cultural competence continuing education to all employees, including leaders in the organization, to reduce the risk of Indigenous employees facing unconscious bias.
- Consider an annual or bi-annual cultural competency review of the firm to ensure the most up-to-date practices are being used for awareness and protection of the firm and employees.
Internal Communications
- Genuine leadership championing and messages of support for Indigenous inclusivity and Indigenous issues will have a big impact.
- Master the art of doing land acknowledgements that matter.
- Celebrate the contributions of Indigenous employees.