Lexpert magazine features articles and columns on developments in legal practice management, deals and lawsuits of interest in Canada, the law and business issues of interest to legal professionals and businesses that purchase legal services.
Issue link: https://digital.carswellmedia.com/i/688578
50 LEXPERT MAGAZINE | JUNE 2016 | ZENITH AWARDS | viding at-risk youth with life and coping skills through free music education. RBC General Counsel Group ROYAL BANK OF CANADA > TORONTO With the shortage of articling positions aer the global financial crisis, the RBC General Counsel Group (GCG) showed important insight in seeing the specific threat to minority groups already strug- gling to find positions. In response, GCG created the RBC Aboriginal Articling Program in 2011. Never having taken on articling students before, much thought was given to providing the same level of education and experience as a traditional law firm. Accordingly, GCG formed part- nerships with Bay Street firms, including Dentons, and each RBC Aboriginal Arti- cling student has spent 10‒12 weeks work- ing in the Toronto litigation department of Dentons, participating in all aspects of the Dentons student professional development curriculum. e student is also invited to participate in RBC's professional develop- ment sessions and a knowledge-manage- ment lawyer at RBC helps ensure Law So- ciety CLE requirements are fulfilled. Douglas Rienzo OSLER, HOSKIN & HARCOURT LLP > TORONTO Doug Rienzo is founding Chair of Osler's Diversity Committee (DC), which has implemented several important initia- tives: Doug led the creation of an enhanced pregnancy and parental leave policy for as- sociates; he was the mover behind a policy enabling formation of legal professional resource groups such as the Asia-Pacific Affinity Network, Osler Women Lawyers Network and Osler Pride Network; the DC helped create a maternity/paternity leave buddy program matching leave-tak- ing associates with partners who are par- ents, to provide guidance around associate leaves; he supported diversity and inclu- sion and unconscious-bias training and led a 2015 Pride event; he encouraged the firm to create a Quiet Room, where Osler people of any religion, or no religion, can engage in prayer, reflection or meditation. Doug hosts biannual Town Hall Meetings to highlight DC initiatives and, under his leadership, Osler has undertaken two firm- wide diversity surveys. Linc Rogers BLAKE, CASSELS & GRAYDON LLP > TORONTO Since 2007, Linc Rogers has been active in diversity and inclusion initiatives at Blakes. Linc is a former President of the Ottawa Black Law Students' Association of Canada and serves on Blakes' diversity and inclusion committee, taking a leader- ship role in several diversity-and-inclusion initiatives. He is the principal author of the firm's diversity-and-inclusion webpage and founder of the Blakes diversity network, promoting diversity within Blakes and the broader legal profession. He has led several diversity-network initiatives, including a presentation by Justice Russell Juriansz of the Court of Appeal for Ontario on best practices before the court and diversity in the legal profession; a roundtable on busi- ness development through a diversity lens; and a Blakes client seminar on diverse reli- gious holidays. Linc has organized presen- tations on the US Supreme Court case on marriage equality and inclusive leadership. Christine Thomlinson RUBIN THOMLINSON LLP AND RT WORKPLACE TRAINING > TORONTO Chris omlinson has led development of