Our people are our greatest asset and nurturing them to be the best they can be is key to ensuring our own and our clients’ success. McCarthy Tétrault is committed to creating an inclusive workplace that represents the diversity of our country.
We believe in celebrating difference for difference’s sake, and we know that diversity drives innovation and excellence. As part of Inclusion Now, McCarthy Tétrault has set ambitious and realistic goals for the firm, and reports on these goals to keep us accountable for our results.
Inclusive Programs at McCarthy Tétrault
In addition to developing new policies and programs, Inclusion Now builds on existing Firm programs that drive inclusion and support our people:
- Bias-Free Recruitment: Our recruitment team receives training in unconscious bias and cultural competency, and follows an interview process specially designed to support diverse candidates and reduce bias
- Work Allocation: In our largest practice groups we have centralized systems to assign work based on objective criteria that enables a more equitable distribution of opportunities.
- Family Support: We offer career coaching, a parental leave buddy program, and emergency daycare support. Nursing lawyers who travel for business are reimbursed for their caregiver’s travel expenses.
- Alternative Career Paths: The culture of the legal profession is changing, and so are we. We offer an extended partnership track and non-partnership options, where appropriate.
- Flexible Work Arrangements: We have flexible work arrangements available to lawyers and are piloting a work from home option for our staff where appropriate.
- Mental Health Leadership: We are committed to reducing the stigma surrounding mental health and to promoting wellness. Our leaders complete the Queen’s University-Morneau Shepell Workplace Mental Health Leadership Certificate Program.
- Respectful Workplace and Harassment Training: We are committed to promoting a positive, inclusive workplace that treats every Firm member with dignity and respect. Harassment in any form is not tolerated. All our people receive mandatory anti-harassment training focused on the legal and cultural dynamics of workplace harassment.
McCarthy Tétrault has a rich history of championing women leaders in the legal profession and the larger business community. We have made deliberate efforts to increase opportunities for women, who currently represent 41% of our lawyers, 50% of our leadership team and 40% of our Board members. However, we know there is more work to do.
Industry Leaders
We are committed to achieving gender equality and participate in industry-leading initiatives that help support our women leaders, including:
- Being the first law firm in Canada to sign the Catalyst Accord, which aims to increase the overall FP500 board seats held by women to 25% before 2017.
- Sponsoring the Rotman School of Management’s Business Leadership for Women Lawyers program and the Judy Project, two of Canada’s premier executive forums in support of women’s leadership advancement.
- Offering our innovative Parental Support Program, recognized by Catalyst Canada, and by Canada’s Top 100 Employers, as a best practice initiative that assists new parents at McCarthy Tétrault in balancing their careers with building a family.
- Awarded the ‘Best Diversity and Inclusion Program’ by The Managing Partners’ Forum for ‘Pitch Perfect’, a ground-breaking national speed pitching program for women lawyers, developed and delivered in collaboration with the Canadian Women’s General Counsel Group.
- In partnership with Women General Counsel Canada and the Canadian Corporate Counsel Association, we continue to host CoLab events that support the professional development of women lawyers.
- We continue to be active participants in the design of the Justicia Project, a program that develops best practices to attract, retain and advance women in private practice.
- We are the recipient of several Women in Business Law awards by Legal Media Group, including:
- Best Gender Diversity Initiative by a National Law Firm in North America
- Best National Firm Work-Life Balance in North America
- Best National Firm for Women in Business Law in North America
Award-Winning Women
Women lawyers across our offices are constantly developing innovative initiatives to connect with clients and our lawyers are recognized for their accomplishments and dedication to this issue. A number of our past and present women partners have been named among the 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada by the Women’s Executive Network and a number of our women partners and lawyers have received Lexpert Zenith and Rising Star Awards.