It’s no secret to anyone that 2020 was a very difficult year. We have all had to face new – and in many cases – very important challenges, both in our professional and personal lives. In a year that was like no other, we are however thankful for the loyalty of our clients, the support of our fellow professional community and the dedication of our people.
As the enormity of the pandemic became apparent, we looked to provide our clients with clarity in the face of confusion. To break through the clutter, members of our team produced over 100 COVID-19 resources providing timely analysis of the business and legal challenges faced by our clients and broader community. We learned to pivot our practice remotely and this flexibility allowed us to find new ways to connect with and serve our clients in more efficient ways. In a year marked by distance, we fostered a sense of community and recognized the importance of coming together in ways that honour the diversity of ideas and experiences, and to learn from each other.
The start of 2021 has already been unpredictable, with continued concerns around the spread of COVID-19 variants, delays in the roll out of the vaccine, and like many we all wondering whether we are at the beginning of the end of the pandemic or the end of the beginning. Despite this uncertainty, the new year signals an opportunity to reaffirm our commitments and look ahead. In recent months we’ve built upon our collective strengths and welcomed new lawyers to our Insolvency, Corporate Finance, Real Estate, Tax & Wills and Estates, Securities and Litigation teams to help scale up and support our clients. We continue to invest in our technology and our people; and we are optimistic that the sense of community which has prevailed throughout the pandemic will continue.
COVID-19 has cancelled many things, but it can’t cancel kindness. Throughout it all we’ve been inspired by the stories of innovation, selflessness, and resilience we’ve heard from our clients, colleagues, and in our wider community with frontline and essential workers. I speak for everyone at Foglers when I say that we are entering the new year with a renewed sense of hope as we all work together to chart a path forward.
Michael Slan
Managing Partner Fogler, Rubinoff LLP
Michael Coleman speaks with Queens’ Law about the formation of the Queen’s Chapter of the Black Law Students’ Association
In the article A Grand Idea Whose Time Had Come, Michael Coleman, speaks with Queen’s Law about the establishment of the Queen’s Law Chapter of the Black Law Students’ Association and the role the Association has played in empowering a new community of legal professionals.
June is National Indigenous History Month, and 21 June National Indigenous People’s Day.
There is no more fitting time to honour the history, heritage and diversity of Indigenous peoples in Canada. We encourage all Canadians to join us in learning more about the Indigenous history in the communities where we live and work, acknowledging the systemic racism and discrimination that exists in our institutions in Canada and elsewhere, and supporting and effecting the changes which are needed to combat that injustice.
In response to the public outcry against the killing of George Floyd and other acts of police violence against BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, Peoples of Colour) in the US and Canada, and in support of the movement against anti-Black racism and systemic racism in Canada, we think it is important to acknowledge that Canada is a very multi-cultured society in which systemic racism exists.
We must acknowledge the ingrained biases and lack of understanding that apply to our friends, colleagues and citizens who are members of the Black and Indigenous communities and many others.
As Justice Doherty of the Ontario Court of Appeal wrote in his decision in R v Parks (1993 CanLII 3383 (ON CA):
“Racism, and in particular anti-black racism, is a part of our community’s psyche. A significant segment of our community holds overtly racist views. A much larger segment subconsciously operates on the basis of negative racial stereotypes. Furthermore, our institutions, including the criminal justice system, reflect and perpetuate those negative stereotypes. These elements combine to infect our society as a whole with the evil of racism. Blacks are among the primary victims of that evil.”
Fogler, Rubinoff condemns the anti-Black violence and racism that has taken place in cities across North America, including in our own, in recent years. We acknowledge that this is not merely a recent phenomenon and that there has been racism against BIPOC communities since the founding of our country. Through conversations with peers and the extraordinary ongoing media coverage, we know that the Black community across North America is going through an intensely difficult time. We want to acknowledge the terrible pain and trauma that many of those around us are experiencing now, and have been for many years.
Our Firm’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee was formed to make strides towards a more inclusive and respectful workplace for everyone at Fogler, Rubinoff. We send this message of support because Foglers and the D&I Committee want to commit to doing the hard work that is necessary to face these challenges and help to better understand the racial injustices that are prevalent in our society. We will continue to strive to seek out, listen, learn, and integrate the perspectives of the people who are underrepresented, and most vulnerable. We will push ourselves to do it better, through ongoing learning, continued dialogue within our team and community, improved training, and by building partnerships with organizations making important contributions to these issues.
As part of these efforts, we would like to share the following resources:
If You Wish to Learn:
We found the following articles helpful as resources to gain understanding and awareness about BIPOC issues in Canada:
In this article, writer Shanequa Golding provides an opinion piece on her experience coping with work in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and others.
If You Wish to Donate:
The following organizations support BIPOC communities by fighting against systemic racism, supporting Black Owned Businesses, supporting health and mental health of BIPOC communities and providing safe spaces for Black and racialized members of the LGBTQ2S community in Canada:
The firm is a proud member of the Law Firm Diversity and Inclusion Network (LFDIN), a group of Canadian law firms who have agreed to work together to promote diversity and encourage a culture of inclusion in our firms and the broader legal profession, and is a signatory to the LFDIN Statement of Principles.
Diversity and inclusion are core values of LFDIN members. Each signatory believes that valuing and enhancing diversity and inclusion will assist in attracting and retaining the best talent to better serve clients and assist in expanding the constantly evolving global marketplace. LFDIN members undertake to practice and advance diversity and inclusion by:
Sharing ideas for the promotion of diversity and inclusion in connection with recruitment, retention and advancement within law firms
Working with Legal Leaders for Diversity and other general counsel, law departments, business leaders and professional associations in their efforts to advance diversity and inclusion
Supporting outreach programs in law schools and the broader community
Promoting thought leadership and constructive dialogue on issues of diversity and inclusion
Evaluating our efforts
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