Stikeman Elliott named one of Canada's Best Diversity Employers

TORONTO, Feb. 10, 2014 /CNW/ - Stikeman Elliott LLP is pleased to announce that it has once again been named one of Canada's Best Diversity Employers by Mediacorp Canada Inc., marking the fourth time the firm has received this honour.

"Stikeman Elliott is incredibly proud to be recognized once again for our long-standing commitment to diversity and inclusion in our workplace. This acknowledgment represents the collective achievements of all of our firm members in advancing our diversity objectives and creating an inclusive environment in which we can all thrive," said firm Chair, William Braithwaite. "It is this exceptional work environment that allows us to consistently deliver top tier service that meets the increasingly diverse needs of our global clients."

Canada's Best Diversity Employers program recognizes 45 employers from across Canada with exemplary diversity initiatives in five employee groups: (a) women; (b) members of visible minorities; (c) persons with disabilities; (d) Aboriginal peoples; and (e) lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered/transsexual (LGBT) peoples.

"This is an important recognition for our firm," said Lorna Cuthbert, partner, Chair of Stikeman Elliott's Toronto Diversity & Inclusion Committee and Co-Chair of the firm's National Diversity & Inclusion Committee. "It allows us to celebrate the many successes we have achieved with respect to our diversity and inclusion efforts, but also fosters a heightened and ongoing commitment to invest in the development, advancement and engagement of our firm members."

Diversity and inclusion have always played an integral role in the history and tradition of Stikeman Elliott. The establishment of the firm's National Diversity & Inclusion Committee in 2012 reinforced Stikeman Elliott's commitment to incorporate best diversity practices in recruitment, retention and leadership development, community outreach and client partnerships. Some of the highlights of Stikeman Elliott's involvement and initiatives include:

• Leadership Training: members of the firm in leadership positions attended leadership training sessions which explored the latest thinking on maximizing success in advancing women and diverse talent, and understanding the unconscious biases that can influence how people work with their teams.
  
  
• Best-in-Class Accessibility: the firm has undertaken a number of extensive renovations to ensure that Stikeman Elliott has the best-in-class accessibility practices for our firm members and clients visiting and using our premises.
  
  
• Law Firm Diversity and Inclusion Network: the firm is a member of a group of Canadian law firms working together to collectively promote diversity and encourage inclusion in law firms and the broader legal profession.
  
  
• Justicia Project: the firm is actively involved in and supports the Justicia Projects in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec. These programs are dedicated to the retention and advancement of women lawyers' in private practice.
  
  
• Pathways to Education: the firm is actively involved in this program which was created to encourage young people from at-risk and economically disadvantaged communities to stay in school. As part of this commitment we hire, on an annual basis, two summer students from the Pathways program.
  
  
• Multiculturalism/Pride Celebrations: the firm hosts annual multiculturalism and pride celebrations for our firm members. For Pride Week, the firm hosts an annual pride event for LGBTQA law school students.
  
  
• "Hear My Name": this name pronunciation tool allows firm members to record the correct pronunciation of their names to enhance workplace collegiality and facilitate communications within the firm.
  
  
• Reflection Room: a private area in the office that firm members can use for reflection or religious observance during the course of their work day.

A full list of this year's winners can be found at www.eluta.com.

ABOUT STIKEMAN ELLIOTT LLP

Stikeman Elliott LLP is recognized internationally for the sophistication of its business law practice. The firm is a Canadian leader in each of its core practice areas - corporate finance, M&A, banking, corporate-commercial, real estate, tax, insolvency, structured finance, competition, business litigation - and has experienced practice groups serving a wide range of industries from banking and insurance to energy, mining and technology.

The firm was named as one of Canada's 50 Best Employers from 2010 to 2014 and as one of the Top 100 Employers from 2009 to 2012. It was further recognized in 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2014 as one of Canada's Best Diversity Employers and in 2010 as among the Best Employers for New Canadians. The firm was also named as a Green 30 organization from 2010 to 2013, a distinction presented to businesses who display a commitment to environmental sustainability in their operations, and was honoured as one of Canada's Greenest Employers in 2013.

For more information about Stikeman Elliott please visit www.stikeman.com.

SOURCE: Stikeman Elliott LLP