WeirFoulds is a proud supporter of the Black Law Students’ Association of Canada (BLSA Canada) by acting as a continued sponsor of the Annual National Conference and the association’s charitable branch, BLSACares. The conference will be held in Windsor on February 9 – 12, 2017. This year’s theme is “Oneness in Motion: Impacting the Future”.
WeirFoulds partner Frank Walwyn delivered the Opening Keynote Address at the Annual National Conference last year. In line with the conference theme in 2015 of “Striding Toward Excellence”, he shared this uplifting message: “Leverage your differences – diversity is an opportunity.”
BLSA Canada is a national student-run, non-profit organization founded in 1991 that is committed to supporting and enhancing academic and professional opportunities for black law students in both official languages. This commitment extends to black high school and undergraduate students and the community generally through BLSA Canada mentorship initiatives and the recently founded BLSACares.
The BLSA and BLSA Cares take place at the start of Black History Month. The Ontario Black History Society (OBHS) is the organization responsible for initiating the formal celebration of February Black History Month at all levels of government in Canada. The first formal declaration of February as Black History Month in the City of Toronto was in 1979. The Province of Ontario followed suit in 1993. Black History Month was nationally declared in December 1995. WeirFoulds celebrates the efforts of the BLSA during this month of celebration, reflection, preservation and inclusion.
WeirFoulds is an enthusiastic participant in initiatives and organizations aimed at promoting and celebrating diversity within the legal profession and the broader community. The principles of employment equity, diversity and human rights are an integral part of the culture at WeirFoulds. In part, this stems from the fact that we have strong roots in Canada and the Greater Toronto Area, and our people reflect our Canadian identity. WeirFoulds is an active participant in the Law Firm Diversity and Inclusion Network (LFDIN), working in partnership with Legal Leaders for Diversity and Inclusion (LLD). Our lawyers are active members in several organizations that have mandates of inclusion, including the AIJA/International Association of Young Lawyers, the Black Female Lawyers Network, the Canadian Association of Black Lawyers, the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, the Canadian Italian Business and Professional Association, Flip Your Wig for Justice, Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies – Spirit of Hope Benefit, the Hellenic Canadian Lawyers’ Association, the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce, the South Asian Bar Association, and the Women’s Law Association of Ontario. WeirFoulds also looks towards the future success of the legal industry by actively participating in the Law in Action Within Schools (LAWS) Program, an innovative partnership between the University of Toronto Faculty of Law, Osgoode Hall Law School, and the Toronto District School Board.
Please follow the WeirFoulds Twitter feed @WeirFoulds, the BLSA Canada feed @BLSAC, and the Law in Action Within Schools (LAWS) feed @LAWSProgram for additional information on these initiatives.
