Seven Takeaways from the OBA Summit on Gender Equality

On September 10, 2019, we attended the Momentum Summit on gender equality and equity hosted by the Ontario Bar Association (“OBA”). The event was a capstone on the OBA’s 2018-2019 initiatives to advance gender equality in the legal profession.

In case you missed it, here are 7 takeaways from the summit:

1. Gender equality and equity isn’t a problem for women to solve alone, it will take sponsors, allies, and supporters of all kinds. People who identify with all genders should be encouraged to get involved in championing gender equality initiatives in their organizations, workplaces, and at home.
2. Sponsorship is an important tool to advance gender equality that goes beyond one-on-one mentorship to the active promotion and advancement of others. For example, sponsorship can be used to combat gender bias by championing female team members’ candidacy for leadership opportunities, salary raises, file participation and client engagement.
3. Initiatives on gender equality that do not recognize intersectional barriers may risk leaving behind minority groups. Inclusiveness on multiple “vectors” needs to be a part of the discussion when talking about ways to address gender equality.
4. Paternity leave needs to be more consistently offered, championed and taken at workplaces to break down explicit and implicit biases that women are solely responsible for childcare.
5. We don’t want women leaving the profession entirely, but there is nothing wrong with women leaving traditional practice. Consider technology, where the field is still wide open and gender neutral.
6. “Making the business case” is the best way to get support from senior leadership when trying to implement or improve a workplace gender equity strategy. Try to connect the goals and strategies of a gender equity strategy to the organization’s existing goals and vision.
7. Hosting a Solution Circle can be a great opportunity to identify problems or challenges and brainstorm solutions. This can be a helpful way to understand individual experiences and work towards practical steps to advance equity. For more information about Solution Circles, visit inclusion.com, or oba.org/momentum to schedule a Solution Circle with the OBA.