PD Programming

Twenty years after the release of the landmark Supreme Court of Canada decision in R. v. Gladue on sentencing, lawyers and advocates alike continue to raise concerns regarding the implementation of the ruling’s principles. Meanwhile, overrepresentation and the treatment of Indigenous persons within Canada’s criminal justice system remain critical issues.

View After the TRC and the National Inquiry

Diversity is broad and multi-faceted. Tune in as we examine this as well as the barriers to full inclusion within the workplace. Our speakers examine these barriers and their impact – from religion to disability - while discussing the implications of recent case law on the top issues in the legal workplace.

View diversity comes in all forms

Tune in for the conclusion of the Inclusive Leader Series 2019-2020. Allyship is a verb that requires continuous learning and ongoing practice in solidarity with equity-seeking groups. Learn how you can effectively practice allyship to build a more inclusive workplace. Participate in self-assessment exercises to deepen and build your capacity to be an ally. Explore the dos and don’ts of allyship to support equity-seeking groups within the legal profession. Benefit from the experience and insight of our faculty as you broaden your knowledge base and start implementing practical tools into your firm or practice that support you as a champion of diversity and inclusion.

View How to Be An Ally By Design

As members of the legal profession, we must work together to remain awake to inequalities, discrimination and racism in our workplaces and in our communities.  For many members of our community, discrimination still exists and, in some instances, it appears in ways that you may not realize.  We must work to identify what different kinds of discrimination looks like today and how it may appear in the workplace.  What tools can you put into action in your workplace to help eliminate hate and to effectively respond to discrimination in a meaningful way? Through our experienced faculty, we will gain new skills and tools that help us better: 

• Identify what we risk growing complacent and provide tips on how we can remain attuned to the not-as-obvious inequalities. 
• Intercept bias in your workplace, and how to best call out and challenge discrimination when you see it.
• Focus on changes you can make to create a more inclusive and a prosperous workplace for everyone.

View In Matters of Equality

The term Two-Spirit, means different things in different communities. It is an English term that was used in 1990 during the Third Annual Inter-Tribal Native American, First Nations, Gay and Lesbian American Conference in Winnipeg. There are many possible acronyms that cover sexual and gender minorities – LGBTQ2S, 2SLBTQ, LGBTQQIP2SAA, QUILTBAG – all with advantages and limitations. No acronym is perfect. Some Indigenous people use Two-Spirit exclusively and some prefer only the term specific to their identity. It is important to be aware that there are a number of gender and sexual minorities that are not included in some of the acronyms such as asexual, intersex, pansexual, pan-gender, polyamorous, and others.

View Indigenous Two Spirited People

In order to concretely implement diversity and inclusion policies into your firm or practice, it is key to know how to move from concepts to practical application. Join us as our expert panel discusses how you convert your diversity and inclusion documents from policies to everyday realities. Tune in as our stellar faculty guides you through the practical steps you need to take to build diversity and inclusion into your workplace using such strategies as Starting at the Top and Planning for Complexity, by creating a pressure plan.

View Making Diversity Work

Protecting your mental health and the mental health of your colleagues, friends and family is important for every lawyer. This includes being able to recognize the symptoms that you, your colleagues or family members are struggling with mental health issues or addiction and knowing how and where to seek the appropriate treatment. Darryl will share his personal story of anxiety, depression, addiction to OxyContin and his road to recovery highlighting the lessons that he learned along this journey.

View Recognizing and Recovery from Anxiety, Depression and Addiction

Constant exposure to our current unpredictable climate may subconsciously stir up primal threats and fears. This sense of instability may have adverse psycho-biological effects such as PTSD on personal health, safety, well-being, and professional decision-making.

In this practical session, hear from Parmjit Singh, PhD, who has clinical training in Mind-Body Medicine from Harvard Medical School, and gain practical tools and tips to help you access and leverage the inbuilt capacity of our mind and body to reduce the likelihood of these harmful effects. Build strength to ride through this crisis successfully and safely.

View Strategies for Managing Your Wellness During a Crisis

What drives productivity? Why and how does dysfunction creep into today’s workplaces? Why do some lawyers thrive while certain demographics are leaving the profession at alarming rates? These are often-asked questions and the inspiration behind OBA President Charlene Theodore’s Work that Works podcast. Gain practical strategies from leaders in the legal profession and other sectors, as well as experts in diversity and inclusion and organizational change, on creating a culture of unyielding equality, as they tackle topics ranging from mental health and psychological safety in the workplace, to equitable approaches to recruitment, work allocation and advancement.

Listen to Work that Works