To attract the best people to our team and be an employer of choice for all, we embrace a cross-section of cultures, ethnicities, genders, ages, orientations and backgrounds on our team. We know that expanding the diversity of our workforce also broadens our insight and perspective, which in turn enhances our ability to provide our clients with the best possible advice and service.

Although we have always done our best to attract a diverse population and provide a work environment which embraces individuals from varied backgrounds, in 2006 we decided to take a more strategic approach to our diversity and inclusiveness efforts and developed the FMC Diversity and Inclusiveness Initiative. Its mandate is to ensure that all members of our firm have the opportunity to develop their unique talents to nurture their ongoing success. In that context, we work with our team members to recognize and address individual beliefs, challenges and lifestyles in our work environment. We strive to foster an environment where everyone respects, supports and learns from each other’s skills, talents and differences.

FMC’s National Diversity and Inclusiveness Initiative

FMC’s National Diversity and Inclusiveness Initiative has local initiatives and representatives from each of our six offices across the country. Partners Kate Broer (Toronto) and Andrea Raso-Amer (Vancouver) serve as national co-chairs.

FMC Recognized for Diversity and Inclusiveness

• In 2010, FMC was honoured by the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC) with the CBC Toronto Vision Award for Immigrant Inclusion, one of TRIEC’s Immigrant Success (IS) Awards. FMC received this award in recognition of its Legal Professional Internship.
• In 2009 and again in 2010, FMC was named one of Canada’s Best Employers for New Canadians. Funded by the Government of Canada's Foreign Credential Recognition Program, and managed by the editors of Canada's Top 100 Employers, the Best Employers for New Canadians competition is a special designation that recognizes the nation's best employers for recent immigrants. These winning employers offer programs to assist new Canadians in making the transition to a new workplace and a new life in Canada. It is our belief that the award was given, in part, as a result of FMC’s pioneering work in the legal community with the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC) Mentorship Program and with our Legal Internship Program.
• In November 2009, Michael Schafler, a partner in our litigation practice, was recognized for his contributions to the TRIEC Mentoring Program and was awarded a TRIEC Special Achievement Mentoring Partnership Award.
• In April 2009, Chia-yi Chua, a partner in our tax practice, was honoured as one of the country’s Top 25 Canadian Immigrants by Canadian Immigrant Magazine, as part of their Top 25 Canadian Immigrants Awards of 2009. Chia-yi was selected from among 75 short-listed finalists selected by a panel of judges.

Involvement Through Sponsorships and Partnerships

FMC is a partner and sponsor of many external diversity and inclusiveness initiatives, including the following:

• FMC is proud to be the first law firm to become a Corporate Partner of the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC) Mentoring Partnership program. Since its inception in late 2008, more than 35 FMC members have embraced the opportunity to act as mentors in the program. Additional firm personnel have also contributed to the program in various ways, such as conducting mock interviews of mentees, and providing feedback and advice to program participants. 
• FMC’s Edmonton office has been involved as a Corporate Partner in the launch of the Corporate Mentoring Program for TRIEC’s counterpart organization, the Edmonton Region Immigrant Employment Council (ERIEC).
• In 2008, FMC established its Legal Professional Internship, the first program of its kind in the country, aimed at bridging the gap and providing hands-on experience to a foreign-trained lawyer new to Canada seeking Canadian professional employment through a six-month paid position with the firm
• FMC was the first law firm sponsor of a Black Business and Professional Association (BBPA) national scholarship for black law students. The FMC BBPA Scholarship is a $5,000 annual renewable scholarship awarded to a black law student who has demonstrated outstanding academic achievement, commitment to diversity, and financial need. 
• Sponsor of A Call to Action Canada: Diversity in the Legal Profession Summit Event, an initiative to promote diversity in the legal profession by challenging corporate law departments to leverage their law firm relationships to promote diversity in the profession
• First law firm participant in the Diversity Roundtable, a group of representatives from financial institutions, major corporations, government and professional services firms who meet bi-monthly to discuss matters of interest and share ideas in an effort to promote diversity in the workplace
• Since 2007, FMC has been providing sponsorship and, more recently, pro bono legal services to, Out on Bay Street, an organization founded by members of the Rotman School of Business, to promote awareness of the role the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community plays in organizations, and fosters mentorship by exposing students to strong leaders and role models who have paved the way for the LGBT community.
• In 2006, in memory of a Toronto partner who demonstrated an appreciation of the importance of diversity at an early age, FMC endowed the Victor Hum Bursary in conjunction with the University of Toronto Faculty of Law. The bursary is awarded annually to a student who has demonstrated a commitment to promoting diversity in the law school community.
• Founding member and only law firm Corporate Partner of and pro bono legal counsel to Pride at Work Canada/Fierte au travail Canada, a professional organization whose mandate is to support the LGBT community at workplaces across Canada
• Member of Catalyst Canada, a non-profit corporate membership research and advisory organization working to build inclusive environments and expand opportunities for women in business and the professions
• A FMC partner participated as a Member of Catalyst Canada's Research Advisory Board investigating "Career Advancement in Corporate Canada: A Focus on Visible Minorities"
• Annual participant in the Aboriginal Law Summer Student Employment Program, launched in 2006 by the Law Society of Alberta
• Corporate member of the Women’s Exchange Network (WXN)
• Participant in the St. Stephen’s Community House Employment and Training Centre Connections Program, providing a six-week co-op placement for newcomers to Canada in gaining Canadian work experience
• Sponsor of the Black Law Students Association of Canada Annual Conference
• Sponsor of the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers Annual Conference, 2009
• Sponsor the Advocates’ Society Conference "Is There a Difference" conference for women advocates

Participation in Events and Activities

FMC continues to participate in various diversity events and activities, including the following:

• FMC Partner Andrea Johnson chaired and spoke on the topic of "Negotiating effectively" at the 3rd Women in Leadership Conference, May 27, 2010
• FMC Partner Michael Schafler co-hosted a workshop dealing with the ways and means that employers can effectively integrate skilled immigrants into their workforce at the ALLIES Learning Exchange Conference, Halifax, NS, May 6-7, 2010
• FMC Partner Kate Broer moderated a panel, "Implementing Diversity Strategies: Making a Difference", at A Call to Action Canada's Second Annual Conference, April 27, 2010
• FMC operates the Vault Women's Initiative, which presents regular events directed to women partners and associates, and helps women advance and succeed at our firm
• FMC acted as co-host of the Women’s Exchange Network’s 2009 Fashionably Speaking event in Ottawa
• FMC members attended the Minority Corporate Counsel Association Diversity Conference in New York City in 2008 and 2009
• FMC members attended the National Association for Law Placement’s Diversity Summit in the United States in 2007, 2008 and 2009
• FMC Partner Kate Broer spoke on a panel "Bay Street Initiatives on Diversity" at the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers Annual Conference in November 2009
• Kate Broer spoke on the topic of Generational Diversity, at the Women in Law Conference in Toronto on November 24, 2009
• FMC Partner Chia-yi Chua spoke on a panel entitled "What Canadian General Counsel require of their law firms in a diverse community" at A Call to Action Summit on November 19, 2009. FMC is also a sponsor of the event
• On October 1, 2009, FMC Partner Barbara Grossman mentored a group of participants at The Advocates’ Society’s "Is There a Difference" networking conference for women in litigation, which examined gender bias in the litigation context
• Susan Brown, partner with FMC’s Ottawa office, acted as Program Chair and presented "Mentoring: A Career Must!" at the Women in Law Conference in Ottawa in March 2009. Andrea Johnson, also a partner with FMC’s Ottawa office, presented on achieving economic parity with men
• FMC members attended Creating and Sustaining Inclusive Work Environments: A Call to Action in April 2009
• FMC members attended Catalyst Canada’s conference, Advancing Women in Corporate Canada: Current State and Inspiring Solutions
• FMC’s Toronto office hosted the President of Work-Life Harmony Enterprises for a presentation entitled "Generational Diversity: Working Successfully with Multiple Generations"
• FMC members participate in the DiverseCity Nexus program
• Chia-yi Chua spoke at the University of Toronto Summit on Gender and Diversity in Law
• In December 2008, Kate Broer spoke on the topic of "Cultural Competence: Creating and Sustaining Inclusive Work Environments: A Call to Action," at a conference jointly sponsored by the Conference Board of Canada and the RBC Financial Group
• FMC's Chima Nkemdirim spoke at the 2008 Black Law Students Association conference
• FMC Partner Anneli LeGault delivered the keynote speech, "Managing Work/Life Balance" at the Career Women Interactions conference on Women in the Law: Facing the Challenges in November 2007
• FMC associates are leading two of FMC's international initiatives; Israel and China
• FMC has internally aired numerous Catalyst webcast case studies on workplace diversity, with post-program discussions for our members