Now in its fifth year, the FMC BBPA National Scholarship is awarded annually to a black student pursuing an LL.B. or JD at a Canadian law school. This scholarship is awarded to a student who demonstrates academic excellence, commitment to their community and financial need.

Denise Williams, now an Associate with FMC, was the first recipient. “The firm actually made a very big commitment because the scholarship was renewable.”

In addition, firm members, through the Scholarship and Awards Subcommittee, actively take on roles as coaches and mentors to the scholarship recipients as they transition from student life to the professional world.

FMC was also the first law firm to partner with the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC) mentoring program. FMC's other diversity-based outreach efforts include the Vault Women’s Initiative, Out on Bay Street and Pride at Work.

“The laundry list is a long one,” Ms. Broer says. “And that’s just external programs. Each office has its own partner-led diversity initiative and committee. In addition, we offer training and educational programs, including Diversity Boot Camp sessions, and an internationally trained lawyer internship program.”

“Programs are good ways to show the changes and let people know what our commitment is. But for us, the fundamental thing is the culture change.

“It’s not checking a box and saying we’re done,” she adds. “Rather it’s what the dialogue looks like in the firm. Diversity is not about people from equity-seeking groups. It’s about everybody in the firm. Are people aware and talking about it? That’s the ultimate goal. There’s a lot of value in greater diversity of thought. But it has to be owned by everyone in the firm.”

For more information, please read Denise Deveau’s article “Open doors policy: Law firm spearheads diversity movement,” featured in the Financial Post (November 30, 2011).