Law students with mental, intellectual or sensory impairments received scholarships
The Legal Leaders for Diversity Trust Fund gathered again on June 29 for its annual award presentation ceremony. This year, the LLDTF granted awards to eight law students from across Canada with physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments.
The fund – which was established in 2015 through donations from general counsel and law firm managing partners across Canada – aims to promote equal access to legal education and diversity in law schools by recognizing exceptional law students. Over the past seven years, the fund has granted 87 scholarships totalling a little over $250,000.
“We know that you have overcome unique challenges to be here, particularly during the pandemic, and we hope that the scholarship fund will assist you in pursuing your goals,” said event host James Buchan, firm managing partner at Gowling WLG. As a fund contributor, Gowling hosted the virtual event.
The 2022 scholarship recipients are attending law programs at Thompson Rivers University, McGill University, Osgoode Hall, University of Victoria, University of New Brunswick, and Université de Montréal. They were selected for their excellence from over 40 applications.
“It’s a wonderful thing to acknowledge the special requirements and challenges associated with attending law school with a disability, and so I think this is a great start,” said LLDTF board of trustees member, Ken Fredeen, who is general counsel Emeritus at Deloitte LLP, and managing partner at ZSA In House.
Fredeen discussed the importance of the inclusion of legal professionals with disabilities in the profession. Addressing the scholarship recipients, he said: “Your willingness to talk about this is the leading edge we need to create the change we need within the legal profession. It is you that will lead that change.”
Also attending the award ceremony, Gowling partner Scott Jolliffe advised the scholarship winners to “lean in” to the challenges they have faced.
“Share the challenges that you’ve overcome as you’re going forward and embarking on your legal career, and emphasise how you’ve dealt with those things, and how you’re a stronger lawyer and a stronger individual for that,” said Jolliffe. “Make it part of your brand that you’ve been confronted with challenges and overcome them, so it’s something to be proud of and to celebrate – not something to hide from.”
Also attending the event was Daniel Desjardins, chairman of the LLDTF; and fund trustees, Geoff Creighton, adjudicator at Capital Markets Tribunal; Gordon McCue, head of legal and associate general counsel – downstream, at Shell Canada; and Clemens Mayr, partner at McCarthy Tétrault.
