Stikeman Elliott awarded third straight Top 100 Employer honour

MONTRÉAL, Oct. 15 /CNW/ - Stikeman Elliott, a national law firm with five Canadian and three international offices, was named today as a Top 100 Employer in Canada, in a survey undertaken by Mediacorp Canada Inc. This is the third consecutive year the firm was selected and it is the only law firm listed among the Top 100.

"This recognition is a tremendous reflection of our people," said Stikeman Elliott Chair Pierre Raymond. "To be selected three years in a row is testament to their dedication, commitment and creativity, particularly in recent years, where employers and employees are finding their way in a changed world economy."

The firm's selection is based on a variety of factors, including commitment to market-leading human resources practices, training and mentorship, corporate social responsibility initiatives, diversity and environmental sustainability. Survey publisher Mediacorp also pointed to leadership in finding and retaining talent in a slowed economy as a factor in selecting the winners.

"Our firm has made an organizational choice to empower our people and, in so doing, have been fortunate to attract and retain the market's top talent in our industry. We want to be in a position to leverage that talent in any economic environment," said Raymond. "We have incredibly bright lawyers and professional staff and these same people spearhead so many of our internal, community and client initiatives at a very grassroots level."

Some of the firm's major initiatives in recent years include:

• a carbon neutral designation for its Canadian office operations;
• implementation of flexible work arrangements, employee engagement surveys and coaching for new mothers returning to work;
• expansion of its "SE University" online and in-person skills training platform;
• mentorship arrangements for new firm members in the areas of professional development and business development;
• partnerships with community groups such as the United Way, Defi corporatif Canderel, Calgary's Inn From the Cold, Pathways to Education and Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council; and
• pro bono engagements on behalf of the First Nations Child & Family Caring Society, the Québec Coaliation of AIDS Service Organizations (COCQ-SIDA), Montréal's St. Justine Hospital, Canine Compassion Societies of Alberta and Osgoode Hall Business Law Clinic. 

ABOUT STIKEMAN ELLIOTT LLP
Stikeman Elliott LLP is recognized internationally for the sophistication of its business law practice. The firm is a Canadian leader in each of its core practice areas - corporate finance, M&A, banking, corporate-commercial, real estate, tax, insolvency, structured finance, competition, business litigation - and has developed in-depth knowledge of a wide range of industries from banking and insurance to energy, mining and technology.

Stikeman Elliott maintains offices in Montréal, Ottawa, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver, as well as London, New York and Sydney. The firm was named as one of the Canada's Top 100 Employers in 2009, 2010 and 2011, and as one of the 50 Best Employers in Canada for 2010. It was further recognized in 2010 as one of Canada's Best Diversity Employers and Best Employers for New Canadians. It was also named as a Green 30 organization, a distinction presented to businesses who display a commitment to environmental sustainability in their operations.

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about Stikeman Elliott, please visit our website at www.stikeman.com