Stikeman Elliott Wins Diversity Award

TORONTO, March 23 /CNW Telbec/ - Stikeman Elliott LLP announced today that it has been named one of Canada's Best Diversity Employers for 2010 by Mediacorp Canada Inc. The award is shared by the firm's five Canadian offices.

"We are very pleased by this award and the recognition it gives to the many initiatives that we have undertaken in recognition of the diverse nature of our firm", said the firm's Chair, Pierre Raymond. "Stikeman Elliott is committed to diversity amongst its lawyers, students, and staff and we strive to ensure that all 1,430 of our firm members are supported, valued and respected."

Now in its third year, the Canada's Best Diversity Employers program recognizes 45 employers from across Canada with exemplary diversity initiatives in five employee groups (a) women; (b) members of visible minorities; (c) persons with disabilities; (d) Aboriginal peoples; and (e) lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered/transsexual (LGBT) peoples. Stikeman Elliott's selection was based on information provided in their submission to this year's Canada Top 100 Employers competition, in which the firm's overall achievement was also recognized.

"Over the past several years, the firm has undertaken many terrific diversity initiatives and our commitment to diversity is truly embraced by all. We believe that our success in this area stems largely from our overall `grass-roots' approach to diversity at the firm. Our diversity initiatives are driven by our lawyers, students and staff members both individually and in collaboration with one another. We talk to firm members about their experiences, ask for feedback and engage our members in identifying opportunities and initiatives that are important to them", said Lorna Cuthbert, Partner and Chair of the Toronto Office Diversity Committee.

Stikeman Elliott's Diversity Programs include:

    
    - "Hear My Name" - the firm developed its own pronunciation tool that
      allows firm members to record the correct pronunciation of their name.
      The tool is housed in the firm directory on the Intranet.

    - A range of Women's Initiatives, including women-focused coaching,
      training and mentoring, and a programme that provides support and
      resources to women transitioning back to work after maternity leave.

    - Mentorship programming and career development sessions to assist
      lawyers from diverse backgrounds in developing and expanding their
      practices.

    - Office space designated for reflection and prayer.

    - Involvement in Pathways to Education program which supports education,
      mentoring and job-related opportunities for "at risk" youth in Toronto.

    - Participation in the DiverseCity Project (a joint project of Maytree
      and the Toronto City Summit Alliance) which supports efforts to
      increase the representation of ethnic and racial groups in leadership
      positions in the Greater Toronto Area.

    - Diversity-related education and training sessions with law students.

    - Multicultural themed events, including a celebration in our Toronto
      office of Canada's Multicultural Day, at which firm members celebrated
      by wearing their cultural dress, identifying their country of origin on
      a world map and enjoying a variety of foods from many cultures.
    

In addition, the firm regularly reviews its internal processes and policies to ensure that they are in keeping with diversity principles.

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ABOUT STIKEMAN ELLIOTT LLP

Stikeman Elliott LLP is one of Canada's leading business law firms with over 500 lawyers in five offices across Canada. 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, infrastructure, telecommunications, intellectual property, employment and business litigation - and has developed in-depth knowledge of a wide range of industries from banking and insurance to energy, mining and technology. The firm is recognized as a leader in Canadian capital markets and in domestic and international M&A by industry league tables and directories, and is ranked among Canada's top business litigation practices by Canadian publisher, Lexpert. 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 50 Best Employers in Canada for 2010, and as one of Canada's Top 100 Employers and the Greater Toronto Area's Top 90 Employers in both 2010 and 2009.

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

For further information: MEDIA: Diana Lawrence, National Director, Marketing and Communications, [phone], [email protected]; Mirabel Paquette, Director of Marketing and Communications, [phone], [email protected]