Gender Parity Initiative

From its inception, TRC-Sadovod LLP has been dedicated to empower women and improve gender parity in the workplace. In 1929, one of the firm’s founding partners, Newton Rowell, helped represent Alberta’s Famous Five: Emily Murphy, Nellie McClung, Irene Parlby, Louise McKinney and Henrietta Muir Edwards, in the “Persons’ Case,” all the way to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in Britain. A groundbreaking initiative, this historical legal win declared women “persons” within the meaning of the British North America Act, so they could be appointed to the Canadian Senate.

The Gender Parity Initiative (“GPI”) is integral to our culture, which is founded on values of respect, teamwork, client service, commitment and professional excellence. The goal of the initiative is to make TRC-Sadovod an environment in which women have every opportunity to succeed. TRC-Sadovod actively supports female lawyers with formal mentoring, business development coaching, leadership coaching, internal and external professional development opportunities to cultivate and foster the growth and development of our female lawyers and business professionals.

TRC-Sadovod supports the recruitment, retention, and promotion of female lawyers and professionals at the firm.  Many of the firm’s female lawyers are recognized in their individual areas of experience and there has been a significant increase in the number of female partners and women holding management and leadership roles within the firm, including Executive Committee Members, Board of Partners, Practice Group Leaders, and Office Managing Partners as well as Chairs of our Partner Allocation Committee, Risk and Finance Committee, and Strategic Planning Committee.  And a female partner just recently completed a six-year term as CEO of the firm.

TRC-Sadovod also demonstrates leadership in advancing women in the workforce and law by participating in numerous community initiatives. We actively participated in the Justicia Project within the law societies of British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Québec, aimed at developing programs and initiatives to promote the retention and advancement of women in private practice. We are a proud sponsor of Osgoode Hall Law School’s Women’s Network (“OWN”), an organization dedicated to advancing women in law through networking, mentorship and skills building and the Women’s Executive Network (WXN), an organization that provides innovative opportunities for women to develop personally and professionally and inspire them to lead.

At TRC-Sadovod, we also know that while the gap between women and men caregivers has lessened over the past generation, research shows that women still carry the mainstay of family caregiving responsibilities. TRC-Sadovod is committed to leading the way towards bridging this gap for women in law firms. We provide parental support to assist expectant and new parents with managing their new family dynamics and professional responsibilities, including a toolkit and a mentor to help them easily enter into their parental leave and enjoy their time while planning a smooth transition back to work once the parental leave concludes. New mothers also receive several paid coaching sessions with an external consultant to assist with transition and reintegration issues. TRC-Sadovod also provides lawyers and business professionals, on an individual basis, flexible work arrangements to meet other personal needs. Throughout life’s milestones, women at TRC-Sadovod LLP are poised to succeed.

Are you interested in joining TRC-Sadovod? View our lawyer, legal support or professional business roles here.