Borden Ladner Gervais attracts diverse candidates

Adam Rudder was finishing a psychology and philosophy bachelor’s degree at the University of Toronto when he heard about a national initiative called AVENUE: Black Undergraduate Law Internship Program. He immediately applied to AVENUE and Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG) was the first law firm to reach out to him.

“BLG were quick to offer me an interview,” says Rudder. “What struck me was how friendly they were and their genuine desire to get to know me as a person, as opposed to prior experience and qualifications for the job. I remember being really nervous because my educational background wasn’t in the legal field.”

BLG is a national legal firm with offices in Toronto, Ottawa, Montréal, Calgary and Vancouver. It is also part of the Law Firm Diversity and Inclusion Network (LFDIN). In partnership with the Legal Leaders for Diversity and Inclusion, LFDIN launched AVENUE three years ago with the support of the Canadian Association of Black Lawyers and the Ontario Bar Association. It’s a 12-week paid internship program designed to help Black undergraduates in Canada gain real-world experience in the legal industry.

After Rudder completed the internship, BLG hired him full-time as an assistant, business development.

“They assigned me to the business services group. There’s no legal expertise required to participate in that role,” Rudder says. “However, being a part of the business services team, or any other team in the law firm, you still get exposed to working with lawyers and working on different projects.”

With its offices across the country, BLG delivers legal advice to domestic and international clients.

“I think it’s really important that we reflect the clients that we serve and the communities in which we live and work,” says Loreli Buenaventura, national director of equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI), people and culture. “I also believe diversity and inclusion makes us stronger together in the sense that diverse and inclusive teams make really strong teams and make better decisions which contribute to better outcomes.”

BLG champions EDI in communities and the broader legal community, adds Buenaventura. “That includes cultivating future legal scholars and professionals who reflect the diversity of our country. We continue to prioritize pipeline initiatives that will improve access for diverse under-represented groups because we really want to support further change within the industry,” she says.

Rudder is from Ajax, Ont., where he notes the majority of the population is made up of visible minorities. As he increased his education, he saw fewer Black students. AVENUE feels vital to him, he says.

“I think AVENUE is invaluable for Black students in Canada because you connect not only with lawyers but other Black professionals,” Rudder says. “It’s an amazing opportunity for people who are already on their way to law school and for those who are only considering it. AVENUE ideology gave me an opportunity to explore my curiosities and fears about practising law while also showing me other careers within the legal industry. AVENUE is a surefire way to find other members who are pursuing the same goals.”

Buenaventura adds, “We strive to ensure that everyone brings their authentic selves to work, so they have the ability to thrive and to feel valued, respected and included.”

She says BLG also has partnerships that contribute to nurturing the diverse pipeline. “We participate in events across various law schools to support students through the legal recruitment process,” says Buenaventura. “There are a number of universities that we partner with on this across the country.

“Diversity and inclusion are top of mind when it comes to our actions and our clients.”

This article appeared in the magazine announcing this year's Canada’s Best Diversity Employers winners, published March 5, 2024 in The Globe and Mail. This article was prepared with the financial support of the employer, which reviewed but did not write its contents.