Diversity & Inclusion

As a leading Ontario law firm, Torkin Manes is committed to creating a workplace that reflects the diversity of our clients, as well as the communities in which we live and work. We believe that retaining our firm’s best and brightest legal minds, representing a diversity of gender identities and gender expressions, races, nationalities, ethnic origins, creeds, sexual orientations, marital status, family status and differing abilities, yields optimal results for our clients.

Within the firm, we are committed to discovering ways to acknowledge and celebrate the diversity of our team. It is paramount that each member of Torkin Manes feels not only safe and respected, but also comfortable and confident bringing their whole self to work.

Within the community, Torkin Manes maintains involvement in various organizations supporting D&I. We are proud to be a member of the Law Firm Diversity and Inclusion Network (LFDIN), a group of Canadian law firms dedicated to promoting diversity and encouraging a culture of inclusion in our firms and the broader legal profession. Torkin Manes is a signatory to the LFDIN Statement of Principles.

Torkin Manes is an Employer Partner with the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI), a made-in-Canada organization designed to help employers, diversity and inclusion/human rights/equity practitioners, and human resources professionals effectively address the complete picture of diversity, equity and inclusion within the workplace.

Diversity & Inclusion Committee

As part of the firm’s commitment to diversity and inclusion both within the firm and the community at large, Torkin Manes’ Diversity & Inclusion Committee is committed to exploring other ways in which we can advance a diverse culture within our workplace. 

Throughout the year, the D&I Committee promotes opportunities to educate and engage our firm members by spearheading initiatives during Asian Heritage Month, International Holocaust Remembrance Day, LGBTQ2SI+ Pride, the National Day for Truth & Reconciliation, Black History Month, and other important commemorations, that address the history, struggles, and numerous contributions that members of these historically-disadvantaged and equity-seeking communities have made to the enrichment of Canada.

Our Commitment to Addressing Racial Inequality

Without a doubt, the last few years have seen a seismic shift in the perception of racial inequality in Canada, the United States and around the world. As a society, we are more aware than ever of the impacts of systemic racism and inequality on those within our community. With diversity and inclusion at the core of who we are at Torkin Manes, we want to ensure we put in place the best measures to help address these issues.

As part of our contribution to combatting systemic racism, we have commenced the following initiatives:

• We have partnered with Osgoode Hall Law School to establish the Torkin Manes LLP Bursary, which provides two Black Canadian law students a scholarship, each in the amount of $13,500, to help them pursue a career in law where financial circumstances may otherwise be an impediment.
• We are working with law schools in Ontario to provide mentorship opportunities to Black and Indigenous law students, with several mentorships already in place.
• We host keynote speakers from historically-disadvantaged and equity-seeking communities at special D&I events as a means to educate and engage our firm members about the history, struggles, and numerous contributions that members of their community have made to the enrichment of Canada. We also provide a donation to various charitable organizations in support of these communities.

Our Commitment to Advancing Women in Law

Torkin Manes was one of the principal firms involved in the Law Society of Ontario’s Justicia Project, designed to foster the retention and advancement of women lawyers in private practice. As a way to remain committed to the goals of this project, Torkin Manes has established an internal committee that continues to promote the advancement and retention of women within the firm.

Torkin Manes / WLAO Trailblazer Award

Torkin Manes and the Women's Law Association of Ontario (WLAO) established the annual Trailblazer Award to recognize a female law student for her leadership role in business and law. This award is given to a student who best exemplifies the qualities of effective business leadership, innovatively applied knowledge, and potential for growth.