Spearheaded by our Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Committee, our program is designed to give both formal and informal mentorship opportunities to first year law students who identify as a member of an equity-seeking group. Students will be paired with a mentor at the firm. Every month, mentors will arrange opportunities for mentees to shadow different lawyers and staff at the firm in their practice. Mentors and mentees will work together to tailor both informal and formal mentoring opportunities to match a mentee’s specific interests. Each month mentors will also meet up with their mentee for informal chats and discussions about law school and the legal profession.

Students in first year law school at Queen’s who are interested in participating are invited to send a brief expression of interest to [email protected]. By participating, students confirm that they identify as a member of an equity seeking group. Equity seeking groups include Indigenous, Black and People of Colour (BIPOC), 2SLGBT+, people with disabilities, and women. Applications should be sent by September 22, 2023. Expressions of interest should outline why the student feels they would benefit from participating in the program. Matches between mentors and mentees will be made towards the end of the month.

Cunningham Swan recognizes that our profession, and our own firm, are not yet reflective of the diversity of our community. We continue to strive to remove barriers and increase opportunities for inclusion. Mentors are drawn from all various practice areas in our firm, and will be provided training by our EDI Committee prior to being matched with a student; however, not all mentors will be persons who identify as a member of an equity seeking group. Any questions or concerns about the process, or requests for accommodation, can be sent to [email protected].