THE CANADIAN BLACK STANDARD ANNOUNCES BLAKES AS A CORPORATE PARTNER
Blakes official pro-bono counsel for the new non-profit focused on supporting Black women in marketing
TORONTO, December 9, 2021 – Today, the Canadian Black Standard (The Standard) announced Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP (Blakes or the Firm) as a corporate partner, anchored in The Firm’s pro bono support and commitment to diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
“We’re deeply appreciative of the investment that Blakes made in The Standard from our inception, providing expert counsel and legal resources that have been essential to our foundation,” said The Standard’s Board Chair & Co-Founder, Anastasia Gordon. “We know that diversity and inclusion are core values at Blakes. They walk the talk through various internal initiatives, and pro-bono support of external organizations, like ours, committed to improving disenfranchised communities.”
Blakes will continue to support the growth of The Standard, and the organizations will work collaboratively to develop programming and educational resources to support the Firm’s internal initiatives and The Standard’s membership.
“Pro Bono work plays a significant role in what we do at Blakes and is a very rewarding aspect of my work as a lawyer. As a Black woman, working with The Standard is a particularly meaningful experience as it allows me to support a visionary group of Black women who are as passionate about contributing to the career advancement of women in our community as I am,” Gabrielle Wright, Associate at Blakes.
In 2021, Blakes was named one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers by Mediacorp Canada Inc. for the 11th time. The Firm has many internal resources and extensive programs that foster community, networking, leadership, and mentoring, including various internal affinity groups, such as Black@Blakes. The group has monthly touchpoints, focused on connection and informal mentorship and provides five paid internships across Canada to help Black undergraduates gain real-world experience in the legal industry.
“For the last few years, Blakes has been ramping up its collaboration with Canada’s Black communities, notably in the legal industry. I’m excited to be expanding our involvement beyond the legal market and into the marketing industry,” said Kyle Elliott, Counsel, Diversity & Inclusion at Blakes and co-founder of the Black@Blakes affinity group.
Black women continue to face multiple barriers to entry and employment advancement. The Standard aims to address these needs through an intersectional lens and requires the commitment of companies like Blakes to Elevate the Standard, Educate the Community and Accelerate the Industry.
To become a member and receive premier access to information on upcoming programming, events and opportunities, visit canadianblackstandard.com.
For media inquiries, please contact:
The Standard
Contact | info@canadianblackstandard.com
About the Standard
Set it. Raise it. Be it.
The Standard is Canada’s premier networking and advocacy platform addressing systemic barriers to employment advancement and the inclusion of Canadian Black women in the sector of marketing. Founded in 2020 by a collective of Canadian BIPOC women, with decades of global experience in the marketing sector, they saw an immediate need to emphasize an intersectional approach to support those within their industry. The Standard is elevated by their Founding Partner RBC and Corporate Partners Blakes and Victory.
Join the community @CanadianBlackStandard on Instagram and LinkedIn.
About Blakes
Blakes serves a diverse national and international client base. Their integrated network of offices provides clients with access to the Firm's full spectrum of capabilities in virtually every area of business law.
Thanks to their clients, Blakes continues to receive awards and top rankings in 2021. For the seventh time and sixth consecutive year, Blakes was named the leading law firm brand in the Thomson Reuters Canada Law Firm Brand Index (formerly, Acritas Canadian Law Firm Brand Index). They also received the most top-tier rankings by practice area of any Canadian law firm for the fifth consecutive year in Chambers Canada: The World’s Leading Lawyers for Business.
More information on Blakes is available on their website or by following them on LinkedIn.
