Life in Law

#forwomeninlawbywomeninlaw #lifeinlaw #LiL #alilinspiration

We welcome Guest Blogger, Kelly LaVallie, to the Dear LiL blog to discuss strategies for remaining resilient during tough times and to explain how, by taking care of ourselves, we are better able to serve our clients. Read her post here https://lnkd.in/gd33rHq #forwomeninlawbywomeninlaw #lifeinlaw #LiLGuestBlogger #LiL

The latest episode of Black Women Connect Vancouver's, Girl! You Know It podcast features an important discussion about the concept and definition of feminism and how it inherently should be and will be different for everyone. Give it a listen here https://lnkd.in/genFyDh

We offer support to women lawyers in a variety of ways. If a phone call isn’t your first choice, hop onto our online chat. If chatting with someone instantly isn’t your preference, submit a question to our Dear LiL blog. Whatever your choice, plug into our support system today. That’s what we’re here for. https://lifeinlaw.ca/... #forwomeninlawbywomeninlaw #lifeinlaw #LiL

My one piece of advice to up and coming women lawyers is dont bail too early. Life happens. Other responsibilities may take attention from your career for a time or influence some of your career decisions. In the end, your career can look quite different from what you originally envisioned. But ultimately all of those experiences and responsibilities will bring satisfaction to your life. I have been practicing law continuously since 1983 and have been a partner at Harper Gr...ey for 30 years. I love my career and the life Ive built as a lawyer, wife and mother, and I want to tell other women that it can be well worth sticking with it. I volunteer as an advisor to provide insight for all those wondering about future implications of certain career decisions at critical points in life. Ive had the privilege of knowing many women lawyers including law school mates, friends, colleagues and clients who have made different choices regarding their careers due to children, marriage, finances the list goes on. I have observed and experienced first-hand how these types of decisions affect your career and satisfaction down the line. Everyones choice is ultimately their own, but if you want to be a lawyer make sure you give your career the time it deserves to develop. I want other women to feel the same sense of satisfaction I do after 37 years of practicing law. -Maureen Lundell, Life in Law Advisor and Partner at Harper Grey LLP The Life in Law team is made up of a group of Harper Grey women lawyers who volunteer their time as advisors on a weekly basis answering phone calls, monitoring the live chat on our website and responding to questions through the Dear LiL blog. We are growing organically through word of mouth and wed be delighted if you shared our posts with your network. If youre interested in connecting please reach out to us through one of our social media channels or via email at [email protected] #AdvisorSpotlight #lifeinlaw #LiL #forwomeninlawbywomeninlaw

We are saddened by the passing of feminist icon Ruth Bader Ginsberg on Friday, September 18. She was a glorious and notorious trailblazer who led the way for gender equality and fought for womens rights her entire life. Thank you for all you did for so many. Rest in peace. You can learn more about the life and times of RBG here https://www.nytimes.com///us/ruth-bader-ginsburg-dead.html Artwork: Ruth Bader Ginsberg by Lorie Shaull from the Noun Project... #RBG #NotoriousRBG #lifeinlaw

We are a growing community and good ideas grow bigger when theyre shared. Were asking you to show a lil support and spread the word about Life in Law. Tell the person sitting in the office next to you, share this post on your own social media or with your colleagues and friends. You never know, it may reach someone who needs it and thats what were all about. #forwomeninlawbywomeninlaw #LiL #lifeinlaw

Application processes are typically created to be streamlined and efficient, boiling the applicant down to a series of canned answers and often failing to capture a holistic picture of the individual applying. This is particularly detrimental to groups of people who are failed to be seen amongst their peers. The Calgary chapter of the Black Law Students Association and the Faculty of Law at the University of Calgary worked to develop a new admission process for prospective b...lack law students. This process will allow applicants who self-identify as black, to submit an essay speaking to their personal experience and the barriers they have had to overcome. These students will continue to be measured against the same admissions criteria but the new process will allow them to be more visible amongst other applicants. The new application process comes after a call to action presented earlier in the summer by the Calgary chapter of the BLSA to make the law school more diverse. Read the article here https://www.canadianlawyermag.com//new-u-of-calgar/333233 #blacklawstudents #BLSA #lifeinlaw #LiL

My one piece of advice to up and coming women lawyers is to find a support network and use it. Dont try to make it on your own. I volunteer as an Advisor because I believe women need to support each other in the practice of life and law. We truly are stronger together. -Kim Jakeman, Life in Law Founder/Advisor and Partner at Harper Grey LLP... The Life in Law team is made up of a diverse group of Harper Grey women lawyers who volunteer their time as advisors on a weekly basis answering phone calls, monitoring the live chat on our website and responding to questions through the Dear LiL blog. We are growing organically through word of mouth and wed be delighted if you shared our posts with your network. If youre interested in connecting please reach out to us through one of our social media channels or via email at [email protected] #lifeinlaw #AdvisorSpotlight #LiL #forwomeninlawbywomeninlaw

Lets be honest, we all know the truth: exercise is vitally important for our health and mental well-being. Thats all well and good but between driving the kids to [insert extracurricular activity here], following up with clients and the plethora of other responsibilities on your plate, how are you supposed to find time to fit in a worthwhile workout as well? Life in Law co-founder and Harper Gray Partner, Kim Jakeman, expresses the importance of setting aside this time fo...r yourself, and how staying on top of your schedule and prioritizing exercise will ensure youre successful in keeping up with your fitness goals. Read it on the Dear LiL blog here https://lifeinlaw.ca//dear-lil-i-often-hear-we-do-better-/ #forwomeninlawbywomeninlaw #LiL #DearLiL #lifeinlaw

When COVID-19 hit earlier this year, its safe to say the majority of us struggled with the ensuing chaos in our own way, whether it related to physical health, mental health, reduced income, child care - the list goes on and on. What warrants discussion however, is that a large portion of Canadians found themselves disproportionately affected by recent events as the pandemic shone a bright light on barriers to equality that already exist within our society. The Canadian Hum...an Rights Commission and the Anti-Racism Secretariat are co-hosting a virtual conference entitled, Confronting Racism and addressing human rights in a Pandemic which aims to raise awareness about the deeply rooted systemic racism and unchecked biases that have shaped Canadas pandemic response. It will feature a variety of expert and advocate keynote speakers from a variety of disciplines across Canada. The conference takes place on September 16, 2020, from 1pm to 4 pm (ET) and registration is free. Click here for more information https://collaboratevideo.net/Canada/en.php #humanrights #COVID19 #LiL #lifeinlaw

We are so pleased to welcome Jaeda Lee, an associate and colleague from Harper Grey LLP, to the Dear LiL blog! In her post, Jaeda sheds light on the correct use of pronouns in the office and how we may be misgendering our co-workers without even knowing it. Read it on the Dear LiL blog here https://lifeinlaw.ca//guest-blogger-jaeda-lee-of-harper-g/... #genderinclusivity #properpronouns #lifeinlaw #LiL

If we can walk one person off the ledge and keep one woman in the profession that would otherwise leave, regardless of what the reasons are and what others might be doing out there to help this problem, then this service has been a success, Back in March, Life in Law co-founders Kim Jakeman and Una Radoja were interviewed by Canadian Lawyer Magazine in regards to their newly-launched resource available for female lawyers across Canada. If you missed it, you can read the ar...ticle here https://www.canadianlawyermag.com//new-initiative-l/327764 #forwomeninlawbywomeninlaw #lifeinlaw #LiL

My one piece of advice to up and coming women lawyers is know that things will get easier if you keep at it. Every single successful female lawyer has had incredible challenges and moments of doubt. You are not alone. Every difficult situation you go through in your practice makes you that much more resilient and effective. So just stay. I volunteered as an Advisor because I do not want to look around the partnership table or any law event in 20 years and see a sea of the sa...me version of men I have been seeing since I was called to the bar. I want to look around the proverbial table and see lots and lots of women women like me and women very different from me. I believe we will all collectively benefit from this." -Una Radoja, Life in Law Founder/Advisor and Partner at Harper Grey LLP The Life in Law team is made up of a diverse group of Harper Grey women lawyers who volunteer their time as advisors on a weekly basis answering phone calls, monitoring the live chat on our website and responding to questions through the Dear LiL blog. We are growing organically through word of mouth and wed be delighted if you shared our posts with your network. If youre interested in connecting please reach out to us through one of our social media channels or via email at [email protected] #lifeinlaw #forwomeninlawbywomeninlaw #AdvisorSpotlight #LiL

If you entered stressful rather than amazing talking to someone can help. At Life in Law, our experienced and caring advisors are here to listen, not judge. So give us a call... and tap into our network of advisors who are on standby to listen and support you. #lifeinlaw #LiL #womeninlaw #forwomeninlawbywomeninlaw

We are thrilled to welcome our colleague, Guest Blogger and Harper Grey Associate, Tricia Milne to the Dear LiL blog! Tricia addresses this question recently posed to the Life in Law team; am I supposed to look at work emails on my vacation? and discusses why it is important to take a break. Read her thoughtful response on the Dear LiL blog here https://lifeinlaw.ca//guest-blogger-and-harper-grey-assoc/ #lifeinlaw #DearLiL #LiL #forwomeninlawbywomeninlaw

We all know the daily grind for lawyers extends well beyond the typical nine to five, and while this is often expected (especially for junior lawyers) is it entirely necessary for you to be successful in your career? In her introductory blog post, Life in Law Advisor and Harper Grey Associate Counsel, Rose Keith, QC, addresses a question posed to the Dear LiL blog regarding the rejection of the 80 hour work week as reasonable or indicative of an inability to hack it in the pr...ofession. Read it on the Dear LiL blog here https://lifeinlaw.ca//dear-lil-i-have-been-told-many-time/ #80hourworkweek #forwomeninlawbywomeninlaw #lifeinlaw #LiL

My one piece of advice to up and coming women lawyers is get involved!! Being a part of the larger legal community through involvement in your firm, the CBA, TLABC or other organizations is a great way to get to know others in similar situations and a great way to expand your network. I volunteer as an Advisor because I have been fortunate throughout the years to form relationships of my own with trusted advisors and look forward to giving back in the same way. -Rose Kei...th, Life in Law Advisor and Associate Counsel at Harper Grey LLP The Life in Law team is made up of a diverse group of Harper Grey women lawyers who volunteer their time as advisors on a weekly basis answering phone calls, monitoring the live chat on our website and responding to questions through the Dear LiL blog. We are growing organically through word of mouth and wed be delighted if you shared our posts with your network. If youre interested in connecting please reach out to us through one of our social media channels or via email at [email protected] #AdvisorSpotlight #forwomeninlawbywomeninlaw #LiL #lifeinlaw

We are delighted to announce our support of the free LSAT Intensive course hosted by the Black Law Students' Association (BLSA) at the Peter A. Allard School of Law. The course is offered by Dr. Hadiya Roderique (author of Black on Bay Street) and is an application-based course focused on logic games for black-identifying students who qualify for low-income status. The BLSA is now able to offer two sections of the course from late-August to September 2020. To learn more ab...out course details and the application procedure, visit the UBC BLSAs Facebook Page (@ubcblsa), Instagram (@ubcblsa) or click here https://drive.google.com//1vp25x_REtKBS0Sr6mBQrWLj4J/view All other questions regarding this program can be directed to: [email protected] Life in Law is proud to have played a role in providing students with this learning opportunity and looks forward to partnering with BLSA UBC again in the future. Read more about BLSA and the amazing work theyre doing across Canada here https://blsacanada.com/ #UBC #lawstudents #lifeinlaw #LiL #BLSAcanada

Women really need to know we are all going through this together. Even if you are the best lawyer you can possibly be, on any given day you can be thrown a curveball... In case you missed it, Life in Law co-founders and Harper Grey partners, Kim Jakeman and Una Radoja were interviewed by the Lawyers Daily earlier this year, regarding the conception of Life in Law and the motivation for creating the initiative in the first place. Read the full interview here https://www.th...elawyersdaily.ca/articles/18243 #LiL #lifeinlaw #forwomeninlawbywomeninlaw

In response to the outcry surrounding the ongoing, racially-driven conflict in the United States earlier this summer, Life in Law released a statement aligning ourselves with anti-racism efforts and made a commitment to take action. Since then, we have been exploring effective ways to make an impact in our local community by connecting with organizations that are already making waves and creating lasting and positive change. As part of our first steps, we are delighted to ann...ounce our support for the Allard Chapter of the Black Law Students Association (BLSA) of Canada at UBC. Along with other chapters nationwide, the BLSA UBC focuses on the challenges faced by the black community in the legal profession and seeks to provide resources and opportunities that will aid in the success of their career and their representation in the community as a whole. The Peter A. Allard School of Law announced their immediate commitment to the BLSA UBC chapter in July in support of confronting, anti-black racism at the law school and subsequently within the profession itself. We are honoured to contribute to the incredible work BLSA is doing to dismantle the systemic exclusion people of colour continue to face across our country. Read more about BLSA Canada here https://blsacanada.com/. Learn more about how the Allard School of Law is supporting the BLSA UBC chapter here https://allard.ubc.ca//supporting-objectives-black-law-stu. #BLSAcanada #UBC #lawstudents #lifeinlaw #LiL

We are delighted to welcome our colleague, Guest Blogger and Harper Grey Litigation Support and E-Discovery Supervisor, Monique Sever to the Dear LiL blog! Monique shares valuable insight into the evolving landscape of legal services and the positive impact this change can have on keeping women in law productive, wherever they choose to work! Read it on the Dear LiL blog here https://lifeinlaw.ca//our-guest-blogger-and-harper-grey-l/ #lifeinlaw #DearLiL #LiL #forwomeninlawbywomeninlaw

Life in Law co-founders, Kim Jakeman and Una Radoja were recently interviewed by the CBABC Women Lawyers Forum (WLF) for an article included in their Summer 2020 newsletter. Were so grateful to have had the opportunity to extend our reach through a community of like-minded women - thank you CBABC WLF! The article can be found here https://www.cbabc.org///Newsletters/Summer-2020-Newsletter (look for a couple familiar faces on page 5!) #forwomeninlawbywomeninlaw #lifeinlaw #LiL

Were over the stigma surrounding mental health. At Life in Law, we understand the importance of providing a space that encourages conversations about mental health. These discussions are essential for overall well-being and this balance is vital for a successful career in law. We are encouraged to hear about initiatives that are normalizing this conversation. The amazing folks at Allard School of Law have started a Lawyer Wellbeing Mentor program to increase conversations... about mental health for law students. And, of course, we were delighted that our former Harper Grey colleague, Raminder Hayre, is a part of this initiative! For more information click here https://allard.ubc.ca//student-wellbei/wellbeing-services #mentalhealth #reducethestigma #LiL #lifeinlaw

My one piece of advice to up and coming lawyers is to know that they are not alone. The issue(s) that they are faced with, or concerned about are likely issues that others have already experienced, and we are here to share what has worked, what has not worked (for us), and to discuss other possibilities. I volunteer as an Advisor because I want to share my experiences in the hope of helping someone else and to encourage and foster all of us to lean in. -Lindsay Johnston, L...ife in Law Advisor and Associate at Harper Grey LLP The Life in Law team is made up of a diverse group of Harper Grey women lawyers who volunteer their time as advisors on a weekly basis answering phone calls, monitoring the live chat on our website and responding to questions through the Dear LiL blog. We are growing organically through word of mouth and wed be delighted if you shared our posts with your network. If youre interested in connecting please reach out to us through one of our social media channels or via email at [email protected] #advisorspotlight #lifeinlaw #forwomeninlawbywomeninlaw #LiL

It can feel difficult to successfully navigate your career path while staying true to yourself. In her most recent Dear LiL Blog post, Life in Law co-founder and Harper Grey Partner, Kim Jakeman, provides tips and anecdotes on how she managed to achieve success without comprising her ideals. Read the full post here https://lifeinlaw.ca//dear-lil-how-can-you-succeed-in-the/ #keepitreal #lifeinlaw #forwomeninlawbywomeninlaw #DearLiL #LiL

Pride is widely celebrated across Canada throughout the summer. No matter where in the country these celebrations take place, at the root of it all is the recognition of LGBTQIA2S+ rights in our own cities and around the world. It is important that we continue to reflect on the progress that has yet to be made, and how we can be better advocates and create space for all members of our community. Due to COVID, this years parade in Vancouver has been cancelled, but as stated ...by the Vancouver Pride Society Pride itself will not be. The celebration has been reimagined and will take place virtually throughout the week and into the weekend, providing opportunities for the community to come together and celebrate all the differences that make each and every individual unique and powerful. For a complete digital lineup of all the events taking place over #VanPride week, click here https://vancouverpride.ca//vanvirtualpride-2020-event-lin/ #Pride #VanPride2020 #VanVirtualPride #LiL #lifeinlaw

We would like to extend a big thank you to our friends at CBABC for including us in their June 2020 issue of Bartalk (you can find us on page 21!). Read it here https://lnkd.in/gHuGvGY It is through support like this that we can continue to get our message out. Bartalk is published six times per year by the CBABC and discusses legal news and issues from across British Columbia. Read more about the CBABC here https://www.cbabc.org/Home... #lifeinlaw #forwomeninlawbywomeninlaw #LiL

We are delighted to welcome Guest Blogger, Pamela Meneguzzi, Senior Counsel with the Government of Canada, to the Dear LiL blog! Read her post for her valuable insight on a successful career in law. Read it on the Dear LiL blog here https://lifeinlaw.ca/blog/guest-blogger-pamela-meneguzzi/ #lifeinlaw #DearLiL #LiL #forwomeninlawbywomeninlaw

LiL co-founder and Harper Grey partner Kim Jakeman, recently published a post to the Dear LiL blog about understanding and addressing unconscious bias. In the post, Kim references the importance of being open to learning about the biases we hold and being honest to ourselves about them (read it on the Dear LiL blog here https://lifeinlaw.ca//dear-lil-i-see-you-have-made-a-comm/). In the spirit of ongoing learning wed like to share that the Canadian Bar Association is hosting a webinar on Wednesday, July 29 on uncovering unconscious bias with Bilingual Unconscious Bias, Diversity, Inclusion and Equity trainer, Karima Kara. Find out more information and register here https://www.cbapd.org/details_en.aspx?id=NA_NA20LAW19A. #unconsciousbias #forwomeninlawbywomeninlaw #lifeinlaw #LiL

My one piece of advice to up and coming lawyers is a legal career is a marathon not a sprint; you can take your own path. Dont quit just because you are on a different path than those around you. I volunteer as an Advisor because it is important for women to support women. I want to see more women like me stay in law. -Mandeep Gill, Life in Law Advisor and Associate at Harper Grey LLP... The Life in Law team is made up of a diverse group of Harper Grey women lawyers who volunteer their time as advisors on a weekly basis answering phone calls, monitoring the live chat on our website and responding to questions through the Dear LiL blog. We are growing organically through word of mouth and wed be delighted if you shared our posts with your network. If youre interested in connecting please reach out to us through one of our social media channels or via email at [email protected] #advisorspotlight #lifeinlaw #forwomeninlawbywomeninlaw #LiL

Times are changing and building mutually beneficial relationships with clients no longer has to take place in a sports arena or on a golf course. Life in Law co-founder and Harper Grey partner, Una Radoja, discusses strategies for building meaningful connections with clients and most importantly; how she does it on her own terms. Read the post on the Dear LiL blog here https://lifeinlaw.ca//dear-lil-how-do-i-get-ahead-if-i-do/ #schmooze #LiL #forwomeninlawbywomeninlaw #lifeinlaw #DearLiL

Life in law co-founder and Harper Grey partner, Kimberly Jakeman, discusses the fine line between personal and professional life when working from home in her latest blog post. Read it on the Dear LiL blog here https://lifeinlaw.ca//dear-lil-my-offices-wont-be-opening/ #lifeinlaw #LiL #DearLiL #covid19 #workingfromhome #forwomeninlawbywomeninlaw

We are pleased to welcome Nicole Garton, of Heritage Law, as the first Guest Blogger to Life and Laws Dear LiL blog! In her blog post, Nicole shares strategies to help establish and maintain a healthy work-life balance. Read it on the Dear LiL blog here https://lifeinlaw.ca//guest-blogger-nicole-garton-of-heri/ #lifeinlaw #DearLiL #LiL #forwomeninlawbywomeninlaw

Life in Law Advisor and Harper Grey partner, Lara Zee, discusses her professional journey and the value her own experience has had on gaining perspective in her career. Read it on the Dear LiL Blog here https://lifeinlaw.ca//dear-lil-any-tips-on-transitioning-/. #forwomeninlawbywomeninlaw #lifeinlaw #LiL #DearLiL

Life in Law is sincere in its awakening to longstanding racial inequities and taking action and doing what we can to effect positive change. As women in law supporting women in law, we understand first-hand the strength of a collective of women and how beneficial it is for us to come together and support each other. Black Women Connect Vancouver came to our attention as one of the few organizations that provides that same sense of community for black women in Vancouver. This ...amazing collective empowers black women across the lower mainland by providing connection, support, and resources to help them feel united and strong. We encourage you to learn more about them by visiting their website here https://blackwomenconnectvancouver.com/ Today, we donated $1,000 to Black Women Connect Vancouver to assist in their community-building efforts. While we understand this contribution is only the beginning of our commitment to the black community in Vancouver, we are excited to invest in relationships that will ultimately help foster equality and combat racism and discrimination. #blacklivesmatter #strongwomen #strongcommunities #LiL #lifeinlaw

My one piece of advice to up and coming lawyers is to learn how to prioritize. One of the most important skills successful lawyers have is being able to plan ahead for what needs to be accomplished and how to make it happen. This is applicable not only to your job, but also making time for things that are important to you outside of the office. I volunteer as an Advisor because law is a demanding career but it also gives you opportunities to give back and help out. -Jennife...r Woznesensky, Life in Law Advisor and Partner at Harper Grey LLP The Life in Law team is made up of a diverse group of Harper Grey women lawyers who volunteer their time as advisors on a weekly basis answering phone calls, monitoring the live chat on our website and responding to questions through the Dear LiL blog. We are growing organically through word of mouth and wed be delighted if you shared our posts with your network. If youre interested in connecting please reach out to us through one of our social media channels or via email at [email protected] #advisorspotlight #lifeinlaw #forwomeninlawbywomeninlaw #LiL

We are thrilled to announce that Life in Law is the recipient of a Platinum Hermes Creative Award in the Website Creative/Website Design category. Designed by Harper Grey LLP's in-house Marketing Team, the process of creating LiL involved building an entire brand identity in addition to an intuitive website. The Team realized that in order for LiL to be successful, the starting point would have to be a great interactive and easy to navigate website and they delivered. We love... the final result and were tickled pink to learn that Hermes Creative Awards did too! The Hermes Creative Awards honors those bringing ideas to life through digital and traditional platforms. Each year, competition judges evaluate the creative industrys best publications, branding collateral, websites, videos, and advertising, marketing and communication programs. The competition is open to all individuals, companies and organizations involved in producing any kind of marketing and communication materials for external or internal audiences. You can view Life in Law amongst other 2020 winners here https://hermesawards.com/ #LiL #lifeinlaw #websitedesign #forwomeninlawbywomeninlaw #hermescreativeawards

We received a request, based on Lindsay Johnstons recent post dealing with childcare options upon returning to the workplace after maternity leave, for suggestions about how to deal with the additional concerns around childcare given the current COVID-19 pandemic. Read Lindsays follow up response on the Dear LiL blog here: https://lnkd.in/g7tE56Z. Keep those questions coming!... #covid19 #coronavirus #forwomeninlawbywomeninlaw #lifeinlaw #DearLiL #LiL