FAQ
- How do we celebrate International Women’s Day?
- 2022 – #BreakTheBias
“Collective action and shared ownership for driving gender equity is what makes a positive difference for women and what makes International Women’s Day so impactful. What we do day-to-day is what truly makes a positive difference for women.” – International Women’s Day 2022
In honour of International Women’s Day 2022, we wanted to thank each of our listees for their support, use, and expansion of ReferToHer™. Together, we #BreakTheBias every day by keeping women top of mind for referrals and more!
That is why ReferToHer™ donated $10,000 to be split amongst the following organizations that focus on advancing and supporting women across Canada, selected by our listees! Click to learn more about how each of these organizations help #BreakTheBias and forge a gender equal world today and every day.
- Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic – Offers legal services and representation and counselling to diverse women who have experienced violence.
- Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies – Advocates for alternatives to the criminal justice system and raises awareness about systemic oppressions that put women in conflict with the law.
- LEAF – Advances gender equity by challenging laws, policies, and practices that discriminate against equality, with a focus on litigation, law reform, and public education.
- Native Women’s Association of Canada – Advocates for the social, economic, cultural and political well-being of Indigenous women, girls and gender diverse people across Canada.
2021 – #ChooseToChallenge
"We can all choose to challenge and call out gender bias and inequality. We can all choose to seek out and celebrate women's achievements. Collectively, we can all help create an inclusive world. From challenge comes change, so let's all choose to challenge." – International Women’s Day 2021
In honour of International Women’s Day 2021, throughout the month of March, ReferToHer™ challenged listees to take a photo with their ReferToHer™ pin and share their own #ChooseToChallenge message on Twitter and LinkedIn using the #ReferToHer hashtag.
We encouraged listees to share how they will challenge gender inequity during the year, raise awareness against bias, celebrate the achievements of a fellow listee, and/or amplify one of the takeaways from our Get To Know Her on the List event!
- Bring new ideas to challenge inequity at your firm/company, with your clients, and on your boards or committees.
- Consider the ReferToHer list(s) you are on right now and identify the BIPOC women in your network that should be included and “Get Her on the List”.
- Sync up with like-minded women (like the women on ReferToHer!). Develop and advance ideas together.
- Use ReferToHer for more than referrals. Reference the lists when you need a panelist for a speaking engagement, when you are speaking to the media, when you are being interviewed by a legal directory, etc.
- Stay connected by using the ReferToHer Listserv!
- What is ReferToHer™?
- ReferToHer™ is a series of lists, organized by practice group, of experienced female lawyers to whom you can confidently refer work. As referrals are an important part of achieving business success, we hope this program ensures that female lawyers are positioned as equal, available, resources for those seeking legal help. This is a step towards ensuring that, regardless of gender, clients are referred to the right lawyers.
- How did ReferToHer™ and the initial lists originate?
- ReferToHer™ was initially launched as a litigation referral network in June 2019, by Sana Halwani, Partner at Lenczner Slaght, and Shara Roy, former Partner at Lenczner Slaght and current Chief Legal Counsel at EY Canada. Working with senior female lawyers at Lenczner Slaght and other senior women in the industry, ten litigation lists were developed at launch with lawyers originally placed on only one of the lists. In January 2020, McCarthy Tétrault, together with Lenczner Slaght, developed the first Corporate ReferToHer™ list of its kind.
Lenczner Slaght remains responsible for developing and updating all litigation lists and maintaining litigation@refertoher.com.
McCarthy Tétrault remains responsible for developing and updating all corporate lists and maintaining corporate@refertoher.com.
- Is ReferToHer™ a directory or a ranking?
- No, it is not a membership or a legal ranking.
- Can someone be on more than one list?
- While lawyers were originally placed on only one list, you can endorse a lawyer to have her included on multiple lists by filling out the form on Get Her on the List. The intention is for the lists to grow organically over time to reflect the Canadian legal market.
- How does someone get on the list? What are the criteria?
- If you are already on a list, you may visit Get Her on the List to endorse an addition. She must be a partner, counsel, sole practitioner, or a lawyer with at least 8 years of experience (i.e., with a Bar Admission of 2015 or earlier), she must be a litigator (Litigation list only) or corporate lawyer (Corporate list only) practicing in Canada, and she must identify as female. She should also be someone to whom you have or confidently would refer work. Please keep in mind that you cannot endorse someone from your own firm.
- Can a listee endorse an addition to any list?
- No, there are some limitations. Only those who are on a Litigation list can endorse an addition to a Litigation list and only those who are on a Corporate list can endorse an addition to a Corporate list. However, anyone on any list can endorse an addition to a Supporting Legal Areas list and vice versa.
- Who will make updates to the list?
- Periodic updates to contact information on the Litigation lists will be made by Lenczner Slaght. Periodic updates to contact information on the Corporate lists will be made by McCarthy Tétrault.
- What type of updates will be made?
- Those who are no longer practicing in private practice will be removed from the lists. In addition, if you are on a Litigation list and wish to be removed, you can email litigation@refertoher.com. If you are on a Corporate list and wish to be removed, you can email corporate@refertoher.com.
- How long will it take to receive a response from litigation@refertoher.com or corporate@refertoher.com?
- Please allow 48-72 hours.
For general corporate inquiries, please contact:
