Blakes Named one of "Canada's Best Diversity Employers" for 2010

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TORONTO (March 23, 2010) – Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP (Blakes), one of Canada's leading business law firms, has been named one of "Canada's Best Diversity Employers" for the third time.

"We are committed to providing legal services within a workplace environment rich in perspectives, backgrounds and cultures," said Brock Gibson, the Firm's Chair. "Diversity strengthens the Firm and makes it more effective in competing in an international marketplace and representing our multinational client base."

Blakes has participated in an array of programs, some for many years. These include Rotman/University of Toronto Program for Women in Law, The Judy Project, the New Pioneers Awards, Law in Action within Schools (LAWS)/Blakes Mentoring Program, as well as many community outreach programs. Blakes also periodically publishes the Blakes Bulletin on Equity & Diversity, holds Firm seminars on subjects related to equity and diversity, and supports a number of ongoing initiatives. In 2008, the Firm launched the Women at Blakes network for women legal professionals at the Firm, and last summer, Blakes celebrated its second annual Multiculturalism Day. The events in our various offices were organized to recognize diversity at Blakes and featured music, food, and information about a number of cultures and groups.

And we are always adding new initiatives, some of which include:

• Urban Financial Services Coalition: Blakes has been acting as pro bono counsel to the Toronto chapter of the Urban Financial Services Coalition (UFSC) since July 2008. A not-for-profit organization, UFSC is dedicated to promoting the growth of minority professionals in all areas of financial services. UFSC also seeks to promote financial fluency and increase awareness of personal finance issues in disadvantaged and minority communities. Several of our lawyers are active in the organization and contribute to UFSC's various educational and professional development initiatives, including by serving on UFSC's corporate advisory board and leading professional development seminars at its general meetings.
  
  
• University of Calgary: Blakes was instrumental in the inception and launch of an annual seminar for female law students on practice issues and opportunities.
  
  
• The Law Society of Alberta's Working Group for the Retention of Women in the Practice of Law: Blakes is a founding member of the Law Society's Working Group and has been instrumental in implementing a number of programs aimed at supporting and educating young women lawyers and law students in the Calgary legal community. The expectation is that more far reaching programs will evolve with our Firm's continued involvement.
  
  
• The Justicia Project: Blakes is participating in this Law Society of Upper Canada initiative aimed at increasing the retention of women in private practice.
  
  
• Boys and Girls Clubs of Calgary: Blakes has been providing pro bono legal services regarding a variety of corporate matters to support the delivery of the Clubs' broad range of services for various challenged minority, socio-economic, immigrant and aboriginal communities. This includes providing an annual Blakes scholarship for youth who have forged their way through periods of homelessness to further their educational pursuits and find self-sufficiency.

Blakes lawyers involved in these projects are available to talk about them and about why Blakes has been recognized for its equity and diversity initiatives. To arrange an interview, please contact Celia Bobkin, Manager of Media and Public Relations, 416-863-5806.

About "Canada's Best Diversity Employers"
This recognition is awarded annually by Mediacorp Canada Inc., Canada's largest publisher of employment periodicals. "Canada's Best Diversity Employers" recognizes exemplary diversity initiatives in five employee groups: (a) women; (b) members of visible minorities; (c) persons with disabilities; (d) Aboriginal Peoples; and (e) lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered/transsexual (LGBT) peoples.

About Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Blakes has more than 550 lawyers with offices across Canada and in New York, Chicago, London, Bahrain, Beijing and associated offices in Al-Khobar and Shanghai. In 2009, Blakes was named "Canada's Law Firm of the Year" by Who's Who Legal and, for the second year running, "Law Firm of the Year: Canada" in the PLC Which Lawyer? Awards. On December 16, 2009, the Financial Times and mergermarket awarded Blakes the Legal Advisor of the Year Award and, for the second year in a row, the Mid-Market Legal Advisor of the Year Canada Award. In 2007, 2008 and 2009, Blakes was Canada's busiest M&A law firm, according to rankings in the Bloomberg, Thomson Reuters and mergermarket league tables. In January 2010, Bloomberg ranked Blakes the ninth busiest law firm in Global Announced Deals for 2009 - Counsel to Principals by deal value. Blakes is the only Canadian firm on this top 10 list. More information on Blakes is available by visiting the Firm's website at www.blakes.com. Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/BlakesNews.

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