In 2007, Blakes launched a Women at Blakes network to formalize and enhance the networking opportunities for our women lawyers, both within and outside the Firm. Our Women at Blakes network focuses on improving business development opportunities for women and the professional development and recruitment of women, as well as strengthening the relationships between women in the Firm across different practice areas and offices.

The current initiatives of the Blakes Women’s network include:

• client events to provide business development opportunities for our women lawyers
• internal and external speakers of particular interest to our women lawyers to provide training and internal networking opportunities
• mentoring specific to women
• sponsorship of leadership training for women lawyers
• Women at Blakes newsletters, our intranet site and other communication tools to highlight events and personal successes, share information, and enhance communication across the Firm
• participation in The Law Society of Upper Canada Justicia project on the retention of women in private practice

In regard to this last initiative, Blakes is a founding sponsor of a three-day leadership program for female lawyers in years five to eight, started in 2008 by the Rotman School of Management and the University of Toronto Law School. Blakes is also a founding sponsor of the “Judy Program,” a leadership forum for executive women organized by the Rotman School of Management, which has been attended by one of our women partners each year since it started eight years ago.

For more information on the Women at Blakes network, please contact Dawn Jetten.