Guest Blogger and Harper Grey Paralegal, Sheryl Watson, discusses effective strategies for working in a cross-disciplinary team and how – as always – communication is key.

We welcome LiL Ally and Harper Grey lawyer, Mollie Clark to the Dear LiL Blog, to discuss breaking down those nerves into manageable pieces that will allow you to make the most out of this important experience. To read more about the LiL Articling Student initiative – click here. 

Two months ago, I had my second child. I have a five year old boy and now a baby girl. I decided not to take a maternity leave this time around, although I did reduce my annual targets slightly. I think there are more and more professional women who are choosing to return to work immediately on giving birth for various reasons, provided they can, of course. It goes without saying (yet it must be said!), that this decision is not one that all women can, want to or should make. Many professional women have no choice but to take a maternity leave, or really want to take one – I certainly did the first time I became a mother. It is also worth mentioning, that the immediate return to work is often not a choice for women but a…

“My one piece of advice to up and coming lawyers is to hang in there if you feel over your head. Don’t give up. Things will get easier. The practice of law is very challenging, but it can also be equally rewarding. I volunteer as an advisor because I want to help to create a smoother path for other women in the profession. I feel very fortunate to have had mentors of all sorts all along the way with different perspectives and strengths. I am particularly thankful for the strong and successful female lawyers in my life who have been both approachable and generous with their time. I want to pay that forward.” – Kim Yee, Life in Law Advisor and Partner at Harper Grey LLP The Life in Law team is made up of a diverse group of Harper…

Dear Glass Half Full: Sadly, I do not think that COVID-19 has spurred better gender diversity in law. In fact, when I first read the question, I thought it has likely done the opposite. Rather than rely on my own hunch, I did some research and came across article upon article and the news, my friends, is not good. From the New York Times story “Pandemic Will Take Our Women 10 Years Back in the Workplace” to the recent CBC article “Pandemic Job Losses Threaten to Leave Women Behind Permanently”, studies on the impact of the pandemic, while not limited to the practice of law, indicate COVID-19 has harmed working women more than working men. It has been particularly devastating for minority women. The pandemic had forced all lawyers to think about our jobs and how we do them. It…