Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG)

Opening Minds | Changer les mentalités Mental Health First Aid provides tools to recognize mental health challenges and offer real support when it’s needed. By taking part, BLGers are not only building their own skills but also helping to create a more supportive and inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive. #WorldMentalHealthDay

BLG Senior Counsel and former ABCA Judge Marina Paperny hosted a panel in partnership with the University of Calgary’s 2024 Afghanistan Judges Reception & Luncheon. The panel consisted of three women judges who shared their powerful stories about fleeing the Taliban and resettling in Canada.    “It was a privilege to be able to introduce these brave women to members of the Calgary legal community, a community they wish to be part of and give back to,” said Marina. “The Displaced Legal Scholars Fund will help them achieve this goal.”   With the support of the International Association of Women Judges and other NGOs, many women judges were able to escape Afghanistan, including 35 Afghan judges who have resettled in Canada, seven of whom now call Calgary home. The Displaced Legal Scholars Fund was created to support these judges in their legal re-education, helping them work towards practicing law in Canada.   In 2021, as news spread of the Taliban’s rapid advance across Afghanistan, BLG launched a national pro bono initiative in partnership with Landings LLP. This national effort rapidly scaled with the help of lawyers and students across BLG’s offices, and the firm remains committed to supporting those in need on their path to safety and resettlement.

Members of the #BLGAlumni community can catch up on alumni accomplishments and firm news through the latest edition of our alumni newsletter, 'In the know'. This newsletter is released every spring and fall and is created by and for members of our alumni community.   Our alumni team is always happy to hear from our alumni and share their successes with the rest of the community. Reach out to our alumni team at alumni@blg.com, and you could be featured in a future edition of the newsletter. --- Les membres de la communauté des #AnciensDeBLG peuvent découvrir les réalisations de leurs pairs et suivre l’actualité de BLG grâce à l’infolettre Dans le coup, dont le dernier numéro vient de paraître. Publiée au printemps et à l’automne, cette infolettre est conçue pour (et par) cette précieuse communauté.   Notre équipe Relations avec les anciens et anciennes est toujours prête à raconter les bons coups des membres du réseau. Écrivez-lui à alumni@blg.com, et vous pourriez être en vedette dans le prochain numéro de l’infolettre.

In this edition of our quarterly roundup, we explore supply chain disruptions, greenwashing claims, immigration policy changes, energy procurement and more. BLG lawyers share what you need to know about the latest regulations, policies and legal developments, as well as practical resources to keep you ahead of the changes currently impacting Canadian and international business. https://lnkd.in/gHvJKZnS

BLG's Lisa Chamandy, the first appointed CAIO at a Canadian law firm, talks about generative artificial intelligence risks, opportunities, and adoption practices, and what they mean for lawyers. Has the future of law already begun? https://lnkd.in/gWSKCnyt #BLGPublication #BLG200 #generativeai #futureoflaw

How do we ensure energy transition projects move forward successfully and stay on budget? In this thought-provoking fireside chat, BLG’s Hon. Sonya Savage, KC, ECA, LLM and Energy Disruptors: UNITE CEO Graeme Edge, dive into the importance of partnership in energy transition projects. They explore who should have a seat at the table and the collaborative efforts needed for success, particularly in today’s rapidly evolving energy landscape. Click here to watch the full conversation between Sonya and Graeme: https://lnkd.in/dVTdzyVs    BLG lawyers are at The Energy Disruptors: Unite conference, happening in Calgary on October 1 & 2. Let’s connect! #EnergyDisruptors #EDU2024

May this New Year be filled with health and happiness for you and your family. || Que la nouvelle année vous apporte, à vous et à votre famille, santé et bonheur!

As discussions around Canada navigating the road to truth and reconciliation are top of mind, we're catching up with #BLGAlumni Isha Khan, CEO of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, on how the Museum is helping to foster discussions around Canada's colonialist past, uplifting Indigenous voices, and how they are sharing those stories through virtual and in-person exhibits, such as the Witness Blanket.   Isha's current role sees her combine her legal background with her passion as a human rights advocate, which she discussed with her former law school classmate BLG Partner Laurie Goldbach in the latest BLG Alumni Spotlight interview.   Check out the interview here: https://lnkd.in/enKxKfHr

The journey to reconciliation requires each of us to look inward to deepen our understanding. That was the message shared by Douglas Sanderson (Amo Binashii) during BLG’s annual webinar honouring National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Douglas is co-author, with Andrew Stobo Sniderman, of Valley of the Birdtail: An Indian Reserve, a White Town, and the Road to Reconciliation. This award-winning book tells the story of two communities—the town of Rossburn and the Waywayseecappo Indian reserve—divided by a beautiful valley and 150 years of racism. It reflects much of what has gone wrong in relations between Indigenous Peoples and non-Indigenous Canadians. It also offers, in the end, an uncommon measure of hope. If you haven’t read it yet, the Valley of the Birdtail offers an excellent opportunity to learn and reflect. Here’s a helpful list of Indigenous-owned bookstores, thanks to Ottawa Public Library where you can get a copy: https://lnkd.in/g-rd8Wu5

BLG welcomes Nadya Tymochenko and Gillian Tuck Kutarna to the firm as Senior Counsel in our National School Boards Practice group. Nadya and Gillian bring decades of experience advising school boards and educational institutions to our Labour & Employment Group. Together, Nadya and Gillian co-authored "An Educator's Guide to Internet and Social Media in the Classroom", a key text for educators, administrators, and others in the education field dealing with the use and risks of the internet and social media. #LegalTalent #EmploymentLaw  https://lnkd.in/gYbRPJFx