The 2016 Law Society Report is in many ways admissions that amount to litigious issues. Could we say admissions of criminal guilt or civil liability also to what could be crimes of mischief or hate crimes against certain members of the Law Society? Could we sue? We would have to get an opinion on that since we are concerned about our limitations period but when does that expire if we do not know that we could sue? A class action settlement for all members and former members is suggested; for amounts approximating $90000.00. All Ontario citizens and residents would be invited to seek this compensation; as suggested. The report says we are working together for change and at Angel Ronan Entwerfen, we acknowledge this effort. But, you have to do more than change the organization name, you guilty bastards. Did you ever read the rules that you make people bleed and pray over to pass those exams? You could not have written the exams; guilty bastards. Angel Ronan Entwerfen™; we are still open in spite of the evident failings of the Law Society and its lauded, litigious, candid admissions and confessions. Thank you as this exonerates many in their experiences with this once ridiculous, defunct and now closed society. We accept it as an apology but now it is to pay compensation; as suggested by many and now lets move and celebrate law as a key civic median of social and economic peace with ongoing CPD for all genuinely interested, regardless of education, in helping the public pursuant to the rules. It is suggested that there is no license fee but donations will be noted and you could get your name on a park bench as recognition instead of trying to diminish the real graduates and put them on a bench. While there is always some resistance of formalities in our society, we must accept that there will always be some significant formalities for us to consider although this is resisted quite often by us from the mindset of our aboriginal selves. LAW SOCIETY ADOPTS RECOMMENDATIONS TO ADDRESS CHALLENGES FACED BY RACIALIZED LICENSEES. 06 décembre 2016. Partager At Convocation on December 2, 2016, the Law Society adopted the Final Report of the Challenges Faced by Racialized Licensees Working Group, entitled "Working Together for Change: Strategies to Address Issues of Systemic Racism in the Legal Professions – November 2016." The Report contains 13 recommendations related to five themes: accelerating a culture shift, measuring progress, educating for change, implementing supports, and leading by example. The Law Society Working Group on this issue was formed in 2012 to identify the challenges faced by racialized lawyers and paralegals and consider strategies for enhanced inclusion at all career stages. The OBA provided a submission on the Working Group’s previous report, a 2014 Consultation Paper. Subsequently, the Working Group released their Final Report, concluding that the challenges faced by racialized licensees are both longstanding and significant, that the Law Society must take a leadership role in bringing about lasting culture change, and that prescribing minimum standards of equality, diversity and inclusion are consistent with human rights responsibilities of the profession that are already in place. The OBA provided a submission responding to the Final Report that recognized the importance of diversity and inclusion to the profession after seeking input from the OBA Equality Committee, Young Lawyers Divisions, Women Lawyers Forum, the Sole, Small Firm and General Practice section, the Canadian Corporate Counsel Association – Ontario Chapter, and our new Student Section. Further, the submission noted the support of the OBA's members for the recommendations articulated in the Final Report as a reasonable way of moving forward to address the concerns identified. The OBA also recognized that, while moving forward is important, the Law Society should do so with the commitment to continually monitor and assess the effectiveness of measures implemented and to share that information with the profession. The OBA will continue to monitor and assess the Law Society's progress in the implementation of the recommendations. Motion That Convocation approve the following thirteen recommendations outlined in the Working Together for Change: Strategies to Address Issues of Systemic Racism in the Legal Professions report: Recommendation 1 – Reinforcing Professional Obligations The Law Society will review and amend, where appropriate, the Rules of Professional Conduct, the Paralegal Rules of Conduct, and Commentaries to reinforce the professional obligations of all licensees to recognize, acknowledge and promote principles of equality, diversity and inclusion consistent with the requirements under human rights legislation and the special responsibilities of licensees in the legal and paralegal professions. We are trying to understand what bribe Donna Barnbwell paid to affect one of our best members' status. The past few years have been a police investigation. Why did she break into his Pickering home and scratch the walls with a three pronged tool when the property was still under construction and the builder had to repair the wall in the heater area three times? Recommendation 2 – Diversity and Inclusion Project The Law Society will work with stakeholders, such as interested legal workplaces, legal associations, law schools and paralegal colleges to develop model policies and resources to address the challenges faced by racialized licensees. Recommendation 3 – The Adoption of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Principles and Practices The Law Society will: See note at page 4a 1) require every licensee to adopt and to abide by a statement of principles acknowledging their obligation to promote equality, diversity and inclusion generally, and in their behaviour towards colleagues, employees, clients and the public; 2) require a licensee representative of each legal workplace of at least 10 licensees in Ontario to develop, implement and maintain a human rights/diversity policy for their legal workplace addressing at the very least fair recruitment, retention and advancement, which will be available to members of the professions and the public upon request; 3) require a licensee representative of each legal workplace of at least 10 licensees in Ontario to complete, every two years, an equality, diversity and inclusion self-assessment for their legal workplace, to be provided to the Law Society; and 4) encourage legal workplaces to conduct inclusion surveys by providing them with sample templates. Recommendation 4 – Measuring Progress through Quantitative Analysis Each year, the Law Society will measure progress quantitatively by providing legal workplaces of at least 25 licensees in Ontario with the quantitative self-identification data of their licensees compiled from the Lawyers Annual Report and the Paralegal Annual Report in a manner consistent with the best practices established to protect licensees vulnerable to harm that may flow from this disclosure, so they can compare their data with the aggregate demographic data gathered from the profession as a whole through the annual reports. Note: Convocation amended. Recommendation 4 by adding the above, underlined content. References to Recommendation 4 have been updated throughout the report.

 The 2016 Law Society Report is in many ways admissions that amount to litigious issues.  Could we say admissions of criminal guilt or civil liability also to what could be crimes of mischief or hate crimes against certain members of the Law Society?   Could we sue?  We would have to get an opinion on that since we are concerned about our limitations period but when does that expire if we do not know that we could sue?  A class action settlement for all members and former members is suggested; for amounts approximating $90000.00. All Ontario citizens and residents  would be invited to seek this compensation; as suggested.   The report says we are working together for change and at Angel Ronan Entwerfen, we acknowledge this effort. But, you have to do more than change the organization name, you guilty bastards.  Did you ever read the rules that you make people  bleed and pray over to pass those exams?  You could not  have written the exams; guilty bastards.  

Angel Ronan Entwerfen™; we are still open in spite of the evident failings of the Law Society and its lauded, litigious, candid admissions and confessions.  Thank you as this exonerates many in their experiences with this once ridiculous, defunct and  now closed society. We accept it as an apology but now it is to pay compensation; as suggested by many and now lets move and celebrate law as a key civic median  of social and economic peace with ongoing CPD for all genuinely interested, regardless of education,  in helping the public pursuant to the rules. It is suggested that there is no license fee but donations will be noted and you could get your name on a park bench as recognition instead  of trying to diminish the real graduates and put them on a bench.  While there is always some resistance of formalities  in our society, we  must accept that there will always be some significant formalities for us to consider although this is resisted quite often by us from the mindset of our aboriginal selves. 

LAW SOCIETY ADOPTS RECOMMENDATIONS TO ADDRESS CHALLENGES FACED BY RACIALIZED LICENSEES. 

• 06 décembre 2016.

•  Partager
 

At Convocation on December 2, 2016, the Law Society adopted the Final Report of the Challenges Faced by Racialized Licensees Working Group, entitled "Working Together for Change: Strategies to Address Issues of Systemic Racism in the Legal Professions – November 2016." 

The Report contains 13 recommendations related to five themes: accelerating a culture shift, measuring progress, educating for change, implementing supports, and leading by example.

The Law Society Working Group on this issue was formed in 2012 to identify the challenges faced by racialized lawyers and paralegals and consider strategies for enhanced inclusion at all career stages.  The OBA provided a submission on the Working Group’s previous report, a 2014 Consultation Paper.  Subsequently, the Working Group released their Final Report, concluding that the challenges faced by racialized licensees are both longstanding and significant, that the Law Society must take a leadership role in bringing about lasting culture change, and that prescribing minimum standards of equality, diversity and inclusion are consistent with human rights responsibilities of the profession that are already in place. 

The OBA provided a submission responding to the Final Report that recognized the importance of diversity and inclusion to the profession after seeking input from the OBA Equality Committee, Young Lawyers Divisions, Women Lawyers Forum, the Sole, Small Firm and General Practice section, the Canadian Corporate Counsel Association – Ontario Chapter, and our new Student Section.  Further, the submission noted the support of the OBA's members for the recommendations articulated in the Final Report as a reasonable way of moving forward to address the concerns identified.  The OBA also recognized that, while moving forward is important, the Law Society should do so with the commitment to continually monitor and assess the effectiveness of measures implemented and to share that information with the profession.  The OBA will continue to monitor and assess the Law Society's progress in the implementation of the recommendations.

Motion That Convocation approve the following thirteen recommendations outlined in the Working Together for Change: Strategies to Address Issues of Systemic Racism in the Legal Professions report: 

Recommendation 1 – Reinforcing Professional Obligations The Law Society will review and amend, where appropriate, the Rules of Professional Conduct, the Paralegal Rules of Conduct, and Commentaries to reinforce the professional obligations of all licensees to recognize, acknowledge and promote principles of equality, diversity and inclusion consistent with the requirements under human rights legislation and the special responsibilities of licensees in the legal and paralegal professions.  We are trying to understand what bribe Donna Barnbwell paid to affect one of our best members' status.  The past few years have been a police investigation.  Why did she break into his Pickering home and scratch the walls with a three pronged tool when the property was still under construction and the builder had to repair the wall in the heater area three times?  

Recommendation 2 – Diversity and Inclusion Project The Law Society will work with stakeholders, such as interested legal workplaces, legal associations, law schools and paralegal colleges to develop model policies and resources to address the challenges faced by racialized licensees. 

Recommendation 3 – The Adoption of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Principles and Practices The Law Society will: See note at page 4a 1) require every licensee to adopt and to abide by a statement of principles acknowledging their obligation to promote equality, diversity and inclusion generally, and in their behaviour towards colleagues, employees, clients and the public; 2) require a licensee representative of each legal workplace of at least 10 licensees in Ontario to develop, implement and maintain a human rights/diversity policy for their legal workplace addressing at the very least fair recruitment, retention and advancement, which will be available to members of the professions and the public upon request; 3) require a licensee representative of each legal workplace of at least 10 licensees in Ontario to complete, every two years, an equality, diversity and inclusion self-assessment for their legal workplace, to be provided to the Law Society; and 4) encourage legal workplaces to conduct inclusion surveys by providing them with sample templates. 

Recommendation 4 – Measuring Progress through Quantitative Analysis Each year, the Law Society will measure progress quantitatively by providing legal workplaces of at least 25 licensees in Ontario with the quantitative self-identification data of their licensees compiled from the Lawyers Annual Report and the Paralegal Annual Report in a manner consistent with the best practices established to protect licensees vulnerable to harm that may flow from this disclosure, so they can compare their data with the aggregate demographic data gathered from the profession as a whole through the annual reports.  Note: Convocation amended. Recommendation 4 by adding the above, underlined content. References to Recommendation 4 have been updated throughout the report.  

Recommendation 5 – Measuring Progress through Qualitative Analysis The Law Society will measure progress by: 1) asking licensees to voluntarily answer inclusion questions, provided by the Law Society, about their legal workplace, every four years; and 2) compiling the results of the inclusion questions for each legal workplace of at least 25 licensees in Ontario and providing the legal workplace with a summary of the information gathered. 

Recommendation 6 – Inclusion Index Every four years, the Law Society will develop and publish an inclusion index that reflects the following information, including, for each legal workplace of at least 25 licensees: the legal workplace's self-assessment information (Recommendation 3(3)), demographic data obtained from the Lawyer Annual Report and Paralegal Annual Report (Recommendation 4) and information gathered from the inclusion questions provided by the Law Society (Recommendation 5). 

Recommendation 7 – Repeat Challenges Faced by Racialized Licensees Project Inclusion Survey The Law Society will conduct inclusion surveys with  questions similar to those asked in Appendix F of the Stratcom Challenges Faced by Racialized Licensees Final Report (March 11, 2014) (available online at http://www.stratcom.ca/wp-content/uploads/manual/RacializedLicensees_Full-Report.pdf). The first inclusion survey will be conducted within one year of the adoption of these recommendations, and thereafter every four years, subject to any recommendation by the Equity and Aboriginal Issues Committee to Convocation.  

Recommendation 8 – Progressive Compliance Measures The Law Society will consider and enact, as appropriate, progressive compliance measures for legal workplaces that do not comply with the requirements proposed in Recommendation 3 and/or legal workplaces that are identified as having systemic barriers to diversity and inclusion.  

Recommendation 9 – Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Programs on Topics of Equality and Inclusion in the Professions The Law Society will: 1) launch a three hour accredited program focused on advancing equality and inclusion in the professions; 2) develop resources to assist legal workplaces in designing and delivering their own three hour program focused on advancing equality and inclusion in the professions, to be accredited by the Law Society; and 3) require each licensee to complete three hours of an accredited program focused on equality and inclusion within the first three years following the adoption of these 3 recommendations and one hour per year every year thereafter, which will count towards the licensee’s professionalism hours for that year. 

Recommendation 10 – The Licensing Process  The Law Society will include the topics of cultural competency, equality and inclusion in the professions as competencies to be acquired in the Licensing Process.  

Recommendation 11 – Building Communities of Support The Law Society, in collaboration with legal associations where appropriate, will provide support to racialized licensees in need of direction and assistance through mentoring and networking initiatives.  

Recommendation 12 – Addressing Complaints of Systemic Discrimination The Law Society, in light of the findings of this project and emerging issues in the professions, will: 1) review the function, processes and structure of the Discrimination and Harassment Counsel Program (DHC), including considering effective ways for the DHC to address issues of systemic discrimination; 2) revise the Rules of Professional Conduct and the Paralegal Rules of Conduct, where appropriate, so that systemic discrimination and reprisal for complaints of discrimination and harassment are clearly identified as breaches of professional conduct requirements; 3) create effective ways for the Professional Regulation Division to address complaints of systemic discrimination; and 4) create a specialized and trained team to address complaints of discrimination. 

Recommendation 13 – Leading by Example 1) The Law Society will continue to monitor and assess internal policies, practices and programs, to promote diversity, inclusion and equality within the workplace and in the provision of services by: a) as required, adopting, implementing and maintaining a human rights/diversity policy addressing at the very least fair recruitment, retention and advancement; b) measuring quantitative progress through a census of the workforce or other method; c) measuring qualitative progress by conducting inclusion surveys; d) conducting regular equality, diversity and inclusion self-assessments; and e) based on the results from b), c) and d), identifying gaps and barriers and adopting measures to address the gaps and barriers; f) publishing relevant findings from b), c), d) and e); and g) providing equality and inclusion education programs for staff at the Law Society on a regular basis. 2) The Law Society will: a) conduct an internal diversity assessment of the bencher composition and publicize the results; b) provide equality and inclusion education programs for Convocation on a regular basis 4 Note: Recommendation 3.1 of this report regarding the Statement of Principles was repealed by Convocation on September 11, 2019. At that time, Law Society benchers approved a motion to require licensees to acknowledge in their annual reports, in accordance with the professional conduct rules, their special responsibility as a lawyer or paralegal to respect the requirements of human rights laws in Ontario and to honour the obligation not to discriminate. 4aOverview of Submissions The Challenges Faced by Racialized Licensees Working Group (“the Working Group”) provided its final report, Working Together for Change: Strategies to Address Issues of Systemic Racism in the Legal Professions on September 22, 2016 for information.  The report is to be before Convocation for decision on December 2, 2016. Members of the legal professions and the public were invited to provide comments on the recommendations outlined in the report until November 14, 2015.  The Law Society received 46 submissions – 23 from individuals and 23 from organizations (see TAB 3.1.1). The Working Group has determined that only submissions from organizations are to be public.  Many of the individual submissions speak to personal experiences and the Working Group believes that should those individuals wish to make their views public, they should have the option to do so on their own.  What follows is a summary of both individual and organization submissions divided by the five interrelated categories outlined in the report: accelerating culture shift; measuring progress; educating for change; implementing supports; and operations of the Law Society.   The Working Group received positive comments from the professions and the public, with many individuals and organizations commending the Law Society for taking steps to address issues of systemic racism in the legal professions.  The Working Group is encouraged by the submissions it received.   Many of the comments spoke to the implementation of the recommendations in the report.  These comments are not outlined in this document – however, should the recommendations be approved by Convocation, the comments will be considered during the implementation phase. General comments All of the submissions from organizations representing licensees from equality-seeking organizations expressed support for the 13 recommendations put forward by the Working Group, with suggestions provided on how to strengthen the recommendations.  Generally, no organizations were opposed to the recommendations. Specifically, the submissions from the Canadian Association of Black Lawyers, the Roundtable of Diversity Associations, the Metro Toronto Chinese & Southeast Asian Legal Clinic, the South Asian Bar Association, the Equity Advisory Group, the Canadian Hispanic Bar Association, and the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers stressed that Convocation should vote on the thirteen recommendations as a package and not individually. In addition, many of the submissions from organizations suggested that the recommendations outlined in the Working Group’s report should apply to all equality-seeking groups and not solely to racialized licensees. Some submissions also noted that the report and the recommendations should recognize 5 how intersections of gender, race, sexual orientation, disability and other aspects of identity shape the experiences of licensees. Accelerating culture shift The Working Group received submissions supporting the need to accelerate cultural change in the legal professions.   The Working Group received a comment about the importance of taking an approach that recognizes the unique barriers faced by Indigenous licensees and the challenges that both racialized and Indigenous licensees face.  Additionally, the comment asked that the Working Group make specific mention of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s final report and the need to address reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.   The Working Group is thankful for this comment and has included text that reflects this suggestions in the “Guiding Principles” section of the report.  One comment received by the Working Group advised that the Law Society should require law schools to remove obstacles against racialized licensees.  The Working Group notes that the Law Society does not have authority over law schools; however, law schools are encouraged to participate in the Diversity and Inclusion Project outlined in 

Recommendation 2. Some submissions suggested that the Law Society, under 

Recommendation 3, should require all legal workplaces, not just workplaces of at least 10 licensees, to develop, implement and maintain a human rights/diversity policy and complete an equality, diversity and inclusion self-assessment.  In determining the size of workplace for this requirement, the Working Group considered balancing burden and benefit. Although the requirement applies to workplaces of at least 10 licensees, workplaces of less than 10 licensees are strongly encouraged to develop policies and complete self-assessments.  This encouragement is reflected in the text that accompanies the recommendation. One submission suggested that legal workplaces’ diversity policies should be made publicly available on the workplace website.  In considering this suggestion, the Working Group determined that not all legal workplace websites are used as a recruitment tool - some are intended as advocacy tools, for example.  The Working Group, however, noted that policies should be available to the public.  Consequently, the Working Group has modified Recommendation 3(2) to note that the policies should be available to members of the professions and the public upon request.   An additional submission proposed that an exemption be provided for legal workplaces that have existing human rights/diversity policies provided they satisfy the Law Society’s requirements.  The text that accompanies 

Recommendation 3 recognizes that licensees’ employers may already have workplace policies that satisfy the requirement under Recommendation 3(2) Measuring Progress The Working Group received positive responses to the recommendations regarding data collection. 6 One submission suggested that the quantitative self-identification data collected by the Law Society should be published in an aggregate manner.  The Working Group notes that the Law Society currently provides race-based self-identification data by size of firm in its annual statistical snapshots, which are available at: https://www.lsuc.on.ca/uploadedFiles/Equity_and_Diversity/Members2/TAB%207.3.1%20%20Snapshot-Lawyers16_apr13.pdf (lawyers) and https://www.lsuc.on.ca/uploadedFiles/Equity_and_Diversity/Members2/TAB%207.3.2-%20ParalegalSnapshot16_apr13.pdf (paralegals).  One comment proposed that equity-seeking legal associations should have access to the data collected by the Law Society and that data should be made public at the law school level.  The Working Group is of the view that the data should be disseminated to the public through the annual statistical snapshots and that the inclusion index will provide equity-seeking associations and law schools with insights into diversity and inclusion in various workplaces. Another submission recommended that legal workplaces should be required to engage in internal collection of data in their workplaces.  The Working Group is conscious of the fact that many firms may not have the resources to properly collect data from licensees and that there may be privacy concerns if legal workplaces are collecting data from licensees directly. The Working Group asserts that privacy and confidentiality are essential principles to uphold in collecting quantitative demographic data and qualitative inclusion data from licensees. One comment suggested that the inclusion index include information for all legal workplaces regardless of their size, not just workplaces of at least 25 licensees.  Legal workplaces of less than 25 licensees are encouraged to participate in the inclusion index; however, in balancing benefit with burden, the Working Group has determined that 25 licensees and above is an appropriate number. In terms of conducting inclusion surveys that are similar to the Stratcom survey, the Working Group received a comment that an interval of four years would not capture the issues the Working Group seeks to identify given the rate at which lawyers leave law firms.  The Working Group carefully considered this time interval and notes that four years was seen as an appropriate amount of time for changes to take hold. The Working Group received questions about the nature of the progressive compliance measures outlined in Recommendation 8.  The Working Group notes that the nature of the compliance measures will be carefully considered by the Law Society in due course.  

The intent of the Working Group is to foster cooperation to the extent possible and engage in reactive measures only when necessary. Educating for Change The Working Group is pleased that, from the comments received, the professions and the public are in agreement with the requirement for licensees to complete equality and inclusion Continuing Professional Development hours. The Working Group received a number of comments that suggested that licensees be required to complete a one hour equality and inclusion program per year instead of three hours once every three years.  One submission suggested that the Law Society require licensees to participate in an equality and inclusion program once every year following an initial three hour training program.  The Working 7 Group believes that this is an excellent suggestion as the three hour training program will allow for licensees to develop a foundation in equality and inclusion principles.  The annual one hour requirement, following the initial three hour program, will ensure that equality and inclusion principles are top of mind for licensees. Building Communities of Support Comments on the final report reiterated the importance of mentoring and networking.  Suggestions made included the creation of a mentoring initiative specifically for junior racialized licensees, free mentoring services to all new lawyers of any background and mentoring for law students.  One submission also proposed that the Law Society monitor the success of all mentoring and networking initiatives and identify any improvements.  

The Working Group notes that the Law Society recently launched the Coach and Advisor Network, which will, in addition to providing advisor and coaching services, act “a centralized source of information to the professions on mentorship programs in Ontario.”1 The Working Group received a submission that noted the importance of employing an approach that addresses the unique experiences of Indigenous licensees and the similar barriers faced by Indigenous and racialized licensees – in addition to a suggestion that mentioned be made of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s final report. The Working Group has incorporated this suggestion in the “Guiding Principles” section of the report. The Working Group notes that in November 2016, Convocation determined that the Law Society will engage in an analysis of the licensing process.  The Working Group expects that the principles of equality and inclusion will be considered during this process. The Law Society received submissions regarding the review of the Discrimination and Harassment Counsel (“DHC”) program outlined in Recommendation 12 – particularly related to the need to maintain the confidentiality and independence of the DHC program.  The Working Group notes that the Law Society’s Equity and Aboriginal Issues Committee (“EAIC”) commenced a review of the DHC program in Fall 2016. EAIC is alive to the importance of the DHC’s duty of confidentiality and the arms-length position of the DHC. Leading by Example Comments regarding leading by example spoke largely to the bencher election process.  The Working Group notes that in September 2016, the Law Society established a Governance Task Force to make recommendations in regard to the Law Society’s governance structure. 

A suggestion was made that Recommendation 13(1)(a) should include the words “discipline, discharge and revocation”, however, the Working Group points out that the requirement for the Law Society to adopt, implement and maintain a human rights/diversity policy speaks to the need for the policy to address at the very least recruitment, retention and advancement.  The wording of this recommendation is broad in order to allow for the Law Society to examine various aspects of its operations. 1“Coach and Advisor Network: How it Works”, online: The Law Society of Upper Canada <https://www.lsuc.on.ca/howitworks/ 8 Other comments The Working Group received submissions that outlined the importance of addressing the challenges faced by racialized licensees in law school and upon entry into the profession. The Diversity and Inclusion Project, contemplated in Recommendation 2, is intended to allow for a forum to address these issues.  Other submissions suggested that the Working Group should address the pathways to licensing for lawyers. The Working Group notes, again, that Convocation has already approved a review of the licensing process. One submission noted that the report has been silent on the unique needs of racialized internationally trained lawyers without Canadian education or experience.  It is the Working Group’s intention that the implementation of the recommendations will consider all racialized licensees and the intersections of their experiences, including the experiences of internationally trained racialized licensees.   Some submissions suggested that the Law Society should consider the economic barriers for racialized licensees and other licensees from equity-seeking groups.  The Working Group notes that in the implementation of the recommendations, economic barriers will be considered. One submission noted that the report had failed to direct the Law Society to develop mental health strategies specific to racialized licensees.  The Working Group notes that in April 2016, the Law Society approved a long-term mental health strategy, which “builds on the Law Society’s existing mental health initiatives and lays the groundwork to explore additional supports or programs that fall within the organization’s mandate.”2 One submission suggested that the Report should call upon the Law Society to work with the Roundtable of Diversity Associations (RODA) and other associations serving racialized lawyers across Ontario using a similar approach to The Action Group on Access to Justice.  It is contemplated that the Diversity and Inclusion Project under Recommendation 2 will be a forum for the Law Society to work with associations serving racialized licensees. 2“April 2016 Convocation”, online: The Law Society of Upper Canada http://www.lsuc.on.ca/with.aspx?id=2147502412&langtype=1033  9