WHO WE ARE

We are a Canadian non-profit coalition of General Counsel and in-house lawyers who self-identify as Indigenous, Black, or People of Colour, and our allies.  We started informally as a handful of General Counsel who shared similar experiences of bringing equity, diversity and inclusion (ED&I) initiatives to our organizations.  With popular interest, we incorporated in January 2021 to launch The National GC Network.

OUR PURPOSE

The National GC Network’s primary mission is to help General Counsel and in-house lawyers advance ED&I values in our organizations and the legal community.  We aim to promote leadership opportunities for Canadian Indigenous, Black, and People of Colour lawyers.  

2021 STRATEGIC GOALS

Our strategy is informed by our unique backgrounds and identities, which have shaped our professional careers.  We recognize that Indigenous, Black, and People of Colour lawyers have been historically and continue to be disadvantaged in the workforce.

Our goal is to promote tools that will ensure equal opportunities for under-represented lawyers. Our 2021 priorities will also include developing a communications strategy to bring ED&I issues to our boards and sharing best practices with senior management.

We plan to provide continuing education opportunities with help from ED&I experts, and to build a trusted network to support Indigenous, Black and People of Colour lawyers across Canada. 

The National GC Network also plans to support in-house lawyers in ensuring their external counsel are aligned with their vision of ED&I.