Inclusion, Access, and, Governance! Vote Atrisha Lewis for Bencher

Atrisha Lewis is a litigation associate at McCarthy Tétrault LLP, a trial advocate, and a champion for diversity and inclusion. In the last year, she won the Precedent Setter Award for being a precedent setting lawyer, the University of Toronto Arbour Award for outstanding volunteerism, and the inaugural Inclusion Now Award at McCarthy Tétrault, in recognition of her contribution to diversity and inclusion, at the firm. The Law Society’s role is to ensure competence and protect the public interest through self-regulation. In fulfilling this mandate, Atrisha pledges to serve in accordance with the following three pillars:

Inclusion. Our profession must reflect our communities. As a profession, the most basic measure of our commitment to equal opportunity is our diversity. The Law Society has made great strides, but there is more to do. As a diverse lawyer and recent call, Atrisha will bring a new generation’s voice to Convocation.

Access. We must find ways to ensure that our profession is accessible to all, including removing financial barriers to law school and licensing. The de-regulation of law school fees has significantly compromised both access to the profession, and access to justice. The Law Society must work with law schools to address this growing problem. The flip side of access to the profession is access to the justice system. The Law Society has a role to play in working towards a sustainable and innovative approach to access to justice in all areas of practice including family, criminal, immigration, and civil litigation.

Governance. Members of the Law Society have a right to demand accessibility, accountability and prudent judgment from Convocation. The profession deserves strong decision makers that consider a variety of perspectives, represent diverse lived experiences, and are responsive to concerns. Sound regulation requires consultation and collaboration. If elected, Atrisha will always be there to listen —Let’s start the conversation.

“The Law Society works best when different perspectives and experiences are considered at the Convocation table. This is why I am endorsing Atrisha Lewis, a talented lawyer who will bring renewal and a fresh perspective to Convocation,” says Malcolm Mercer, Law Society Treasurer.

For more information on Atrisha’s platform, please visit www.atrishalewis.com and follow her on Twitter and LinkedIn.