For this year’s Zenith Awards, Lexpert has honoured those who have advanced diversity and inclusion in the legal profession and in society. Among the winners are Scott Jolliffe, Law’76, Gowling WLG’s Head of International Development and former CEO, and Frank Walwyn, Law’93, a partner with WeirFoulds in Toronto. 

Lexpert has published the following citations for the Queen’s Law alumni: 

Scott Jolliffe initiated and led Gowling WLG’s diversity and inclusion initiative, ensuring thatin it became an essential part of the firm’s culture. As Chair and CEO in 2015, some of Scott’s achievements in advancing diversity and inclusion involved greater diversity in senior management positions: four out of seven Canadian office managing partners are women; the national executive committee includes a female firm managing partner; 27 per cent of partners are women, exceeding the Ontario average; and better representation of gender and race diversity on the firm’s board. Under Scott’s leadership, Gowlings adopted a diversity and inclusion strategy in 2014. As part of the strategy, Gowlings conducted a firm-wide diversity and inclusion self-identification census providing direction for the future. The diversity and inclusion council also sponsored training courses on unconscious bias at all levels of the firm.

One of the few black law partners on Bay Street, Frank Walwyn embraces opportunities to mentor, inspire and educate. He is one of Canada’s top commercial litigators, devoting many hours to increasing the number of minority practitioners in law. He regularly counsels high school, university and law school students on their career paths and works through his membership on various judicial appointments committees to open doors for minority lawyers. His community service includes: past president, Canadian Association of Black Lawyers; board member, Community Legal Education Ontario, delivering legal education to low-income communities; steering committee, Diverse City: The Greater Toronto Leadership Project, aiming to diversify Toronto’s leadership landscape; national advisory committee, James R. Johnston Chair, honouring the distinctive historical presence of African Nova Scotians; and past board member, The Advocates’ Society, and a member of its International Training Committee.

Queen’s Law congratulates both graduates on their remarkable accomplishments.