Canadian Lawyer InHouse

60 -sECoND sNAPshoT She has also built a team — there are now three lawyers and a clerk assistant in the Morneau Shepell legal department. All this happened while Korbak also added to her family. She now has two children, 7 and 10. As her children have grown, so has her job and she has continued to find ways to evolve her role. Last fall, Korbak was named by Women of Influence magazine as a Women of Influence Diversity Champion for 2012 in the legal leader category. She was recognized for her work mentoring senior executive women, developing diversity initiatives and programs, and championing diversity in the workplace. Outside of her role at Morneau Shepell, Korbak sits on the advisory board of notfor-profit Humewood House, which provides services and care to young pregnant women and their children, and is a member of Legal Leaders for Diversity and Inclusion. "The objective of Legal Leaders for Diversity is to promote diversity and inclusiveness and challenge others to do the same — not in a forceful way but THE LAW YE R: Lynn Korbak THE COMPAN Y: Morneau Shepell • Earned an undergrad degree in economics from Trent University in Peterborough, Ont. • Obtained her law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School • Named as Top 25 Woman of Influence Diversity Champion for 2012, Legal Leader category by Women of Influence magazine • Sits on the advisory board of Humewood House a beat-the-drum way — spread the message, walk the talk." Korbak believes diversity comes in many different forms and makes an organization richer. "I'm not on Bay Street anymore. We're in the Don Mills and Eglinton area of Toronto and there is a much more diverse group of people here. This isn't just finance and law, which is what Bay Street largely is. The first time I realized the value of diversity it actually wasn't about what colour is your skin or what is your sexual orientation but diversity of thought — all these different people coming together to solve various issues." For 2013, she is working on introducing a supplier diversity statement although she says she hasn't had to ask her law firms to address the issue thus far. "I don't ask specifically about staffing. Perhaps it's because I have the established relationships with the firms I work with I haven't felt the need to do that," she says. Mentoring is key for her in terms of furthering the careers of others in her department. "It's very important to me that I do more than be the boss," says Korbak. "We also bring in law clerks through the school programs to give them work experience and we've had a new lawyer who trained overseas who we provided some work experience. I didn't have budget to hire her but tried to give her interesting things to do so she could take the next step." IH Employment and Labour Lawyers SHIELDS O'DONNELL Experience Counts. 1/2 Horz Referrals respected and appreciated. Shields O'Donnell MacKillop LLP 416.304.6400 65 Queen Street W, Suite 1800, Toronto, Ontario Canada M5H 2M5 Shields_IH_Apr_11.indd 1 w w w. c a n a d i a n law y er m a g . c o m / i n h o u s e april3/1/11 10:04:5641 2013 • AM

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