Legal Lady Boss- Miranda Lam
I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Miranda over the past few years, and I’ve always been impressed by how humble she remains even with a dynamic and remarkable career. Her commitment to furthering gender equality at her firm is a testament to passion leading your purpose, and she serves as now and into the future.
Give us a little background on yourself and why you entered the legal profession.
I am a commercial litigation partner and retail sector lead at the Canadian law firm, McCarthy Tétrault. I am based out of our Vancouver office.
I’ve always been interested in solving problems and understanding how people work and make other things work. Law seemed to be the intersection of all these things, so I went headlong into law and declared my interest early on, as a little girl. I was told by an elementary school teacher that “good people don’t become lawyers” so I suppose in some way, I hoped to prove her wrong, rather than reinforce the notion!
You’ve had an impressive career as a litigator. What is a professional achievement that stands out to you?
It is a great honour to take cases on behalf of the many clients I have had the privilege of working with. Often times, we are called into crisis, at some of clients’ darkest moments. I have been most proud of the times when solving the problem meant not only a court case victory or resolution, but also real change for the client. Sometimes resolution to litigation means the implementation of solutions to address systemic issues or the ability for the client to move forward with its business. I’m proudest when we have played our part in making a meaningful impact for a client.
You’re the National Gender Equality Action Group Chair for your law firm. Tell us about the work that you’re doing to further progress diversity and inclusion within your organization.
How much room do I have?! For us at McCarthys, diversity and inclusion are long-held values and a key priority for the firm, alongside our other strategic priorities. This is not something that is pursued as a hobby or off the side of one’s desk. We have an innovative and ambitious plan to accelerate our vision to be the firm of choice for clients and talent. Our program is called Inclusion Now, and it is a recognition of our Firm’s commitment to our people, our clients and our communities.
We know that the single most important factor for the long-term success of diversity and inclusion efforts is having leaders take personal responsibility for outcomes. As a result, we have four Inclusion Now Action Groups—Pride, Gender Equality, Race and Abilities—that bring Inclusion Now alive across the Firm by implementing initiatives relating to recruitment, retention, education, community service, and pro bono. Our Action Groups are led by a National Chair, supported by Regional Chairs and made up of our people across the Firm. It is my great privilege to be entrusted with leading the Gender Equality Action Group.
We have a number of initiatives underway right now, aimed at understanding and removing systemic bias. For example, we know that a key impediment for women on the threshold of partnership is opportunity, not ability, and that opportunities need to start when one is an associate. As a result, we have implemented a work allocation system for associates to ensure mandates are staffed appropriately and not just with “the usual suspects” so that women have a chance to gain access to excellent work and build strong client relationships that sometimes might pass them by. The system is not so rigid to be formulaic; it is flexible enough to accommodate skill sets, client preferences and other considerations but it is designed to inject some considered thought in what can sometimes be a reflexive decision.
Why is this a cause that you’re particularly passionate about?
I have a six year old; when I listen to him speak and hear his observations on the (small) world around him, he has no idea about the biases and systemic barriers that exist for many in his own community and around the world. In his world, girls and boys can do anything (“except boys can’t have babies, Mommy!”, he’ll say witheringly), and it’s unthinkable that someone could not, for example, go to school or be a lawyer because of their gender or race. He recognizes difference and sees that as what makes people interesting – and a potential playground playmate. I’d love for all of us to live in this world. I’d love for him to live in his world for just a little longer.
I believe the world can be and will be better when one is not only invited to the party, but also joins in when there is dancing. There is more than enough research that highlights how diverse teams make better decisions, compassionate leadership engenders better results, and ultimately companies can be more profitable, if that were the only measure by which success is measured. Yet we continue to struggle as the numbers are equally clear that women have not achieved pay equity or ascended to leadership positions in any field in great relative numbers, and the challenges are compounded for racialized women. We cannot keep saying diversity is important; we have to show that it is. I believe programs like InclusionNow, that are aimed at addressing and removing systemic barriers will make a difference over time.
Do you have any advice to our readers to help progress gender equality within their organizations if there isn’t a formal group established?
(1) Start talking. Find others who want to talk and share their experiences and learnings. You’ll quickly figure out you’re not alone and be inspired by each other to come up with ways to effect concrete change. (2) Reach out beyond your workplace to others in similarly situated organizations and compare notes. Share those learnings with people in your organization. There’s nothing like a little healthy competition to engender change.
On a personal note, you’re a mom. What advice do you have to other moms who are on the partner path? How do you handle mom guilt?
Mom guilt was likely invented by the same person who invented pantyhose: it’s confining, restrictive and when it catches, it takes hold and runs! Ditch the hose and the guilt! I know this is easier said than done as I am continually reminding myself that I am doing the very best I can and there are clearly days when none of the wheels are turning in the right direction. As for some practical tips:
· Be clear on what you want and ask for support. If you’re approaching partnership, make sure people know and they know the value you bring. Don’t be shy to say so. Women are notorious for being brilliant advocates – for everyone but ourselves.
· Be clear on your boundaries, rather than thinking you need to be furtive about family priorities.
· Give yourself a break; if there’s a bake sale at his school, I can assure you my son will be bringing bring store-bought, nut-free brownies!
2020 was a wild year. As we embark on 2021, what is the greatest lesson you’ve learned from 2020?
Whether it is at home, in business or in the community, we are more resilient than we think. And we need each other more than ever.
Miranda Lam is a partner in the litigation group at McCarthy Tretault in Vancouver, Canada. She is also the Retail Sector Lead in the firm’s national Retail and Consumer Markets Group, and a core member of our Mining and Technology Groups. A skilled litigator, she is recognized for her strategic thinking and business-oriented problem-solving approach to all disputes. Miranda is also the chair of the firm’s National Gender Equality Action Group, as part of our Inclusion Now priority.