Queerness and the Legal Workplace

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OUTLaw and the Faculty of Law Career and Professional Development Centre are jointly hosting a panel discussion on the experience of 2SLGBTQ+ lawyers in legal workplaces ranging from private and not-for-profit to in-house. The panel features Cee Strauss from Women's Legal Education and Action Fund, Danny Lew from Electronic Arts, Morgan Rowe from Raven Law, and Nickolas Tzoulas from Omni Bridgeway. The discussion will be co-moderated by OUTLaw Co-President, Michelle Liu, and OUTLaw ally and Assistant Dean of Career and Professional Development, Stacy Keehn.

Cee Strauss (they/them) | LinkedIn

Cee is a Staff Lawyer at the Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF), where they contribute to the development and management of LEAF’s cases and law reform work. Before joining LEAF, Cee articled with the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, worked as an associate at a criminal defence firm, and clerked at the Supreme Court of Canada. Cee received their B.C.L./L.L.B. from McGill University. They are a member of the Law Society of Ontario (2017) and the Barreau du Québec (2020). Cee volunteers with the Prisoner Correspondence Project Toronto, a penpal program across prison walls for 2SLGBTQIA+ people.

Danny Lew (he/him) | LinkedIn

Danny’s a member of the Electronic Arts legal team where he deals with issues relating to employment law, human rights, privacy, general commercial law and compliance.  Danny’s a strong believer that allies play a crucial role in ensuring greater diversity and inclusion in the workplace and the games that EA produces, and is a lead on the Montreal studio’s Asian and Pacific Islander (ASPIRE) and LGBTQ+ (PRIDE) Employee Resource Groups. Prior to Electronic Arts, Danny worked at ADP Canada, SNC-Lavalin, Therrien Couture LLP and Heenan Blaikie LLP.  Danny’s fluent in English and French, and also speaks Cantonese, Mandarin, Spanish and Portuguese.  Danny holds an LL.L. (Civil Law) and LL.B. (Common Law) from the University of Ottawa, and a B.Sc. (Microbiology and Immunology) from McGill University. Danny’s on the board of directors of Medicalert Foundation Canada, la Guilde des jeux de vidéo du Québec, and Montréal Danse.

Morgan Rowe (she/her) | LinkedIn

Morgan is a partner with the Ottawa law firm of RavenLaw. She regularly represents unions in grievance arbitrations, before labour boards, and in court proceedings across the country. She also represents individuals and non-profit organizations in court, as well as before human rights tribunals and other administrative decision-makers. In addition to her advocacy work, Morgan is actively involved in community legal education and regularly presents at conferences and in classrooms, particularly on human rights topics. Morgan has published a book on disability rights law and has also taught this topic at the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Law.

Nickolas Tzoulas (he/him) | LinkedIn

Nickolas is an Investment Manager and Legal Counsel with Omni Bridgeway, a global leader in litigation funding. Such funding helps claimants seek access to justice without incurring litigation-related expenses themselves. Prior to this, Nickolas was a Bay Street litigator, law school professor, bank in-house lawyer, and Supreme Court of Canada law clerk. He graduated with distinction from Ottawa (LL.B. '10) and McGill (B.A. '07). In his spare time, Nickolas provides counsel to low-income individuals through Pro Bono Ontario's Legal Advice Hotline, supports and coaches other lawyers through the Law Society of Ontario's Member Assistance Program and its Coach/Advisor Network, and sits on the executive committees of the Ontario Bar Association's Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Community, its Recognition and Leadership Development Committee, and its Insolvency Law Section. Nickolas and his husband currently live in Toronto with their rambunctious kindergartener.