Sep 21, 2021 in News Lawyer Profile

Lawyer Profile: Focus on Equality, Diversity, Inclusion a Moral and Pragmatic Imperative: Sonia Nijjar

In the Summer 2021 edition of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association’s (OTLA) quarterly magazine, The Litigator, Neinstein medical malpractice and personal injury lawyer Sonia Nijjar argued that ‘a focus on equality, diversity, and inclusion in the law’ is not just a moral imperative but a pragmatic one. Her article, titled “Context is Everything: Understanding and Implementing Diversity is No Longer Optional,” explores the necessity of diverse perspectives to effective advocacy, the shortcomings of current Law Society of Ontario (LSO) requirements, and examples of diversity in practice.

Sonia has been a medical malpractice and personal injury lawyer with the firm for several years after being called to the bar in Ontario in 2015. She acts primarily on behalf of plaintiffs in all manner of medical negligence cases and is actively involved in legislative and policy reform relating to medical liability, patient safety, and quality of care. She is a member of the Board at Reconnect Community Health Services, a member of the Research and Ethics Board at a community hospital, and co-editor of the Medical Malpractice Newsletter. As she mentions in her article, she is the child of immigrants. She speaks fluent Punjabi and conversational Hindi.

Central to the article is the notion that, while the legal profession has perhaps acknowledged that it has “not advanced or invested in equality, diversity, and inclusion systemically or in an impactful way,” it has also not done enough to address the problem.

“Diversity in law means more, and requires more, than recognizing the existence of difference,” she writes. Later, she adds: “The move towards fostering diversity and diverse perspectives amongst lawyers and legal teams requires more work than what the LSO has mandated. The goal is not optical representation; it must be more substantial.”

Neinstein Personal Injury Lawyers is proud to work with a diverse team and to represent clients from all backgrounds. However, we also acknowledge that we can do more to improve our understanding of different lived experiences and to better represent clients who may be vulnerable and/or marginalized. If you or a member of your family has been injured in an accident, contact Neinstein today to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer. Our team will be happy to listen to your story, assess the viability of your claim, and explain your legal options and the next steps in the legal process. Reach out today to learn more.