Enbridge creates opportunities for Black and Indigenous Law students

Energy leader Enbridge is sharing its resources — both financial and human — to empower Black and Indigenous students at the Lincoln Alexander School of Law at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU). 

The 2020 death of George Floyd in Minnesota was a flashpoint for many people and organizations, placing a global spotlight on the dangers of racial discrimination. “After Floyd’s murder, many companies were all talk and no real action,” said Luanda Campbell, Campus Recruitment Advisor at Enbridge. “But we had a strong and supportive ally in Mark Boyce, the vice president of our Ontario law department, who cleared the way and allowed us to get to work.”

Campbell began to engage with post-secondary institutions, and TMU specifically, to identify the gaps between academia and the career success of students. 

“The systemic barriers we identified were lack of access to mentorship, funding and employment opportunities. We began to have conversations to determine ways Enbridge could address these disparities through a three-pronged approach,” said Campbell.

First awarded in 2022, the Enbridge Award for Black Law Students provides a scholarship to an upper-year student at the Lincoln Alexander School of Law. This year, a scholarship will be awarded to one upper-year Indigenous student through the Enbridge Award for Indigenous Law Students.

“The Lincoln Alexander School of Law is incredibly proud to partner with Enbridge in building a more equitable and diverse legal workforce,” said Donna E. Young, Dean, Lincoln Alexander School of Law. “We deeply appreciate the intentional design of Enbridge’s Legal Mentorship Program which provides awards, networking and mentorship opportunities to our students. This innovative program is cultivating meaningful spaces for professional growth while empowering the next generation of Black and Indigenous lawyers.”

Lawyer Joshua Wallace was the inaugural recipient of the Enbridge Award for Black Law Students. Receiving the award was a major relief. “With mounting financial responsibilities and the increased cost of living in Toronto, enriched learning experiences were gradually becoming inaccessible,” he said. “The award was an opportunity to still live out my law school experience the way I wanted and it opened many doors for me.” 

The funding freed up Wallace’s time during school, enabling him to focus on extracurricular pursuits instead of working part-time. Wallace founded the Law and Policy Society at TMU, volunteered as the Director of Mentorship for the TMU chapter of the Black Law Students’ Association (BLSA), and was also able to attend the BLSA Conference in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Wallace also participated in Enbridge’s Legal Mentorship Program, which launched in 2022. The program currently invites 63 Black and Indigenous law students from across Ontario, Alberta and Houston, Texas to network with each other and become part of Enbridge’s extended community, with the guidance and professional relationships necessary to excel once they graduate and are called to the bar. Additionally, Enbridge has partnered with external firms, such as McCarthy Tétrault and Dentons — also scholarship supporters at the Lincoln Alexander School of Law — to invite their lawyers to speak with students. 

“Students are partnered with lawyers from Enbridge’s law department and brought into the legal community we’ve cultivated at Enbridge. As a result, our students have the opportunity to connect with a broader group of mentors and can apply for our student job opportunities,” said Campbell. “Since we launched this program, students from Lincoln Alexander Law are one of our strongest groups of participating students.”

Wallace now works at McCarthy Tétrault’s Toronto office. He first met one of his current colleagues there through the Enbridge program. 

“At the outset of my legal journey, I’ve learned that the key to a successful career ultimately lies in the mentorship and the guidance you receive. The Enbridge mentorship program provides law students with a timely opportunity to learn about the profession through the lens of various lawyers at different stages of their career and receive tailored advice about the different paths you can take,” he said. “A telltale sign of a truly impactful legal career is readily noticeable in a lawyer’s ability to give back. This Enbridge program demonstrates what it means to be a good citizen of the legal community, to above all else ensure that you’re playing a pivotal role in shaping the next generation of legal actors.”

Following the success of Enbridge’s initiatives to support Black and Indigenous law students, Enbridge replicated the program’s blueprint and established the Women in Engineering Mentorship Program. And, in 2024, the Enbridge Award for Women in Engineering was launched, awarding a scholarship to one TMU student annually.

Enbridge’s legal services team works in 15 practice areas, operates across Canada and the U.S., and works with many leading external law firms. “Whether the students we mentor end up working for us or elsewhere,” said Campbell, “once you’re part of our community, we are here to support you.”