Q&A with Linda Ryle, QLS Equity & Diversity Award Winner 2017

What does equity and diversity mean to you?

Equity = equal opportunity and equal recognition without exception.

Diversity = acknowledging, understanding, respecting, and including the difference of others for the collective benefit of all (it is an exciting celebration of difference!).

Not opposite (adverse)…simply different (diverse).

Equity and Diversity — The combination means that I need to check my own perspectives first before challenging the perspectives of others which I may not adequately understand.

Why should lawyers support diversity in the profession?

Lawyers operate in an environment of conflicting perspectives, opposite positions and varied opinion. Diversity and difference is our bread and butter.

We must understand that our society (colleagues and client base) constitutes a wealth of difference. Different experiences allow us to develop new, culturally intelligent and properly responsive solutions. Understanding a different client perspective and experience is the ultimate in client service. Understanding the difference is empowering.

Employing and engaging staff of diverse backgrounds can serve to break down barriers, eliminate ill-informed generalisations, and allow you to serve your client base more effectively.

Much empirical evidence exists to support a business case for the inclusion of diversity initiatives (and gender/cultural measures) in your strategic planning. Be aware that these drivers and this type of inclusion should be informed by those diverse targets (executives, clients or staff) you are intending to involve. Self determination at its best will be innovative, empowering and clearly represented in your success (including your bottom line).

How can a diverse profession benefit the wider community?

A diverse profession is an informed and creative profession. It is both culturally and academically intelligent and is capable of achieving business and cultural excellence. A diverse profession is more welcoming, accepting and inclusive. It is constantly learning. A diverse profession provides for a fair and more equitably represented society. We need to concentrate less on “adversarial” and more on “mutual and reciprocal.”

What is the best diversity initiative you have experienced or been involved in?

The opportunity to be a significant part of the cultural and strategic evolution of Queensland Law Society in the recognition and inclusion of First Nations perspectives and contributions, has been unequalled. This includes the extent of the co-design work, the breadth of projects, staff commitment, and the real enthusiasm with which the proposals were progressed.

I have been impressed by the ingenuity of the frank and fearless First Nations individuals who also stepped up to contribute and all of those legal professionals (and community contributors) I have been privileged to work alongside. The important depth of promise this continuing work provides, the opportunities for learning and embracing difference, are quite simply transformational. Thank you QLS.

There are many diversity initiatives and cultural competency programs on offer providing for both individual and team participation. The first and most important step is reaching the realisation that you do not (and cannot) know everything. Uncle Tom Kirk offers a very sound full day program on this.

Ultimately, this type of learning is a very personal experience and can serve to recalibrate our perspectives and even undo some faulty conditioning. “We don’t know what we don’t know,” and often when a longheld belief is challenged (and correctly adjusted) it can be quite an unnerving and emotive experience. Initiatives that provide for “whole person” learning is an experience where every element of an individual’s existence is impacted. My advice in this context is to attribute significant resources and effort in to progressing your cultural intelligence — your learning will be invaluable.

What opportunities have arisen from winning the QLS Equity Advocate Award?

The award was completely unexpected, yet a very welcome and timely opportunity to shine some well-considered light into the reality of the experience of the First People across this state (and the entire Country). To bring attention to our often-unrecognised contributions, our often dismissed perspectives and our constantly silenced voices.

Over the past twelve months or so, I have been invited to discuss issues of First Nations adversity, perspective and experience, invited to sit on a number of discussion panels and to share insights via keynotes with demographically diverse audiences. The Equity Advocate Award has provided the opportunity for me to share these important messages.

In this instance, the message, is more important than the messenger.

The reality of this “space” is that I am unlikely to ever run out of material…and anyone who knows me, also knows I rarely have nothing to say (probably apt that it is an “Advocate” award)!

The 2018 QLS Legal Profession Awards are now open for nominations and include three new awards. Nominations close on 2 February 2018 and awards will be presented at a single gala ceremony on Friday 9 March. Nominate yourself, a colleague or firm today and celebrate at this year’s night of nights.