Gowling WLG partner Neena Gupta receives inaugural FEMPOWR Pillar of the Community Award

18 December 2018

Gowling WLG is pleased to announce that Neena Gupta, a partner in the firm's Waterloo Region and Toronto offices, is the first recipient of the Female Engagement and Mentorship for Practitioners of Waterloo Region (FEMPOWR) Pillar of the Community Award. Gupta was presented with the award in Waterloo on November 29, at the launch event for FEMPOWR's Mentorship Program.

Presented by the Waterloo Region Law Association, the award celebrates female practitioners and their contributions to the legal profession, mentorship, and the empowerment of women in the community.

"Neena is one of the most giving and generous individuals that I have known since becoming a lawyer, especially when it comes to her willingness to spend time mentoring professionals, young or old," says Bettina Burgess, a partner in Gowling WLG's Waterloo Region office. "Neena is always keen to meet and talk about career aspirations, to assist foreign lawyers as they integrate into the community, and to encourage them to join and lead committees."

Gupta is co-chair of Gowling WLG's National Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Council. Over the past three years she has successfully advocated for a number of firm-wide D&I initiatives, including unconscious bias training and mental health first aid training for staff and professionals across the firm's Canadian offices.

As a partner with a practice focused on employment and human rights matters, Gupta is a strong advocate for law reform, and advises employers on both compliance and litigation issues. She is consistently ranked in The Best Lawyers in Canada and the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory and is a frequent speaker at employment law events.

In 2017, Gupta received a Lexpert Zenith Award for her demonstrated excellence and thought leadership in the legal profession. She is also the past recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee medal for her service to the legal profession and the community.