Norton Rose Fulbright named one of Montreal’s Top Employers for 2018

The Montreal office of Norton Rose Fulbright has been recognized as one of the best places to work by the editors of Mediacorp Canada Inc., who also recently ranked the global law firm among Canada’s Top 100 Employers.

Both the local and national awards acknowledge organizations that lead in their fields in offering progressive workplace programs and policies.

“With more than 500 lawyers and employees each having different professional and personal objectives and needs, we’ve always tried to provide a range of tools to meaningfully enhance the lives of our team, and this recognition speaks to those efforts,” says Solomon Sananes, managing partner of the Montreal office.

Norton Rose Fulbright offers competitive compensation as well as a full suite of benefits, including group insurance, a health spending account, 15 days of paid vacation for employees with less than five years of service, a retirement plan and reimbursement of physical activity fees.

And in recent years, we have broadened our programs and initiatives to support our people’s total well-being with the introduction of on-site flu vaccination, the National Fitness Challenge and the Not Myself Today campaign promoting workplace mental health.

We have trained 15 of our Montreal employees from across the business and practice as mental health first aid officers to identify issues or illnesses and provide first-line care.

The physical environment where one works can certainly affect wellness and productivity. Occupying five floors of Place Ville Marie, in downtown Montreal, our firm’s bright, elegantly furnished work spaces and employee lounge were designed to maximize the sprawling views of the city. Showering facilities encourage employees to cycle to work or exercise at nearby health centres.  

On Fridays, suits are swapped for jeans and on one Friday each month, donations are collected to support a local charity focused on youth, health, education, or poverty. Thanks to the generosity of employees, we raised $8,500 last year for various nonprofits.

Aware that the most valuable asset for any organization is its people, Norton Rose Fulbright makes a point of showing its appreciation with one week in May dedicated to thanking employees for their service with breakfast served by members of the human resources team and workshops such as a pottery class.

Our firm also invests in developing the community of talent through internships as well as by making scholarships of $1,000 each available to future legal assistants studying at EMICA (École des métiers de l’informatique, du commerce et de l’administration).

Our offices in more than 50 cities across six continents open the door to a world of mobility opportunities.

“Almost half of our people have been with us in Montreal for more than 10 years,” says human resources manager Pierre Nadeau. “I think their loyalty speaks volumes about our firm’s values and quality as an employer.”

Montreal’s Top Employers is an editorial competition run by Mediacorp Canada Inc., publisher of employment-related periodicals. Applicants are judged using the same criteria as the national competition: (1) Physical Workplace; (2) Work Atmosphere & Social; (3) Health, Financial & Family Benefits; (4) Vacation & Time Off; (5) Employee Communications; (6) Performance Management; (7) Training & Skills Development; and (8) Community Involvement.