One of southeastern Ontario’s leading full-service law firms is recognized for supporting access to justice
Three years after marking its 125th anniversary in a uniquely generous way, a venerable Kingston law firm with close ties to Queen’s Law is being recognized today for its philanthropic contributions. The Association of Fundraising Professionals of South Eastern Ontario (AFPSEO) has selected Cunningham Swan to receive its National Philanthropy Day Award as Outstanding Corporation.
The firm’s $125,000 gift to the Queen’s Law Clinics in 2019 – amounting to $1,000 for every year of Cunningham Swan’s existence – has been essential in maintaining services due to funding shortfalls, notes Dean Mark Walters. “With private support becoming essential to the maintenance of basic services, the generosity of legal colleagues like those at Cunningham Swan is especially meaningful,” he says.
The clinics, in downtown Kingston, support vital access to justice for some of the most vulnerable people in the community, who receive free legal services there. At the same time, law students benefit from experiential learning opportunities and training at the five clinics: Queen’s Legal Aid and the Queen’s Business Law, Elder Law, Family Law, and Prison Law Clinics.
Another major gift, in 2013, was the refurbishment of the “Cunningham Swan Carty Little & Bonham LLP Classroom,” which enabled students to access the latest learning technology in a state-of-the-art classroom configuration. To date, the firm has gifted almost $400,000 to Queen’s.
“Many of our partners and associates are proud graduates from Queen’s Law who continue to be involved with the Faculty by teaching courses, coaching students on mooting teams, and other activities,” says Cunningham Swan Managing Partner Andrea Risk, Law’99. “We feel it is essential to our profession that we continue to graduate young lawyers who are well-equipped to assume roles that can lead to positive change – whether that change be in the legislature, in the courts, or in the day-to-day lives of clients.”
In its citation, the AFPSEO award also acknowledges the extensive volunteer mentoring and sharing of expertise by firm members, to provide “important real-world learning opportunities for Queen’s Faculty of Law students.”
Cunningham Swan Associate Alexandra Manthorpe, Law’10, says she was proud to join a firm which values giving back. “I remember reading about the firm’s 125th anniversary gift, and thought it was fantastic!” she recalls, adding that the now renovated Cunningham Swan classroom had been her old, much smaller, small-section room when she was a first-year student.
“I was also well aware of the significant contributions made by many firm members over the years to Queen’s Law,” says Manthorpe, who recently joined the Dean’s Council. Examples of this individual volunteer involvement include:
- Alan Whyte, Law’79 (Artsci’76), retired Partner, served on the Queen’s Law Dean’s Council from 2013 to 2022 assisting the Dean in promoting the Faculty’s mission and priorities;
- Andrea Risk, Law’99, Managing Partner, participated in the school’s strategic planning process;
- Bob Little, Law’61, Senior Partner, continues his work as a volunteer for the Class of 1961 and in recognition of leadership he has received the Padre Laverty Award for his contributions to Queen’s University and the Kingston Rotary Club’s Paul Harris Award for his outstanding service to the community;
- Kevin Cooke (Artsci’06), Partner, teaches Motion Advocacy at Queen’s Law;
- Lesley Kendall, Law’98, Partner, has volunteered as a guest lecturer in a family law course and at the Queen’s Law Clinics;
- Carolyn Shelley, Partner, has taught Family Law at Queen’s;
- Keagan David-Burns, Associate, is a supervisor for Pro Bono Law Students Canada-Queen’s Chapter for the LGBTQ2S+ Access to Resources Project;
- Zachary Dubeau, Law’19, Associate, is a supervising lawyer for Pro Bono Students Canada’s ID Clinic run by Queen’s Law students and held every second Friday at Martha’s Table; and
- James McCarthy, LLM’17, Associate, is involved with Pro Bono Students Canada, and has been both a Shadow Program mentor to Queen’s Law students and a guest presenter in Professor Beverley Baines’ Equality Rights and the Charter class for the past three years.
Also, six lawyers in the firm’s Business Law group (Partners Matt Benson (Artsci’04), and Lisa Asbreuk, Associates Mike Brown, Rob Maratta, Law’15 (Artsci’09, MA’11), Kent Williams, Law’18 (Mus’14), and Caroline Bedard) have been providing free seminars and guidance to the Queen’s Business Law Clinic and supporting the work of the Queen’s WE-CAN Project for women business owners and the Queen’s Law Clinics in downtown Kingston.
“In addition to helping some of the most critical programs at Queen’s – for which we are extremely grateful – Cunningham Swan also supports many events and organizations throughout the Greater Kingston region,” notes Walters.
“Their commitment to the community goes beyond financial support,” he says. “They also serve as volunteers, on committees and boards, donating hundreds of hours for a host of charitable and not-for-profit organizations in the region.” These organizations range from the Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board Foundation to the Community Foundation for Kingston & Area, Hospice Kingston, Limestone Learning Foundation, Providence Care, and the United Way, among others.
“Our firm has a long history of giving back to our community, a history of which we are proud, and are honoured to continue,” says Risk. “We live in this community, raise our children in this community, and serve our clients in this community. Helping to make it a better place is important to us.”
Learn about the positive impact the Queen’s Law Clinics have on the community in the “Queen’s University Economic and Community Impact Study.”
By Nancy Dorrance