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How the legal profession can celebrate Mardi Gras in 2021
The number of firms celebrating Mardi Gras with an event has dropped as a result of COVID-19 restrictions but some, including Lawyers Weekly’s inaugural Champions of Pride, will step in to fill a gap that is missing for the legal profession in 2021.
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While Mardi Gras will go on in 2021, it has been reduced to much smaller events to abide by COVID-19 restrictions. Along with the loss of the famous Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras festival from Oxford and Flinders streets (and into a stadium instead), some firms will also be unable to return to the celebrations.
Prior to that, 40 practitioners with NSW Young Lawyers marched down Oxford and Flinders streets for the 2017 parade. Former president Emily Ryan told Lawyers Weekly at the time that with placards carried by the lawyers, they “wanted to focus on the rule of law and the access to justice element”.
Social justice firm Maurice Blackburn spent last years’ Mardi Gras event with their own booth at Sydney’s Fair Day. Unfortunately, due to restrictions and the normally large number of people in attendance, Fair Day has also been pushed back to 2022.
This year, the number of firms participating in their own events has fallen short. King & Wood Mallesons co-ordinator of the LGBTI Inclusion Network, Luke Hawthorne, said that they have a tradition of using Mardi Gras to “share stories and educate our network and the wider firm”, but unfortunately it would have to wait another year.
“It is important that we cater to the appetite to understand the meaning and significance of Mardi Gras and for people to understand how they can be effective allies for their LGBTQI+ colleagues and community. Hopefully, we’ll be able to do that in-person again next year,” Mr Hawthorne told Lawyers Weekly.
Some firms, like Norton Rose Fulbright (NRF), DLA Piper, Allen & Overy and Maddocks will continue. For its Sydney office on Thursday, 25 February, NRF will have a (much smaller) in-person event in Martin Place to celebrate “Mardi Gras style” and “cherish the time to re-connect in person with our colleagues and our important Pride Network members who worked tirelessly during 2020 to continue to bring about exceptional events”.
Due to limitations, DLA Piper’s event has also been reduced in numbers. It will use the occasion to promote its internal Iris network for LGBTQI+ and allies and to “focus on providing a safe and celebrated space for our Iris members to connect with one another” by hosting a picnic in Sydney and holding other virtual events.
Along with Allen & Overy, Maddocks will also be hosting an event - a Drag Bingo night aimed at staff on Friday, 26 February. Clayton Utz will also be hosting a function in Sydney to celebrate Mardi Gras and will be decorating its internal staircase in rainbow colours.
In place of some familiar firm events, Lawyers Weekly’s inaugural Champions of Pride event may fill a gap for the practitioners still wanting to celebrate their commitment to the LGBTQI+ community. The event will recognise the law firms and organisations that best demonstrate a commitment to the advancement of diversity and inclusion initiatives pertaining to legal professionals who identify as LGBTQI+.
Excitingly, it will also feature a keynote address from the Honourable Michael Kirby AC CMG. Talking to Lawyers Weekly about the event, Justice Kirby commented: “An event such as this can renew energy and determination to ensure that no minority in the profession is overlooked or left behind – including Aboriginal lawyers, lawyers of non-white appearance or ethnicity, and LGBTQI+ lawyers as well.”
To learn more about Lawyers Weekly Champion of Pride, click here.
Reserve your place today and celebrate with us in person at The Star from 12pm on Thursday, 11 March – click here for more information. This event will also be live streamed for anyone not able to make the in-person celebration. Register your interest to watch online here.
Some firms were yet to respond by deadline, but we will update this article as we learn about new events in the legal profession. If you or your firm are hosting a Mardi Gras event and you would like to be included, please email us at
