Bennett Jones
Radha Curpen is featured in a one-on-one interview in Raise the Bar, a Vancouver-based service that provides free mentorship to aspiring lawyers.
Radha shares her inspirational story of moving to Canada from Mauritius with her family when she was 16 years old. She talks about the enduring support of her parents as she pursued her education and a career in law, and the challenges of being taken seriously as a young woman in the legal world. Today, Radha is the managing partner of Bennett Jones' Vancouver office and the only woman of color managing a national law firm in Vancouver.
Radha speaks about the importance of her values, speaking up and being confident, and remembering where she came from. She says that young lawyers wanting to find a mentor should put themselves out there and, "Remember that it’s okay to ask someone to be your mentor. Over time, you’ll develop a bond; mentorship at its core is about great relationships."
For aspiring lawyers facing barriers to pursuing law school or entering the legal industry, Radha's most important piece of advice is to, "Not forget who you are; embrace it. Make the best of what you have. Although there will be barriers, you can overcome them by focusing on your values."