“Snappy and Gay! ”

A local law firm is investigating one of its own on grounds of harassment.  His crime, it seems is for being a sharp dresser, friendly and gay. 

As I read the article in the Province News I admittedly was drawn to the fact he was gay and everything else took second place, my biase was beginning to show.  Okay, I admit I am far from being an advocate of the gay lifestyle.  Fact of the matter is I am totally against it.  However, as I read the article I came to the realization that here he was working with a whole firm of people like myself, except I do not believe in work palace harassment.  The other difference being, I am not a lawyer and thirdly what a persons sexual preference or lifestyle outside the office is, is none of my business; unless of course the person in question is into child porn or abuses his/her partner and openly boasts about it.

In this particular gentleman’s case, it seems, his only crime was to be open and friendly.  Now having said that and having taken a moment to reflect back on my own personal experiences with lawyers, I can perhaps see that as a crime; against his fellow lawyers; being open and friendly. Not a characteristic I have ever encountered with any lawyer.  Rather they always came across with an air of being better then I, like I was too stupid to comprehend what was going about to or had transpired.  The whole process could be summed up as spending an evening sitting on cracked toilet seat in the dead of winter in an open field at 40 below.

I eventually learned the art of pissing them of so bad they lost there smug demeanor all together.  But then again I was representing myself in a child custody/access case and took the offensive when the dumb ass wrote derogatory remarks about my deceased mother.  I quickly relied to him as to what he could do with is lack if intellect and informed him of my intent to file a formal complaint against him.

My point I am trying to make is that despite this lawyer in the news (Joseph Briante) I applaud his attitude. I for one would feel that is anything he could/would be a greater asset to the future of the firm in question (Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP) based on the sole fact of his friendly and caring demeanor. The fact he does not either discuss his sexual preferences nor actively peruses it on company time is another factor, unlike many non-gay employees of varied firms.

When I walk into a store or the office of a firm I am interested in the possibility of doing business with, the first thing I look for is the attitude.  Do they make me feel important, do they act as if they respect me as a potential client or do they make me feel inferior as is the case most often when it comes to lawyers?

Based on the latter and based on the reports in the news about Mr. Briante his caring and friendly demeanor in my eyes is an asset.  It should be looked at a as a drawing card for more potential paying cliental.  Forget the fact that off duty he is a practicing gay individual.  (Coming from me that is quite a mouthful but in reality it is a common sense fact) 

Break it down:

Boring, aloof lawyers = Company income and a reputation for being a bunch of old school snots

Lawyers that are openly friendly, caring about their clients and themselves = A law firm with a reputation about caring and putting clients first.

Lawyers are supposedly the defenders of Law and for setting an example to us lesser beings that need their assistance in interpreting all the gobbly gook redundancies lawyers and law makers have used to write the varied laws; including the Canadian Constitution.   In this instance, or I should say, it has finally come to light, in the case of Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, what they (Lawyers say) and what they in reality do, is two different things.  Do as I say, not as I do. 

I wish Mr. Briante all the best in his battle against work place discrimination and his battle to improve the level of legal representation by lawyers everywhere; including in their own working environment.

The content of this article is the view and opinion of the writer and does not necessarily reflect the feelings or thoughts of Gripe or its members.

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