We are lucky to have individuals at our firm who are focused on social responsibility, and Watson Goepel recognizes and applauds their efforts. It is important to us as a firm, and as a group of individuals, to give back to the communities where we live and work.  For this reason, we have chosen to focus our efforts on supporting two local charities dedicated to helping women and children flee abuse and move toward a brighter future. The Atira Women’s Resource Society supports women throughout the Lower Mainland,  and the North Shore Crisis Services Society supports women on the North Shore.

In addition to our two main charities, our lawyers and staff give their time and contributions to the following charitable and community based organizations:

Atira Women’s Resource Society
BC Cancer Foundation
BC Scrap-It Program
Canada, Australian & New Zealand Business Association (CANZBA)
Canadian Blood Services – Partners for Life Program
Canadian Cancer Society
Community Evolution Foundation (CEF) 
Corpus Christi College
Craftsman Collision
Doctors of BC
Dundarave Festival of Lights
Famee Furlane of Vancouver
Gibsons Community Building Society
Hellenic Community of Vancouver
Holy Cross Parish
Italian Cultural Centre of Vancouver
I’m a HIPpy
Italian Chamber of Commerce in Canada West
Little Flower Academy 
Lookout Housing + Health Society
North Shore Crisis Services Society
Odd Squad Productions Society
Pacific Parkland Foundation
Parkinson Society BC
Pearson Centre for Public Policy/Centre Pearson pour des Politiques Progressistes
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Ronald McDonald House BC & Yukon
Sunshine Coast Open
St. Mark’s College
St. Thomas More Lawyers Guild
Union Gospel Mission
Vancouver College
Vancouver Thunderbirds Hockey

 

Pro Bono Services 
As a full-service regional law firm, many of our lawyers are committed to providing pro bono services through Access Pro Bono to ensure that those in our community who cannot afford legal representation, especially those with the most acute need for legal services and advice, will have access to a lawyer.

Environmental Sustainability 
We are actively involved in “greening” our business through strategies that include internal recycling and composting and waste and power reduction programs. We work with building managers and suppliers on coordinated programs that reduce our overall environmental footprint. Like all businesses, we realize we can do more and therefore are continually seeking improvements toward a healthier environment for our firm members, clients and the population at large. We continue to solicit input from and involve our lawyers and staff in our green initiatives.

We are committed to the following sustainable practices:

    • Purchasing 
      We work with our vendors and suppliers to source supplies and equipment that have a lower environmental footprint, for example; supplies with higher post-consumer recycled content, lower energy consumption requirements or reduced packaging. We also coordinate with our suppliers to reduce the number of shipments made to our premises, therefore lowering their overall environmental shipping footprint.
    • Solid Waste Reduction, Reuse and Recycling 
      We have worked hard to reduce our use of paper and non-reusable supplies in our practice of law. This is an ongoing process improvement philosophy that allows us to do our work more efficiently with less impact. We have also reduced our use of disposables drink and food items and their packaging in favour of reusable cutlery, glasses and mugs. We source and reuse equipment and supplies where possible and recycle all of our paper and the majority of our supplies. We ensure that electronic equipment is either reused or recycled by organizations that adhere to the strictest environmental standards.
    • Energy Reduction and Conservation 
      We have focused on energy reduction by turning off unneeded lights and equipment and sourcing new equipment with lower energy requirements.
    • Recycling and Composting 
      Our kitchen facilities provide ample opportunities for the recycling and composting of all food related packaging and waste.

    • Ongoing Measurement & Assessment 
      We routinely measure and assess our various initiatives to see where improvements have been made and where further improvements are needed. This assessment includes the adoption rate of new environmental policies like turning off lights, recycling office supplies and designing our communications and change management processes to encourage maximum buy-in from all of our lawyers, staff and suppliers.