London Inc. Winter 2021 - 44

Rasha El-Tawil
Partner and Personal Injury and Litigation Lawyer, Siskinds LLP | 38
Overcoming barriers that come with being a person of colour, a woman, a mother and a refugee/
immigrant, Rasha El-Tawil continually employs her professional success to pave the way for other women
and minorities to achieve what may seem impossible to them.

What's been your biggest career achievement? My trial
advocacy and appellate work. In particular, I am most proud
of my successful involvement in a lengthy trial for a client who
was catastrophically injured in a motor vehicle collision. After
a complex and protracted trial, the jury returned a verdict in
favour of our client of approximately $3.5 million dollars.

20 UNDER 40 * CLASS OF 2020

What about your biggest obstacle? My biggest obstacle
simultaneously serves as one of my greatest assets, namely
my multifaceted and multi-layered identity. I am a woman,
mother, wife, person of colour, immigrant, Muslim, Canadian,
Palestinian, Arab and minority. These
hese identities represent
the story of who I am and how I see
ee the world.
I came to Canada with my family
ly as a child seeking
refuge from war. My story is one of new beginnings
and new chapters. A story of life and loss, one of
new homes and ones escaped. A story
tory of my family
halfway across the world and my family here. A
story of perseverance in the face of adversity.
What has Covid-19 taught you about yourself,
and your work? Life's most valued
ed gifts
are often the ones we are likely to
o take
most for granted. The small things
gs that,
in retrospect, mean everything. This
pandemic has reinforced that, often,
en,
the seemingly small blessings in our
life are anything but minor, but rather
ather
where our true joy and happiness are
found.
Also, in no particular order:
Great wiﬁ is both a luxury and
necessity. Children appear to
be magnetically attracted to
business Zoom calls. I have an
over-inﬂated sense of my ability to
o
teach elementary school math to an
eight-year-old. And my husband iss on
the verge of arranging an Amazon-inn-inspired intervention due to the number
mber
of boxes that arrive at our front door
oor on
a weekly basis.

44 | londonincmagazine.ca | WINTER 2021

My story is one of new beginnings and new
chapters. A story of life and loss, one of
new homes and ones escaped. A story of
my family halfway across the world and my
family here. A story of perseverance in the
face of adversity

What music have you bee
been listening to these
days? Beyonce is alwayss on the playlist.
Guilty pleasure? Choc
Chocolate and top-tier
coﬀee - although that's
that more of a necessity.

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London Inc. Winter 2021

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