Community News
Business first. Lime later WeirFoulds, LLP host their 3rd Annual Caribbean Fête
BY SIMONE J. SMITH
I must say this email caught me off guard. Imagine my amazement when I found out that there was going to be a Fête on Bay St.
On Thursday, February 13th, 2020, my curiosity got the best of me. If you can recall, February 13th was one of the coldest days this winter. I believe we had dipped into the negatives, but here I was, fur jacket on, ready to Fête on a Thursday night.
The Toronto Caribbean Newspaper was invited by the Caribbean Practice Group (WeirFoulds, LLP) to the firm’s 3rd Annual Caribbean Fête on Bay St. This year they had guests who had flown in from Trinidad, Israel, Turks & Caicos, Jamaica, and the Cayman Islands. Upon my arrival, I realized quickly that it was a night that I was not going to forget.
I want to take a moment here to thank Kathryn Riley, the Communication and Content Specialist for WeirFoulds, LPP. She went above and beyond to ensure that my experience was a pleasurable one. She took the time to send mapped out details of where to park so that I would not have to deal with one bit of that treacherous cold. Attention to detail Kathryn. I love it.
When I arrived, Kathryn greeted me and took me upstairs to meet the team. I had the pleasure of meeting Frank Walwyn, and Nadia Chiesa two members of the Caribbean Practice Group. I did not have an opportunity to meet Kayla Theeuwen, but during my interview with Nadia Chiesa, she shared the story of how this team came to be.
Frank Walwyn is a proud St. Kitts native, with a jolly disposition. The island of St. Kitts has a lot to be proud of with this man. He was named one of the Top 25 Most Influential in the justice system and legal profession in Canada. He is also one of Canada’s top lawyers in the area of Corporate and Commercial Litigation
He is currently licensed to practise law in Canada and is also a member of the bars of Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, the British Virgin Islands (BVI), Dominica, Grenada and St. Kitts and Nevis.
Kayla Theeuwen joined the team four or five years ago. She is an associate in the litigation practice group at WeirFoulds, LLP. She specializes in resolving complex commercial and multi-jurisdictional disputes in Canada, Central America and the Eastern Caribbean. Kayla received her Legal Education Certificate from Norman Manley Law School in Kingston Jamaica in 2019, and she has been called to the Bar in the Caribbean and Ontario.
Nadia Chiesa started working with Frank as a student and discovered her love for cross practice eight or nine years ago. She is the co-chair of the Caribbean Practice Group at WeirFoulds, LLP. She specializes in commercial litigation and multi-jurisdictional disputes. Nadia is called to the bar in Ontario, as well as St. Kitts and Nevis and BVI. I managed to steal a little bit of her time, and we discussed this refreshing idea.
“The idea was initially sparked by a group of Black Partners on Bay St. They decided to host a carnival-influenced event at their firm, and they actually did it at their firm. When we first sent invitations out for our first Fête, no one knew what Lime, or Fête meant. We hosted it at the firm the first year, and people were instantly blown away. We decided to continue this, not just for us, but also for the community. We wanted a way to showcase the great cultural environment that we get to spend time in, and it is a wonderful way to make connections.”
They went all the way this year. The partnered with Ryerson University’s Design Fabrication Zone, to educate guests on Carnival costumes, which were on full display the entire evening. Candice, alongside her husband Dwayne Dixon had a vision. They were determined to find a way to preserve cultural traditions and add technological innovation. SugaCayne Designs uses creative technology (3D printing, laser cutting, and thermoplastic modelling) in their costume making, all the while preserving artistic and cultural integrity.
Guests had a chance to Lime virtually. We were instructed to put on the VR headset and take in what we saw. It was the craziest thing. If it weren’t for the slight cold breeze I felt on the nape of my neck, I would have sworn I was at Carnival.
There is still so much in Toronto to discover. As a newspaper, it is our responsibility to tell the community about the great things that are happening in Toronto, in Ontario, in Canada, and in the Caribbean Diaspora. Another great advantage: now you have a group of lawyers you can send your family too if they live in the islands. The Caribbean Practice Group of WeirFoulds, LPP are Canadian Trained, Caribbean Focused, and Globally Minded.