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Profile Community made her a role model for a new generation. leader The values instilled by her immigrant parents led Terrie-Lynne Devonish to big success and I t was when the kids at her elementary school threw dirt, recognize Terrie-Lynne. Her daughter was the textbook middle child, she recalls — independent and strong-willed with a sticks and rocks at her, chanting the “N”-word, that Terrie- Lynne Devonish began building the skills that would help remarkable ability to make friends.“We always had lots of peo- shape her life and career. It wasn’t easy. But at home, her parents impressed on her the ple staying at our house because of her,” Lynette laughs. Devonish was easily the most curious daughter. “We’d be importance of not letting “those kinds of distractions” interfere somewhere and I’d get fascinated with something,” she says. with who she was. She listened well.And as she grew older, for “The whole family would move off and I’d still be there… they’d every youngster who picked on her, or disparaged the colour of lose me…in the supermarket,once at Canada’sWonderland.I was her skin, five or six others became her friend. the daughter, I think, who gave them the most grief.” Today, as the first-ever chief counsel for Aon Canada Inc., A willingness to pitch in and help others seems to have been Devonish exhibits the same drive, focus and joie de vivre from wired into the family DNA.The three Devonish sisters — each her early years, traits that have won the admiration of her family, plays two instruments — travelled in a little band that enter- fiancé and large circle of friends.She is a leading community vol- tained at seniors’ facilities. In high school, she was a volunteer unteer, particularly advocating for young black students.In 2008, math and English tutor. she was recognized as one of Canada’s“Top 40 Under 40 best and At the end of high school, roles were reversed. Devonish won brightest,” one of nine women chosen from 1,600 nominees. a scholarship through the John Brooks Community Foundation, In an early evening interview, after a long week of business which encourages visible minorities to stay in school and go to travel, her warm personality is evident. She is energetic, open university. Toronto lawyer Bruce Alexander volunteered with and engaging,apologizes for talking quickly —“I’m working on the foundation and became Devonish’s first mentor. that,” she laughs — and explains how the success she enjoys is He recognized tremendous potential in the confident young cemented in her family life and upbringing. woman and arranged to get Devonish an internship at the law Devonish is one of three girls born in Toronto to Lynette, a firm where he worked. nurse,and Sylvan,an electrician,who emigrated from Guyana to “She was very bright, curious and disciplined with her time,” Canada in the 1960s to find a better life. Devonish realized early Alexander says.Youth like her, he adds,“have the ability, but not on that she, Gail and Karen were expected to do their best, the familiarity. I try to get them jobs in these organizations. It whether in academics, extracurricular activities or community shows them they’re just as capable as anybody else. service.The Devonish family, she explains, was obliged to make “Terrie’s given back, just as she received help. She’s a tremen- the best of the opportunity Canada presented. dous role model, a real spokesperson for her generation.” “My parents told us to stand our ground,that once people got It was Alexander who showed Devonish that the law and Bay to know you and respect you, that other stuff would go away.A Street were viable career goals for a young woman with drive lot of that stick-to-it-ness and striving for excellence came from and imagination. my parents.” Pursuing a law career had crossed her mind years earlier, at age Lynette Devonish says any family with three children would 11.She listened to her mother’s stories about working conditions 16 CCCA Canadian Corporate Counsel Association FALL 2011