Brad Berg (BComm’91, LLB’92) and Brian Rolfes (LLB’91)

Outstanding Impact Award

This award recognizes an extraordinary alumnus/alumna who is currently making significant personal and professional contributions in society, demonstrating exceptional leadership in their field(s) of endeavour, maintaining a standard of excellence that inspires their colleagues and peers, with promise of future achievement and resulting in a demonstrable betterment of their community.
 
(Photo: submitted)

The professional achievements and personal commitment of Brad Berg (BComm’91, LLB’92) and Brian Rolfes (LLB’91) have significantly advanced 2SLGBTQQIA+ rights and inclusivity in Canada and around the world. Their work includes the campaign for equal marriage in Canada and deep contributions to charities and educational organizations.   

Berg and Rolfes met in 1993 while clerking at the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal after studying at the University of Saskatchewan College of Law. In 1998, they held a commitment ceremony at the United Church at St. Andrew’s Chapel on the USask campus, with 130 friends and family members attending. It was one of the first same-sex union ceremonies on the prairies. They then helped to lead the national campaign for equal marriage in Canada, with Rolfes serving for eight years as chair of the Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto. The church performed Canada’s first same-sex marriages in 2001 and was part of the litigation (Halpern v. Canada) resulting in equal marriage being recognized by the Ontario Court of Appeal in 2003. In celebration, Berg and Rolfes—who grew up in Dorintosh and Saskatoon, Sask., and now live in Toronto—had their wedding vows renewed and finally legalized. 

Berg, a partner and litigation practice group leader at Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree in 1991 and a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1992, both from USask, followed by a Master of Laws degree at the University of Toronto. Recognized as one of Canada’s top litigators, Berg has received numerous accolades, including being elected president of The Advocates’ Society, one of the leading associations of litigators in Canada. He is dedicated to 2SLGBTQQIA+ rights and mentorship and in 1999 he co-founded Pride@Blakes, one of the first queer affinity groups that has grown to become one of the largest at any Canadian law firm.  

Rolfes earned his Bachelor of Laws degree at USask in 1991 and holds a Bachelor of Arts in public administration from Carleton University, a Bachelor of Arts (Juris) in Law from Oxford University, where he studied as a Rhodes Scholar, and a Master of Laws from Cambridge University. He was the global recruiting partner at McKinsey & Company, a management consulting firm, where he co-founded Equal, a worldwide network that has grown to include 6,000 2SLGBTQQIA+ colleagues and allies. Rolfes has also been instrumental in creating inclusive policies and diversity training at McKinsey and has supported numerous 2SLGBTQQIA+ organizations globally. Although he recently retired after nearly 30 years of serving clients and leading talent and diversity initiatives, he continues to support these initiatives at McKinsey as a senior external advisor. 

Both Berg and Rolfes are active USask law alumni, including by establishing the Brad Berg and Brian Rolfes LGBT Rights Scholarship in 2015. Berg serves on the Dean’s Advisory Council in the college and is a past keynote speaker for the First-Year Welcoming Ceremony sponsored by McDougall Gauley LLP. Together, Berg and Rolfes have an impressive record of accomplishments and honours that highlight their dedication to 2SLGBTQQIA+ rights, community service, and professional excellence. In 2018, the couple received the Together Towards Zero Award from the AIDS Committee of Toronto for their long-term support. They are members of the Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto ELEVATION Campaign Cabinet, the goal of which is to elevate social justice, human rights, and inclusion. Both are recipients of Out on Bay Street (now StartProud) awards for professional leadership.   

Rolfes has been ranked #17 (in 2018) on the Financial Times OUTstanding LGBTQ+ Role Models list, recognizing his global influence and leadership. As part of this work in diversity and in finding the best talent in the world to join McKinsey, Rolfes helped the firm co-found Reaching Out MBA (ROMBA) more than 20 years ago. More recently, he helped launch The Alliance, a global network of 2SLGBTQQIA+ senior leaders from public, private, and social sectors. Rolfes was recently elected as the incoming vice-chair of the board for the Stratford Festival (2026-28), and then chair (2028-30), and is the deputy national secretary for selection for the Rhodes Scholarships in Canada. 

Similarly, Berg’s litigation expertise has been recognized in prestigious legal publications such as Chambers Global, Chambers Canada and the Lexpert/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada. In 2022, he was the inaugural recipient of the Ontario Bar Association’s Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Community Robert Muir Award for Mentorship. His dedication to mentorship and social responsibility was further recognized with separate Lexpert Zenith Awards for Mid-Career Mentorship and Pro Bono Service. Berg serves on the board of the Centre for Addictions and Mental Health (CAMH), the largest mental health teaching hospital in Canada.