Legal news and trends for Canadian in-house counsel and c-suite executives
Issue link: https://digital.canadianlawyermag.com/i/1171384
www.canadianlawyermag.com/inhouse 37 management team, but he is part of the parent company's recently created eBay Classified Group extended leadership team committee. As part of that committee, Westelman spent a week in Amsterdam this past spring, networking with over 70 senior company executives and leaders. He was there to represent the interest of the en- tire legal team, to offer up not just legal perspectives but guidance on business issues and to help drive the agenda for the committee. He says it's his goal to show business leaders that members of the legal teams and departments have a lot to offer, while simultaneously demon- strating to company lawyers that they have opportunities to grow their careers outside of strictly legal roles. "It's not always the case that our lawyers are on their management teams, but I've tried to lead by example. I hope that that plays a part and paves the way for others on my team to earn their seats with their respective local management teams, because I feel it's absolutely critical to the legal function. That's how you add value. That is really how we add value when we become truly trusted partners to our business," says Westelman. Westelman says that one advantage he had was that he worked as outside counsel to the company before moving in-house. That position allowed him to build personal relationships with senior business leaders and to really earn his position on the management team. Networking, having face-to-face meetings and spending time with people is key to not just advancing careers but in extending the influence Master the law. Canada's leading law school offers a graduate degree in four unique streams: Business Law Canadian Law in a Global Context Innovation, Law and Technology Law of Leadership Apply today. Visit gpllm.law.utoronto.ca Questions? gpllm@utoronto.ca ntitled-6 1 2018-05-25 11:45 AM of in-house counsel. That's one of the lessons he took away from Amsterdam. It's also one of the tenets of his management philosophy for his own department. With direct reports scattered around the globe, he relies on video conferencing to keep in touch with his team. "I didn't always do that. It was when I first on-boarded, there wasn't the software that we now use for that purpose. I was often on the road and it was just easier to use my mobile but there CATEGORY: Law department leadership DEPARTMENT SIZE: Large COMPANY: Kijiji Canada Ltd., part of eBay Classifieds Group (eCG)