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of Canada, but, she says, initially it was about learning the ropes. "The two biggest things I had to learn was a few different areas of law I never touched before [like employment, pricing, and IP law], but also getting to know the company," says MacDougall. "We just don't make Post-it notes . . . there are 55,000 products divided into six big businesses. We have health care, industrial, electrical and communications, safety, security and protection services. " There are three lawyers at 3M, splitting the company in thirds. MacDougall's responsibilities include supporting the president, the consumer and office business, the health-care business, all of manufacturing and supply chain, and mergers and acquisi- tions. She says she wears several hats but enjoys them all. "There's the team atmosphere here. The businesses really look to you as a valued member of their team, and I love that," she says. "You're involved in projects from the beginning . . . and you're dealing with all levels of the company." Initially, some of MacDougall's friends questioned why she would even want to be corporate counsel, saying it would be repetitive and understimulating. That, she says, couldn't be fur- ther from the truth at 3M. "With over 55,000 products, six big businesses across the country, and 2,000 employees, it's the most intellectually stimulating job I've had," she says. "One minute you're dealing with employment law, the next minute you're reviewing a contract, the next you're looking at advertising or giving advice on pricing." Her learning curve expands as the company does. With five manufacturing plants and a full-service in-house lab, complete with scientists who are always inventing new products, some- one always needs her expertise. "We're here to advise people to make sure we do things ethically, legally," says MacDougall. "We also help them with their business risks, like, 'Here's the risk if you do this. Is that something you want to do?' That kind of thing." That being said, with the number of products 3M manufac- tures, MacDougall says dealing with ridiculous claims is inevi- table. "For example, we have Nexcare bandages, and if it ripped off their hair I could get a letter; or it's forwarded to me, and they're claiming that our product hurt them." MacDougall says, with all her various responsibilities, there's nothing typical about her day except for the fact she's always ap- proached with questions — even in the cafeteria. "I love the fact that people feel they can just stop you, and they feel that we're approachable," she says. "You're constantly on. From the minute you walk in the door to the minute you're gone, people could be potentially asking you about anything." While she loves her job, MacDougall says her dream job would be a professional athlete — maybe in volleyball, some- thing she played all through high school and at SMU. "I don't have the God-given ability to become a professional athlete, but that's what I'd love to do — make the Olympics or something," she says. It's her love of sport that helped her meet her husband, fellow Halifax native Bruce Whynott. MacDougall says the two had previously met at home but got reacquainted aſter they both moved to Toronto and played on the same volleyball team. Today, the couple lives in London, Ont., with their two-ear- old daughter, Ceilidh, and they have another baby on the way. MacDougall says, when she's not working, her home is where she spends her time doing the simple things. "I spend time with my family, decompress in front of the TV. I'm almost embar- rassed to say that," she says with a laugh. "Right now it's just playing with our daughter or going for a bike ride or playing with our dog — family time." While her biggest personal accomplishment is raising her daughter, MacDougall says, her biggest professional accom- plishment was her promotion in 2006. What was flattering was that she was on maternity leave when they told her she would be heading the department when she returned. "I was only work- ing three years at 3M, and when you work here at 3M, most of the people you'll talk to, they've been here 15 to 20, 25, 30 years, so it was an accomplishment still being relatively young, in my mid-30s, and new to 3M." Still only in her late 30s, MacDougall says she doesn't plan on leaving 3M anytime soon, and is looking forward to at least 20-plus more years to advance within the company. "I would love to do more, and make it be known I love doing what I'm doing, but I'd like to add onto it," says MacDougall. "Maybe take on more responsibility within the company, maybe switch it up." To do her job, MacDougall says you have to be able to work with a lot of volume of work and stress, while also being driven, competitive, organized, and decisive. "You have to be coura- geous in making decisions sometimes . . . be willing to offer opinions, make decisions, and truly be a leader and lead by ex- ample," she says. Her family and career life can be hectic, so there's one thing MacDougall makes sure she doesn't do to help balance it all. "You take things seriously, but you can't take yourself seriously, so I am definitely a serious person with my work but not with myself. . . . I think it's an East Coast thing." IH The lawyer: Shauna MacDougall The company: 3M Canada 3M is a diversified technology company serving customers and communities with innovative products and services. It boasts more than 35 business units, organized into six businesses: consumer and office; display and graph- ics; electro and communications; health care; industrial and transportation; and safety, security, and protection services. 3M has operations in more than 60 countries — 32 international companies with manufacturing opera- tions, 35 with laboratories. C ANADIAN Lawyer INHOUSE OC T OBER 2008 27 60-SECOND SNAPSHOT