Canadian Lawyer InHouse

managing a facility from food services to security to parking. Currently, Brown is a department of one; with a new arena, that could change. Regardless, the role gives her a degree of ownership over her schedule — and that allows her to participate in her love of sports. "If I manage my workload, it gives me a degree of freedom," she says. While Brown stopped playing hockey last year, she's started coaching ringette and offering a ringette goalie instruction program. "That's my side passion," she says. Learning the business side of sports through the NHL has helped evolve that side passion; conversely, working directly with athletes helps her in her role as general counsel. "My personal life and professional life work well together." After graduating from Osgoode Hall Law School and articling at Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP in Toronto, she headed west to play goalie with the Edmonton Chimos Women's Hockey Club and WHAM (the ringette equivalent). She not only participated in the World Ringette Championships, but also helped her team win seven Canadian Ringette Championships. Today, she's considered one of the world's top ringette goalies. During that time, she landed a job at Davis LLP in Edmonton (she was called to the Ontario bar in 2003 and the Alberta bar in 2004). It was while helping a friend look for a job that she came across a posting for an in-house position with the Oilers. In February 2006, she was hired on four days a week. "I was three years out of school coming into a startup department by myself," says Brown. Fortunately, she had gone broad with her studies: from IP trademark, copyright, and broadcasting courses, to contract and international tax law. "I knew corporate was more my style as opposed to litigation, and I could get my work done and still play (sports)." While she acknowledges that she landed this job fairly early in her career, she points out that things weren't handed to her —  she took a risk by leaving a fulltime job at an established firm to start four days a week at a company just coming out of a lockout. It's perhaps this experience that makes mentoring so important to her. "I try not to turn down anyone who wants to meet and find out what I do," she says. "When I got involved in this industry I didn't know anybody — people let me come and talk to them." She's been involved in sports her whole life and says she didn't encounter any issues as a woman in the NHL. "I really appreciate that my organization values what each of us brings to the plate," says Brown. "Being a leader in the community, we want to show people out there we're a diverse company. I'm not seen as the 'female' or the 'lawyer.'" Even if she had, it's unlikely that would have stopped her. Perhaps it comes from her experience as a goalie, but she's learned how to take calculated risks and put herself out there. "Find your passion," she says. "Get out there and do as much as you can instead of expecting things to come to you." IH 2013-2014 ATLANTIC LEGAL TELEPHONE DIRECTORY STAY CONNECTED TO YOUR LEGAL NETWORK 2013-2014 Atlantic Legal Telephone Directory connects you to your legal community providing accurate and essential legal contact information in all four Canadian Atlantic Provinces. CLB Atlantic .5 island Compiled by the respected legal directories group at Thomson Reuters, you can rely on a directory that grows and expands with your legal community. Each year find new and updated names, mailing addresses, email addresses and phone numbers for lawyers and law offices. One time purchase $39* On subscription $39* L88804-623 Multiple copy discounts available *Atlantic province residents must include HST Also get quick, easy access to: • Law and Barristers' Societies • Canadian Citizenship Courts • Courts of Appeal • Federal Court of Canada • Government of Canada departments and regional offices • Judicial districts and judicial officials • Incorporated Municipalities • Land registration and information services • The Associations of Land Surveyors • Law Foundation • Provincial government departments • Boards and Commissions • Law Related Services, Institutions and Organizations • University law faculties ... and much more. Stay connected with the 2013-2014 Atlantic Legal Telephone Directory. Order your copy today. Visit www.carswell.com or call 1-800-387-5164 for a 30-day, no risk evaluation w w w. c a n a d i a n law y er m a g . c o m / i n h o u s E ntitled-1 1 june 2013 • 41 13-04-30 10:40 AM

• Cover