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40 www.canadianlawyermag.com IN-HOUSE PROFILES FEATURE that has meant stepping far beyond conventional legal work. He started in private practice, first at Pallett Valo LLP where he worked almost exclusively in construction litigation for contractors and suppliers, then later at Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP. Fitzrovia handles most of its legal files in-house. When a matter is too complex or large, Fitzrovia brings in outside counsel – but not to hand over the file and walk away. "We … take full ownership of the file. We will do a lot of the work ourselves," Kuczynski explains. "We expect our law firms to be part of our team, as opposed to 'Here's the file – take it and run.'" That collaborative model doesn't suit every firm, but the ones that adapt, he says, deliver better service. "When you collaborate with someone, and you develop a partnership, they will, in turn, understand our business model… and give us better legal services than they otherwise would have." Kuczynski's litigation instincts remain sharp, but his new responsibilities require him to think SHAPING LEGAL STRATEGY FOR INSURANCE GROWTH A legal leader's greatest asset isn't technical expertise – it's the ability to translate complexity into clarity and embed legal and compliance thinking into a business' core. That's the lesson that emerges from Melanie Hoad's approach to building the legal and compliance function at Sompo. "Building a foundation of open communication is key … my office door, or my laptop when I'm remote, is always open," she says. Hoad's career began with litigation in private practice, which she calls "a fantastic training ground for problem-solving and advocacy." But she wanted to move beyond resolving disputes and get closer to business decision-making. Moving in-house, she says, allowed her to "proactively shape those outcomes" rather than just react to problems. The transition wasn't a leap, but a series of steps. Hoad first joined the litigation department of a large property and casualty insurer, Chubb, gaining insight into the less like an advocate and more like a strategist who sees the entire chessboard, including the external landscape. Changes to Ontario's Construction Act, now in its third major phase since 2018, alter how projects handle holdback release and lien rights. business side of insurance. That opened the door to coverage counsel and later a corporate legal role at CNA, each expanding her responsibilities. "Each step allowed me to … grow and deepen my expertise in the insurance industry," she says. When she took on a new corporate role, her litigation background sharpened her ability to anticipate risk and shape business practices before issues arise. "It was a steep learning curve," she says, but the experience helped her see how to prevent negative outcomes through contract language, process, and communication. When Hoad joined Sompo in 2025, she brought experience from building a legal and compliance team at CNA. The appeal of Sompo was the chance to do it again, but this time with the benefit of hard-won knowledge. "I knew I could duplicate it and do it here," she says. The company is growing in the Canadian market, so the process will be slower, but the goal is the same: build a legal function that grows with the business. KYLE KUCZYNSKI Company: Fitzrovia Title: Legal counsel STRETCHING ACROSS DOMAINS, BLENDING CONTRACT WORK WITH REAL-WORLD OPERATIONS Kyle Kuczynski didn't originally intend to specialize in construction law. But a research assignment at his first firm cracked open the door to a specialty he now finds intellectually rich and practically essential. Now senior legal counsel at Fitzrovia, Kuczynski sits inside Canada's largest purpose-built rental developer, a company that doesn't just build – it acquires land, designs projects, manages construction, leases, and handles property and asset management in-house. With over 9,000 units completed, acquired, or under development, Fitzrovia operates far beyond the conventions of residential development. For a lawyer like Kuczynski, MELANIE HOAD Company: Sompo Title: Vice president, head of legal and compliance