Canadian Lawyer

36 A p r i l 2 0 1 4 w w w . C A N A D I A N L a w y e r m a g . c o m W hen lawyers leave private practice and go in-house many may feel they are no longer easily able to pursue pro bono work, but the reality is corporate and public sector lawyers have skills that are in demand. There also appears to be growing interest from the in-house bar in pursuing pro bono activities. After some queries from its members last year, the Canadian Corporate Counsel Association struck a committee to evaluate ways to make it easier for in-house lawyers to explore their pro bono options, says Lawna Hurl, legal counsel with Niska Gas Storage Partners LLC in Calgary. "There's kind of an assumption when you leave private practice that you leave the possibility of doing pro bono and the cynic's take is you don't really need to do it for your career anymore," says Hurl. "But even after I went in-house, I still did evening clinics at Calgary Legal Guidance — matters that aren't considered super-heavy, complicated legal work. You're really listening to somebody's story and directing them to the next step." Hurl is chairwoman of the CCCA's recently formed pro bono committee and is also past–chairwoman of Calgary Legal Guidance, where she has volunteered since 2003. She joined its board in 2008 and now provides more corporate-related assistance to the organization. She says the CCCA is trying to help determine things like insurance requirements for in-house lawyers looking to do pro bono work and what the opportuni- ties are out there for them. Lee Cutforth has always felt a duty to continue pro bono work even after leaving private practice and has done so with Lethbridge Legal Guidance. When he made the move last year to an in-house role as Alberta's first Property Rights Advocate, he said there was no question he would continue to volunteer his time. Cutforth, who was in private practice for 27 years, was initially drawn to pro bono as a means of doing some community service. "It's a good opportunity to contribute to the community and fill a need, and there is a growing issue in our profession about access to justice and so it is a way to help with that problem as well," he says. Lethbridge Legal Guidance has a fairly high participation rate among lawyers in the community. "I think on a pro-rated basis it's the highest in Alberta for the number of lawyers who end up participating in pro bono," says Cutforth. Because the participation rate in the clinic is so high, Cutforth's involve- ment in the clinic is about four to six times a year. The clinic runs weekly in Lethbridge in the evening. One has started in Medicine Hat as well as clinics farther west. Senior and junior lawyers as well as in-house counsel contribute their time. The matters Cutforth has dealt with are "pretty garden-variety" — issues including family law, some civil claims, and landlord-ten- ant concerns make up the bulk of the work. The role is more one of triage as clients come in and are given a half-hour consultation and advised of what their rights are in a situation and what steps should be taken next. "If it turns out they need representation in court then we act as a gatekeeper and provide a referral to the staff lawyer to help them," says Cutforth. "As lawyers we may see the issues these people have as garden-variety but to them it's the most important thing they have going on at that moment and that's the other thing that makes it worthwhile. For the people coming to see us it's important and we're fulfilling an important service." When Hurl joined the board of Calgary Legal Guidance she was transitioning from working at a private firm to an in-house role at Chevron Canada Resources. She quickly realized they could use her assistance in areas more germane to what an in-house counsel does. That was also the case for lawyer Tony Wong, who, in 2008 when he was still a securities regulator working for British Columbia's Securities Commission, decided he wanted to put his corporate governance skills to work on a volunteer basis. "In my job I was dealing less with people and real issues and wanted to volunteer my skills but couldn't do it on a public company board. I soon realized most not-for-profits really value the skills lawyers bring to the table and I think lawyers have a lot to offer these kinds of organizations." In February, Wong became general counsel and corporate secretary of Prophecy Coal Corp. in Vancouver and continues to volunteer his time as vice chairman of the board of the Vancouver East Cultural Centre, known colloquially as the Cultch. In January, along with Cultch executive director Heather Redfern and staff, Wong helped successfully argue before Vancouver City council to amend a city sign bylaw so corporate sponsorship could be permit- ted on the centre's signage. After a public hearing, the city, which owns the Vancouver East Cultural Centre, approved the Cultch's application to put West Coast Reduction's name on the marquee. It meant a $2-million donation to the centre. "It was hugely reward- ing," says Wong who attends about one board meeting a month for Cultch in addition to spending time on their corporate governance needs such as preparing for the annual general meeting. Last year, members of the Association of Corporate Counsel's Ontario chapter began a project called "In Your Corner" aimed at helping foster families looking to formally adopt children they had raised. A meeting between PBLO and Catholic Children's Aid revealed the legal department at the agency was getting a number of requests from adoption workers asking for help in finalizing "As lawyers we may see the issues these people have as garden-variety but to them it's the most important thing they have going on at that moment and that's the other thing that makes it worthwhile." Lee Cutforth, Alberta Property rights Advocate publiC HeariNgs employmeNt law Corporate goverNaNCe

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