Legal news and trends for Canadian in-house counsel and c-suite executives
Issue link: https://digital.canadianlawyermag.com/i/50890
"Certainly I thought I would work less WHATARE YOUDRIVING? Surprisingly, none of the following corporate counsel were car buffs before they began working in the sector — but they all love cars now. Here's what they're driving: LORRAINE SHALHOUB, Jeep Grand Cherokee diesel "A wonderful vehicle with great fuel economy — a 30-per-cent improvement in fuel economy because of the diesel engine. It's a great vehicle and a lot of fun to drive." DIANA GALASSI, Toyota Sienna "I love driving their cars. I drive a Sienna. I have driven a Sienna, for the most part, for family reasons. I would love to have the opportunity to drive some of the other product and I look forward to that as my children grow older and I can get that opportunity." ANTHONY CORNACCHIA, Honda Accord "I've always enjoyed the Accord. It's a very nice drive. And, with the 5-speed standard transmission, it's just a terrific car." JEFF VAN DAMME, Nissan Murano "Our Murano is just such a fantastic and versatile vehicle. I've got two kids, so the Murano is just one of those vehicles that's capable of doing a bit of everything. For the size of the vehicle, it's got incredible fuel efficiency. It's very spacious on the interior; it's got a lot of the comfort features. It's just very well built — I've never had any issue with any Murano that I've driven. It's just a fantastic vehicle." NORMAN STEWART, Lincoln MKX "[It's] a crossover vehicle we make right here in Oakville, [Ont.]. . . I probably have, each year, four different cars, so every few months I get a different car. Our latest new car that will come out is called the Lincoln MKS, a four-door sedan, a beautiful thing. A U.S.-built sedan. I'll drive it for a few months and test it out. And every time I do I get excited, you know?" NEIL MACDONALD, a "hot red" Cadillac CTS "It's just a fabulous car to drive. I like it so much I'm getting it for my wife. She likes it so much I'm getting it for her is the better way to put that. Occasion- ally in the summertime, I get a Corvette. It's just fun. . . . One of the best perks of this position is the ability to get into a new vehicle and try it on a pretty frequent basis. And I still get a buzz getting into a new vehicle every so often." when I came to General Motors, and it's been anything but that," laughs Macdon- ald. "However, it's been tremendously rewarding. And when you look at what you want to do as a lawyer, and your abil- ity to work in a stimulating, interesting environment with good people, both internally and externally — with a client that wants you and respects you and val- ues your opinion — that's tremendously rewarding on a professional basis." Stewart says that although some of his counterparts with law firms might make more money, it isn't everything. "You're an integral part of the team, so you get to live with everything that hap- pens around here, and you're account- able and there's no sliding away. It's not like, 'Well, we retained some guy six years ago to work on something and I can't even remember his name.' You're here; they know who you are. That makes it attractive." Honda's Cornacchia says that one of the biggest draws for him is being in- volved in a highly innovative engineering company, whose products include every- thing from robots to aircraft engines and solar panels. "One of the pleasures about my par- ticular role is, whenever I speak to peo- ple, they always have glowing things to say about our products — which is very positive for me. If you were working for an oil company, I think that you'd hear a litany of complaints about the price of gasoline, right?" "I like the opportunity to deal with complex legal issues and apply them, together with an in-depth understand- ing of the business," says Diana Galassi, general counsel with Toyota Canada Inc. "What I don't like is the travel." "You can see that you're having an im- pact on, not just the company, but also as an important contributor to our com- munity," says Macdonald. "What do you want out of a career as a lawyer, or any career? "Good work, give respected, valued advice, and the ability to make a good living — and then you get to drive some fun cars, too!" IH C ANADIAN Lawyer INHOUSE A UGUST 2008 41