Canadian Lawyer InHouse

Jun/Jul 2008

Legal news and trends for Canadian in-house counsel and c-suite executives

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INHOUSE Group Publisher: Karen Lorimer Associate Publisher: Gail J. Cohen Editor: Kirsten McMahon Associate Editor: Helen Burnett Copy Editor: Matt LaForge Creative Director: Einar Rice Art Director: Janet Popadiuk Account Co-ordinator: Mary Hatch Publications Mail Agreement #40766500 ISSN 0703-2129 Copyright © 2008 G.S.T. Registration #R121349799 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESS TO: CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT 240 EDWARD ST., AURORA, ON L4G 3S9 RETOURNER TOUTE CORRESPONDANCE NE POUVANT ÊTRE LIVRÉE AU CANADA AU SERVICE DES PUBLICATIONS 240 EDWARD ST., AURORA, ON L4G 3S9 Advertising Sales Representatives Legal Suppliers: Kimberlee Pascoe Tel: (905) 713-4342 E-mail: kpascoe@clbmedia.ca Law Firms: Karen Lorimer Tel: (905) 713-4339 E-mail: klorimer@clbmedia.ca Kathy Liotta Tel: (905) 713-4340 E-mail: kliotta@clbmedia.ca Inside Sales Rep: Rose Noonan Tel: (905) 726-5444 E-mail: rnoonan@clbmedia.ca Sales Co-ordinator: Sandy Shutt Tel: (905) 713-4337 E-mail: sshutt@clbmedia.ca Canadian Lawyer President: Stuart J. Morrison Canadian Lawyer InHouse is published 6 times a year by Canadian Lawyer Magazine Inc., 240 Edward St., Aurora, Ont. L4G 3S9 (905) 841-6480 Fax: (905) 727-0017. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reprinted without written permission. The opinions expressed in articles are not necessarily those of the publisher. Information presented is compiled from sources believed to be accurate, how- ever, the publisher assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions. Canadian Lawyer InHouse disclaims any warranty as to the accuracy, completeness or currency of the contents of this publication and dis- claims all liability in respect of the results of any action taken or not taken in reliance upon information in this publication. 240 Edward St., Aurora, ON L4G 3S9 Phone: (905) 841-6480 Fax: (905) 727-0017 E-mail: canlawmag@clbmedia.ca Web: www.canadianlawyermag.com Indexed in the Canadian Periodical Index Are you satisfied? EDITOR'S BOX T By Kirsten McMahon he results of an Association of Corporate Counsel survey landed in my inbox recently, and I was pleased — although not all that surprised — to read that 85 per cent of CLOs found their careers to be rewarding and "welcomed opportunities to expand their roles and the support they provided to their clients." While the survey (see page 38 for more details) of more than 1,000 CLOs and general counsel is U.S.-based, I'm willing to bet that the same results would hold true if the same survey were conducted here at home. It's good to know that despite increased scrutiny on companies and shifts in responsibilities, most CLOs and GCs are enjoying what they do, are re- warded appropriately, and are professionally satisfied. I've been editing InHouse for almost a year now and have had a chance to talk to numerous in-house counsel about why they initially made the move in-house, what keeps them busy (and what keeps them up at night), and if they ever see themselves making the move back to private practice. Almost every corporate counsel gives a somewhat diplomatic answer. A close friend of mine jokes that he hates saying never, "but I can't imagine the circumstances that would have to exist in order for me to decide to work for a law firm again." "Perhaps a cosmic alignment of planets," he decides. This month I met up with Julie A. Lee Harrs for this issue's professional profile (see page 31) and we spent some time talking about professional sat- isfaction. Lee Harrs, now general counsel at mining company Sherritt Inter- national, spent 13 years practising corporate-commercial law at a large Bay Street firm in Toronto. Lee Harrs says it was a family decision to move in-house — as her and her husband had two small children at the time — but the decision to stay in-house is all hers. "I truly don't understand why people stay at law firms, having been on both sides, and I had a very positive experience at a Bay Street law firm so I have no knocks against it," she says. So why is practising in-house so rewarding? Could it be the more predict- able — but intense — hours? Is it the ability to work on a project through to completion? Does it have anything to do with the variety of legal issues that cross your desk in any given day? For some, it's also the satisfaction of knowing your work is directly helping others in need. In this month's Industry Spotlight (see page 35), associate editor Helen Burnett talks to counsel at biotechnology companies across Canada and finds that there's also an altruistic satisfaction that comes from the work in- house lawyers do. Craig Sherburne, director of business development and legal affairs at BioMS Medical, says one of the rewards of his job is that he's not just making a difference for the company, but "you're going to work everyday with the possibility of . . . playing some not insignificant role in helping hundreds of thousands of people all across the world," he tells InHouse. "It puts a little spring in your step to know that you actually are making a difference and you're all working together to make a difference to an awful lot of people who certainly need it." IH C ANADIAN Lawyer INHOUSE JUNE 2008 3

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