PROFESSIONAL PROFILE Exploring
As general counsel for Sherritt International Corp., Julie A. Lee Harrs says no two days are alike working in the mining industry, but that's precisely what makes her professional life so interesting — and intense.
By Kirsten McMahon
MINING LAW W
hen Julie A. Lee Harrs accepted her first corpo- rate counsel gig — after more than a decade at a large Bay Street firm —
she never imagined herself taking a job where she would have to wear a hard hat and safety boots. But Lee Harrs, senior vice president,
general counsel, and corporate secre- tary at Sherritt International Corp., says, "It was probably the best decision in my professional life, taking that risk." The decision wasn't made lightly,
though. Lee Harrs spent 13 years work- ing at Blake Cassels & Graydon LLP in Toronto — even working for two sum- mers at the Bay Street firm in a non-legal capacity before going to law school. Her corporate-commercial practice
focused on financing, and she says it was a positive experience, but eventually she started to look for in-house opportunities. "My husband's a lawyer as well and at
the time we had two small children. My husband was formerly at McCarthy [Té- trault LLP] and at the time was general counsel of Universal Studios and Univer- sal Music, so he was trying to bring me over to his side. "So I blame my husband for my cur-
rent situation," she laughs. "It was a family decision, so I looked
for a few years but I really liked what I was doing for Blakes. I really liked the people I
C ANADIAN Lawyer INHOUSE JUNE 2008 31
