PROFILE Starting from scratch
Lisa Skakun started the in-house legal department at Coast Capital Savings Credit Union from scratch and aims to change the way the company works with external counsel. By Jennifer Brown
Lisa Skakun didn't aspire to a career in the banking sector. In fact, when a recruiter came calling to see if she was interested in the job of general counsel at the country's second largest credit union, she initially told them she probably wasn't the right fit. But Coast Capital Savings Credit
Union was looking to attract their first general counsel and one with an unbi- ased view on how a legal department for a financial services company should look. Two years into the job, Skakun took home the Tomorrow's Leader award in November as part of the Western Canada General Counsel Awards held in Vancouver. She was nominated for the award by Stikeman Elliott LLP and Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP. Skakun started the company's legal
department from scratch just as the economy was taking a turn south. It wasn't an easy time, but she decided to embrace the company's values and model her department after their entre- preneurial spirit and goal of making everything more accessible for business units where possible. Following one of the Coast Capital business values to provide "simple" financial help, Skakun took it to heart when evaluating what her department could contribute to the brand. She worked to make the cred- it union's legal documents more user friendly by, for example, paring down its
I think you get better service if they understand your business and its challenges and risks. I think some in-house lawyers are hesitant to approach their external counsel about this. It's about relationship building and part
of strengthening it is letting them know your expectations. LISA SKAKUN, Coast Capital Savings Credit Union
36 • APRIL 2012 INHOUSE
