Canadian Lawyer

requires mental focus and discipline, and helps to build confidence. "I fell in love with the sport," says St. Bernard. At the time, the club was home to several members of Canada's national tae- kwondo team, so from the start, she could take high-level classes. Even though she didn't have a background in the sport, with her volleyball experience, she was athletic enough to move with the class. "It was kick or get kicked, [and] I was getting kicked a lot. Eventually you kick back or you go home. I kept going, into an unorthodox schedule, although it can be tough. She had a major competition the weekend before her first law school exam. "It was crazy. Having gone through university as a varsity athlete and getting all the privileges of a varsity athlete, this was different. I was a complete beginner, and I was going to be late for exams because I was going to some competition." She joined McMillan as a summer stu- It's something she has managed to fit " she says. dent and in her interview was honest that competitive taekwondo was something she was going to pursue alongside law. Fortunately, the firm thought it was "awe- some, " she says, even though that was not everyone's initial reaction (generally more along the lines of, "When are you going to focus on what you should really be doing?"). The firm even extended her arti- cling by three weeks so she could compete. "McMillan gave me the opportunity, St. Bernard. "I tend to work hard at every- thing I do, so as long as the work was good and the hours were there, they had no problem with me pursuing [taekwondo]." St. Bernard has been with the firm " said in some sort of competitive activity, so she makes it work. "There are a few 24-hour gyms in Toronto, so I do crazy things at crazy hours, I go with the flow a lot," she says. "I do have to and need the benefit of the unit to be able to spar and do techni- cal training, so I try to commit to regular evening classes at Young Choung, means sometimes heading back to the office late at night after a training session. Now that she' " which St. Bernard has taken time off from law to focus on training (from two to eight hours a day). And while Toronto is still an important hub, she' s chasing the Olympics, Grenada and Cuba. Taekwondo is quite new to the s also training in Olympics, and only 16 athletes compete in each of the four female divisions. She will compete in the under-67 kilograms sparring division. It' this competitive level, she says, and after- ward plans to go back to the law and take it from there. "I'm enjoying the full-time athlete life but the grass is always greener, s her "last hurrah" at she laughs. "I enjoy the practice of law and want to return to the practice of law. " " NEW EDITION ing work, which she admits sounds odd to most people. "But you find your niche. There are a lot of negative or tough things that come with it — it is a tough profession [but] I enjoy the challenge. St. Bernard enjoys the nature of bank- both teamwork and independent work — much like the sport of taekwondo. "It doesn't keep me in any type of box. . . . I'm always doing something different. I really enjoy the feeling of having accomplished something that seemed impossible, " It also involves says of her law career — a statement that could equally apply to martial arts. The greatest challenge of her job, she " she says, is finding work-life balance. "In more positive, lucrative economic times, it' s hard to stop and enjoy life and not just get sucked into the flow," she points out. "Myself and many lawyers tend to have the type of personality to try to do more and more and more. The challenge is to slow down sometimes and not try to conquer the world every day. in London, St. Bernard will indeed set out to conquer the world. Perhaps not every day, but this summer " THE ART OF THE REAL ESTATE DEAL, 3RD EDITION BARRY D. LIPSON, Q.C. The Art of the Real Estate Deal, 3rd Edition is a clearly and concisely written guide, consolidating the various aspects of commercial real estate transactions in one volume. WHAT'S NEW IN THIS EDITION The third edition has been significantly expanded and updated to include the following: since 2006 when she was called to the bar. As a member of the debt products group, she acts for lenders and borrowers in a variety of debt financing transactions, from corporate lending to debtor-in- possession financing. She also completed a secondment at the Ontario Securities Commission' during her articles with the firm. During law school and for the first five s corporate finance branch years of her practice, St. Bernard would work during the day and train at night. "There were many nights where I was in the midst of a deal where work had to be done but I had a competition coming up and I had to train," she says. "So there' constant pull." 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