Canadian Lawyer InHouse

39 CANADIANLAWYERMAG.COM/INHOUSE MAY 2016 "It really makes a big difference," says Leibtag, a corporate counsel who works on Microsoft Canada's legal team. "All those questions people had had about cloud com- puting were really being answered once they knew we were going to have data cen- tres in-country." Even for someone employed at the world's largest software company, it might seem strange that Leibtag would be excited about a data centre. Yet the disruptive nature of cloud computing — which is changing not only the way IT services are provided but the way agreements between vendors and customers are formed — have made his role somewhat unique for an in-house lawyer. "The benefi ts [of cloud computing] are typically understood by the time we get involved in terms of cost savings, fl exibility, and so on. They're sold on the value proposition," he says. "But when you start talking to the chief privacy offi cer, the head of infosecurity, new questions come up: What kind of data protection can you offer? Who has access? How do you deal with government requests?" There are still many issues in cloud pro- curement that would be typical of other IT processes that in-house lawyers are prob- ably better suited to address, Leibtag says. For the others, he fi nds himself often acting not only as a typical in-house counsel but as a source of peer support for those on the client side — effectively helping make the sale of things like Microsoft Azure, an en- terprise cloud computing platform, a safer and more trustworthy experience. "If I were to say how has my role changed, it's less about negotiation than about educa- tion and explanation," he says. "If you think about it, a lawyer is supposed to be an ad- vocate, but we have to be advocates for our customers as well." Leibtag admits he didn't become a lawyer with a sense that cloud computing would be a defi ning force in his day-to-day work. After graduating from McGill with a bach- elor of commerce, he spent a year abroad at Stockholm University studying interna- tional law before completing his education at the University of Western Ontario. At Torkin Manes LLP, Leibtag spent four years assisting with acquisitions and private equity transactions, a good proving P r o f e s s i o n a l P r o f i l e If you think about it, a lawyer is supposed to be an advocate, but we have to be advocates for our customers as well. JONATHAN LEIBTAG, Microsoft Right-sized Thinking ® • 1-800-323-3781 • pallettvalo.com Not too big. Not too small. We are a law firm that combines experience, leadership and teamwork. We align flexibility with pragmatism. We have an innate appreciation for your unique challenges. If this sounds like the right fit for you, you've discovered Right-sized Thinking®. Contact us today. Untitled-8 1 2016-04-05 2:44 PM

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