Canadian Lawyer InHouse

SEPTEMBER 2017 38 INHOUSE events, and they selected a software product for Canada that could be scaled globally — Riskonnect. The potential of this software was so significant that the global leadership determined that an RMIS would be re - quired globally and initiated a global pro- curement process. O'Brien is now leading the implementation globally, with Sheryl Marzzarella, general counsel, global. REAL ESTATE Joan Didriksen, national leader, real estate, and Linardi initiated a process to streamline real estate assistance to more than 100 loca- tions. "We have a clear schedule, going decades out, of when leases are expiring and the ap- propriate steps that need to be taken years in advance. This gives us insight into future costs well in advance and helps reduce costs by centralization," says Linardi. All leasing matters are being outsourced under an alternative fee arrangement with an external law firm, which has freed up one full legal counsel position. "This innovative alternative fee structure has a built-in 'is it working for both of us' review component and has been a true and honest win-win for Golder and the law firm. This entire process has been so successful that Paul Cohen, general counsel-U.S., has expressed an interest in expanding it south of the border," says Linardi. PROCUREMENT With the decline in oil and gas, Lisa Yellin, legal counsel, and Andrew Palmer, contracts specialist, have had to work hard to keep the company's internal clients' trust in Alberta, and find that balance between commercial risk and legal risk. Through team integra - tion and use of risk registers that now in- clude a column for how contractual risk could be mitigated though project execu- tion, the team was able to push back when revenue was a key driver and successfully negotiated several master services agree- ments with national clients in a manner that drove revenue while managing risk in a declining and competitive market. By col- laborating with the project team and help- ing them understand that they can reduce contractual risk of specific terms through project planning and execution, they have helped to position the legal team as a stra - tegic business partner. This new type of risk register is an easy way for the company's consultants to be reminded of how to ex- ecute their projects to mitigate risk factors that the company was not able to remove in the contract negotiation. Many of the initiatives will become the standard across Canada and the U.S., and some will be the new standard globally. "The result is a more engaged legal team that is trusted and accepted more by the op - erations group," says Lindardi. "Using technology, using innovative thinking, and applying what we know in the legal sphere to what business we run, that's what pushes innovation in our legal depat - ment." IH 10th Annual Advertising and Marketing Law Course Leader: Brenda Pritchard, Gowling WLG Toronto & Webinar | November 1 3rd Annual Duties and Risks for Directors Course Leaders: Stephanie Stimpson and Cornell Wright, Torys LLP Toronto & Webinar | November 2 9th Annual Dealing with the Lease Course Leader: Stephen Messinger, Minden Gross LLP Toronto & Webinar | November 22 9th Annual Aboriginal Law Course Leader: Thomas Isaac, Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP Toronto & Webinar | November 30 9th Annual Information Privacy & Data Protection Course Leaders: David Young, David Young Law and Bill Hearn, Fogler, Rubinoff LLP Toronto & Webinar | November 30 10th Annual Corporate Governance Course Leaders: Walied Soliman and Orestes Pasparakis – Norton Rose Fulbright Toronto & Webinar | December 5 Cloud 3.0 – Drafting & Negotiating Effective Cloud Computing Agreements Course Leaders: Lisa R. Lifshitz, Torkin Manes and Peter Nguyen, Resolver Inc. Toronto & Webinar | December 7 5th Annual Conducting Effective Workplace Investigations Course Leader: Sarah Graves, Faskin Martineau DuMoulin LLP Toronto & Webinar | December 14 For questions and group rates, please contact: Toll-Free: 1-877-298-5868 • Direct: 416-609-5868 Fax: 416-609-5841 • Website: cpdcentre.ca • Email: lexpert.questions@thomsonreuters.com Executive Professional Development Register online at www.lexpert.ca/cpdcentre

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