Canadian Lawyer InHouse

43 CANADIANLAWYERMAG.COM/INHOUSE MARCH 2018 P r o f e s s i o n a l P r o f i l e "I spent a lot of time rebutting this idea of being a millennial, but what I've been re- flecting on is that there are a lot of qualities in us as millennials that make us a force to be reckoned with. One of the reasons I've been successful is that I have the millennial spirit of fearlessness and entrepreneurship that is something we're characterized with as a generation. And innovation — something that makes you really successful in-house is to creatively problem-solve and provide in - novative solutions to problems that are not exclusively legal. "I have always said 'I'm not a millennial,' but I do think it does define me in some ways and is something that makes us kind of awesome." Internationally, Avis has travelled to South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, India — and many other locations — to broker commercial contracts with Red Cross, Red Crescent movement partners, funding agreements or large-scale construction ten - ders with non-governmental actors setting up legal status in those jurisdictions so the Red Cross can operate. The money at stake is sizable. Last year, the Canadian Red Cross had revenues of $612 million. Avis plays a role in safeguarding do - nor funds to ensure the agency knows where the money is going and that strong controls and reporting mechanisms are in place to make sure it is going toward the purpose for which it was given. When working in Syria, Lebanon and Af - ghanistan, Avis must take into consideration the local legal framework versus the Cana- dian legal framework and what arguments might be successful at law versus public perception, as well as what's right versus the humanitarian imperative. "There's a lot of layers and for me — it's really case by case," she says. "In the case of South Sudan, it is a newly formed government so it makes it that much more complicated to figure out what the rule of law is." Being young in her role has its own chal - lenge, and moreover, add to that being a young woman in the job and Avis has seen her share of awkward experiences. The two previous Canadian Red Cross GC before her were men. "In the Maldives, I was walking into a room of all men. I walk into all-male board - rooms all over the world all the time, but in that instance, I reached out to shake a gen- tleman's hand and he didn't take it. I reached further and I assumed I wasn't reaching far enough across the board table. Then I real- ized he couldn't shake my hand for religious reasons because I was a woman. I'm not criticizing that; I don't think he was being disrespectful, but I had to overcome my own embarrassment and that's kind of a difficult way to start a negotiation," she says. There are a lot of women who work for the Red Cross but in incident management, crisis management or critical incidents. If something goes wrong, legal would have a large part in an investigation. "That's typically a super macho situa - tion and I'm certain it would give people more comfort if I had greying hair and was a 50-year-old man. You have to kind of rebut the presumptions and move on and gain cred- ibility just through good work," she says. "That and the myriad other ways [being a woman] manifests itself internationally and in Canada in boardrooms is something that the two male GCs in the position before me wouldn't have had to think about," she says. "They don't have to contend with that and it is something that is unique to being a woman in this role. I do think I've been in many rooms where they assume I'm the ju - nior and I have to introduce myself and say it a couple of times — you have to be extra confident to overcome that." Avis articled with the Canadian Red Cross and worked with the organization throughout law school. The day after her articling was complete, she was on a plane I have always said 'I'm not a millennial,' but I do think it does define me in some ways and is something that makes us kind of awesome. AMY AVIS, Canadian Red Cross To see a video interview with Amy Avis go to canadianlawyermag.com/video COVER PHOTO: COLIN ROWE

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