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w w w . C A N A D I A N L a w y e r m a g . c o m M A R C H 2 0 1 8 19 of pivot is much more familiar to law- yers. We all have examples of trying one approach in a deal or case and needing to try something completely different before it concludes. It's what we learn from that experience that differentiates the good from the great. For Zaman, Wenner and Waisberg, that persistence to turn an idea into a team and funding and bring it to life is a full-time unpaid job and one that happens post-law. Adrian Camara of Paper Interactive realized the first thing he would need for his idea to become a reality was "18 hours a day and a com- mitted team." This team often includes spouses and children. The mountainous journey that entrepreneurs take is certainly not one for us all. And perhaps it is why we hold those who forge that path in such high esteem — or why we should. Embrace ambiguity Embracing ambiguity is not famil- iar territory for most lawyers. Messy ambiguity is precisely the situation that people instruct lawyers to help them solve. We help create clarity, whether that's understanding the regulations that businesses are subject to in any acquisition deal or understanding the rights that a party is entitled to in a legal dispute. Entrepreneurs need to embrace this messy period rather than race to leave it behind. There is energy in ambiguity. And it's OK not to have all the answers. Entrepreneurship is about carving your own path rather than taking the well- trodden path of others. "Legal entrepreneurs need to make decisions quickly and on imperfect information," as Zaman puts it. This, I think, is why some lawyers find the entrepreneurship journey a risky one on which to embark. The deep analysis and research that lawyers use when advising clients ensures that any deci- sion that is made is done with absolute- ly all of the best information considered and checked. All of the legal entrepreneurs I spoke with are former lawyers. Some left prac- tice soon after articling; others had more than a few years under their belt before doing so. I believe lawyers have what it takes to join the ranks of dis- ruptors in legal technology and other spaces. But to make the leap it is really this third attribute that lawyers need to learn to feel some comfort with first. Entrepreneurs need to develop accep- tance with not knowing all the answers. Instead, they need to persevere with their idea until they suddenly have to pivot. And they have to be ready to take that completely different untrod- den path, even if there's only a nugget of belief in their belly that it will lead to success. Yes, entrepreneurship is risky, but understanding the type of risk involved will surely help make such a decision less momentous. Kate Simpson is national director of knowledge management at Bennett Jones LLP and is responsible for developing the firm's KM strategy and initiatives. Opin- ions expressed are her own. Choosing a personal injury lawyer is one of the most important decisions an injured person will make. Help your client ask the right questions: Is the lawyer... • selected by peers for inclusion in Best Lawyers in Canada • rated 5 out of 5 AV Preeminent - Martindale Hubbell • selected by peers for inclusion in Lexpert, Canada's Legal Lexpert Directory • a Director or Past President of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association • a Certified Specialist in Civil Litigation CREDENTIALS MATTER A Noticeable Difference ™ TORONTO I BAR R IE I HAMILTON I K ITCHENER 1-866-685-3311 w w w.mcleishorlando.com C A N A D I A N L AW Y E R M A G A Z I N E ntitled-1 1 2018-02-16 8:37 AM

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