The Technology Law Association invited Martine Boucher, a managing partner of Simplex Legal LLP and Chair of the Canadian Bar Association Futures Initiative , to co-host a panel and guide a conversation on the way technology and innovation is effecting the in-house side of legal practice.
Managing Partner/Simplex Legal LLP
While in private practice, Martine had the opportunity to broaden her experience with in-house secondments with companies such as Societe Generate and General Electric.
She transitioned from McCarthy Tetrault to General Electric and years later start Simplex Legal LLP. She was the co-founder of National Legal Innovation Roundtable and serves as the Chair of the CBA’s Futures
On the panel were industry professionals Bindu Cudjoe, Senior VP, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at Canadian Western Bank; Charmaine Toms, General Counsel and Chief Risk Officer at MNP LLP; and Joshua Kane, VP Legal General Counsel Step Energy Ltd.
SVP General Counsel & Corporate Secretary/Canadian Western Bank
Bindu spoke to the benefits and different aspects of in-house counsel, problem solving. Her responsibilities lie in delivering accessible, quality, timely and practical legal, corporate governance and regulatory compliance solutions and investigations. She believes in using technology to facilitate an environment of team building and communication nationally, without the need to physically travel across the country.
Bindu implores her legal team to do what lawyers were trained to do best— solve complex problems!
General Counsel and Chief Risk Officer/MNP LLP
Charmaine juxtaposed what is now referred to as “big law” with the different career opportunities that come along with working in a legal team in a large consulting firm, such as in-house counsel.
During the panel, Charmaine led a discussion on how technology is affecting legal processes in which Bindu supplemented, stating that the technological advancements in legal processes have made many day-to-day activities, such as document review, automated.
VP General Counsel/Step Energy Ltd.
Prior to joining STEP, Joshua held positions at Sanjel Corporation, TransCanada Pipelines Limited (now TC Energy), and Macleod Dixon LLP (now Norton Rose Fulbright). He illuminated a different perspective for the panel, being trained in big law, and later transitioning to a large oil and gas company, then to a smaller one.
Joshua now leads a small legal team that handles the legal needs of a 1200 person company. He and his team use technology to aid in efficiency and process management.
All the panelists highlighted great opportunities to diverge from the sometimes “assumed” path for lawyers. It is important to choose your own path and do what is best for you and interests you the most. It is all right to change your mind and seek out new opportunities!
UCalgary Technology and Law Club 