Page 17 - CCCA63_2011
P. 17
By Michael Dempster Profile for nurses in Ontario, and how the gov- ernment was fighting back against a work-to-rule campaign. “I didn’t understand the issues at the time,” she acknowledges. “But I remem- ber thinking: “They need an advocate. They need to know how hard my mom works. How little she’s paid.” That was the first inkling, why I could see how law would be a good thing.” By 1995, Devonish had earned her law degree from Osgoode Hall. She began her career as an associate at Fraser Milner, and later moved to become legal counsel for HSBC Securities (Canada) Inc., where she was appointed chief compli- ance officer, general counsel and corpo- rate secretary. In 2004, she joined Primus Telecommunications Canada Inc. as gen- eral counsel and corporate secretary. Devonish was hired in 2007 as the first corporate counsel at Aon Canada. Aon Corporation provides risk management services, insurance and reinsurance bro- kerage, and human capital consulting in more than 120 countries. Chris Fawcus, CEO of Aon Reed Stenhouse Inc., was part of the hiring committee. Aon’s Chicago head office was looking for in-house counsel across MARK STEGEL its global organization to reduce spending on external counsel, and Fawcus was looking for a candidate who could also AUTOMNE 2011 CCCA Canadian Corporate Counsel Association 17