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CCCA_V6No3_Spotlight-FIN_CCCA_V1No1_Profile-FIN.qxd 9/18/12 2:24 PM Page 46 Spotlight on… The new face of in-house counsel which is very satisfying for me personally.” company. Ocean Nutrition is the world's role grows and morphs very naturally as An only legal officer within a new role at largest supplier of Omega-3 EPA/DHA opposed to a structured format,” he says. the company, Patterson says he feels valued ingredients to dietary supplement and within the organization, and enjoys the food manufacturing markets. More strategic work in-house opportunity and challenge of being able to “At the time there was no in-house In the close to seven years that Carla define some of the expectations of the role. counsel and the position was actually a Swansburg managed litigation at RBC As the sole lawyer, he faces the challenge of limited role as director of patents, a quasi- (from 2005-2011) in-house counsel’s not having other lawyers on site to talk over legal role since it involved interacting a lot involvement in complex, multi-jurisdic- issues and ideas. He has taken advantage of with outside lawyers,” remembers Perez, tional issues highlighted the value of in- the CCCA mentoring program, however, currently director of legal affairs. But he house counsel and elevated the prestige of which he recommends highly. fully expected he would grow into the the profession. role and beyond. “Increasing regulatory pressures,not only Building credibility Perez views good advice, visibility, and in the highly regulated banking sector in Nine years out of law school, intellectual time as necessary ingredients for enhanc- which I worked, but generally, put regula- property lawyer Charles Perez wasn’t ing the role’s prestige and perceived value. tion on the radar screens of people at all lev- actively looking to make the switch from “It’s credibility that you build up over els of an organization,”says Swansburg,now law firm to in-house counsel. But when a time within your organization that’s key. director of professional development and recruiter called him in 2009 for a referral The more you become involved in meet- training at Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP. for an IP position at Ocean Nutrition ings and provide input, the more others The expanded role for in-house counsel Canada, Perez jumped at the chance to want you to attend meetings and be around is reflected in the 2012 CCCA In-House join what he considered a fascinating when there is decision-making and your Counsel Barometer Survey, in which The CCCA would like to L’ACCJE tient à remercier thank the 2012 Annual les commanditaires et les Conference sponsors and fournisseurs privilégiés de la preferred providers for Conférence annuelle de 2012 their generous support. pour leur soutien généreux. www.ccca-accje.org Sponsors / Commanditaires Preferred Providers / Fournisseurs privilégiés 46 CCCA Canadian Corporate Counsel Association FALL 2012