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CCCA_V6No4_Profiles-FIN_CCCA 11/26/12 3:27 PM Page 19 Profile world all day,you kind of want to get away business and marketing activities,says Larry from it when you get home.” stickhandles his way through a job that sel- That world, is the National Hockey dom is straightforward. League Players’ Association where Larry “The type of work we do here isn’t like serves as licensing director and associate the standard corporate finance work or counsel. He joined the NHLPA in January lending work where once you do it once 2006 following the labour stoppage of or twice, you kind of have it figured out,” 2004-’05. In that dispute the NHL’s 30 Ouellet explains. “There are some things team owners locked out the players for the that come up that are unique, you have to regular season and Stanley Cup playoffs. think on your feet, to figure things out.” This fall, Larry had his first taste of Ouellet understands Larry’s job inside labour strife. Repeating 2004, when the out. He held the same role with the owners and union couldn’t agree on a new NHLPA from 1996 to 2005, left after that collective bargaining agreement,the league season’s lockout ended, and returned in locked out its players, and cancelled the 2008 to the supervisory role. early part of the season. “I was very impressed how he had picked Larry, whose role doesn’t include labour up things because I knew how complicated negotiations, says his team’s goal was to be and how unorthodox [it can be],” Ouellet pragmatic, work with licensees and hope a says.“He’s bright… and has a great sense of deal could be reached quickly. humour which goes a long way.” Regardless, he says, it was early days and The job, Ouellet explains, demands that his plate is always full; his main role is Larry be a skilled commercial-based lawyer negotiating and maintaining licensing with a layering on of intellectual property agreements, from a legal and business per- skills,while acting as a licensing lawyer and spective,with as many as 50 to 60 licensees. a personality rights lawyer, the latter pro- Licensees include heavyweights such as tecting against unauthorized use of player software developer Electronic Arts [EA], images and other attributes. which this fall released the latest NHL 13 Every player has the right to market, video; jersey and apparel manufacturer individually, his personality, face, name, Reebok; trading card companies Upper voice, image, picture, or anything that Deck and Panini America; and smaller would be recognizable to the public for operators that create pins, mugs or other financial gain.The players also grant to the novelty items. NHLPA the right of publicity under a As well, Larry manages a three-member group licensing program. C prised by the decor in Adam labour-related duties. On the legal side, he erate revenue and is an effective mecha- urious visitors are sometimes sur- The group licence helps the union gen- team and is involved in numerous non- manages the files related to licensing, cor- Larry’s midtown Toronto home. nism to get product to market. [For exam- Perhaps even disappointed. individually for its video game, but instead national affairs and the PA’s charity wing. Walking through rooms and peeking porate sponsorship, digital business, inter- ple, EA doesn’t have to sign each player down hallways, they expect to see hockey On the business side,he develops relation- uses its NHLPA licence.] memorabilia, and plenty of it — framed ships, helps some licensees with market- Larry is unique in Canada because few posters of NHL stars like Sidney Crosby ing, vets product going to market and lawyers deal with personality rights issues. or Dion Phaneuf,mini hockey sticks,pins, works to promote the brand of the union’s Rights of publicity can be difficult to puppets, puzzles, figurines, car flags, or any 700-plus players. police because rights vary from state to other novelty items. Instead, they see little His active career, combined with raising state and province to province. If an unau- of it. a young family — Jory 6,Raya 3 and Eli 6 thorized vendor createsT-shirts using play- PAUL EEKHOFF jerseys,’” Larry explains.“I don’t really. I’ve months — with his wife Jaime, means ers’ names and numbers, Larry’s strength, “People say,‘You must have a thousand Ouellet says, as in all matters, is under- there’s lots going on, he says.“It’s a blast.” got a couple of neat things. Living in that Mike Ouellet, who oversees all NHLPA standing the basic legal principles, “then HIVER 2012 CCCA Canadian Corporate Counsel Association 19