Page 38 - CCCA Magazine Spring 2014

{ SPOTLIGHT ON… } THE CONTINUUM OF IN-HOUSE COUNSEL EDUCATION From pre-call to post-call to executive education, there’s a growing both an informal mentor and a mem- continuum of learning focused on practical education that refects ber of the CCCA’s Mentoring Commit- tee. “But in-house, you not only have to the reality of being in-house counsel. As strategic partners in place more of a business perspective into their organizations, in-house are part of the business team, an your decision making, but you often then become involved in implementing your experience that is far different than the typical private practice. decisions or solutions. This requires a different approach and different decision making and/or strategic considerations in t the University of Manitoba’s Fac- program,” she says, “that we ended up hir- dealing with issues.” ulty of Law, for example, third-year ing an articling student this year.” Garcia says the committee is placing Alaw students are placed in local law Although working in-house is at- more emphasis on attracting both men- departments as part of their course work. tractive to many lawyers, for a variety of tors and mentees from diverse back- John Pozios, director of the University’s reasons, it is a segment of the profession grounds. For Garcia, who comes from a L. Kerry Vickar Business Law Clinic, initi- about which most law students know very diverse background, “this type of mentor- ated the corporate counsel clinical intern- little, according to Michael Jack, director ing creates important networks. Diversity ship program, modeled after a similar pro- of legal services and city solicitor for the within the legal profession should be the gram at the University of North Carolina’s City of Winnipeg, whose law department cornerstone of any initiative.” School of Law. The internship has been of- is also participating in the program. On the same note, Legal Leaders for fered for six academic terms so far, and he “The internship focuses on commer- Diversity (LLD), a collective of general says, “It’s received enthusiastic buy-in from cial work,” he explains. “So with our de- counsel in Canada committed to diversity both students and supervising counsel.” partment handling all of the commercial in the workplace, launched a mentorship Manitoba Telecom Services (MTS) is work for an organization the size of the program with York University’s Osgoode one of the local companies participating City of Winnipeg, we knew we had the Hall Law School in October 2012. Lorne in the program. At frst, Candace Bishoff, potential to offer students a really broad Sossin, dean of the School, says, “This general counsel and director law, was re- and diverse experience during their time mentoring program complements a num- luctant because her department had not here.” He adds, “It [is not] a one-way re- ber of other programs through which our hired an articling student for more than lationship. Our department received a students experience the in-house world 25 years. However, after speaking with great deal of work from a very competent and helps them to determine if this might Pozios, she decided “there’s a lot of really student. In any in-house department with be a career path they wish to pursue.” neat and interesting work we do in the limited resources, every little bit helps.” These programs range from academic law department, and we could certainly courses — such as Osgoode’s Intensive share what we do with a student and give Emphasizing mentoring and diversity Program in Business Law, which features them exposure to life as a lawyer in a cor- Ask any in-house counsel about men- seven-week placements with in-house porate environment.” toring and it’s likely most of them act as counsel of large public and private institu- One student worked on a document mentors — whether informally in their tions — to business law summer intern- retention and destruction policy that department or through programs such as ships administered by Osgoode’s Hennick MTS was revamping. “[This is] the kind the CCCA’s Mentoring Program. Centre for Business and Law, during which of work not taught in law school, but is a Fernando Garcia, general counsel at students take on in-house roles in for-prof- critical function for the law department,” Nissan Canada, is a strong believer in the it and not-for-proft organizations. explains Bishoff. Another student worked value of mentoring. “Being an in-house with the company’s customer care group lawyer is very different than private prac- Becoming a strategic partner to create a demand letter for the collec- tice. As a private practice lawyer, you be- In terms of executive education, the tions department. “We’re having such a come involved with a matter, and then CCCA recently launched the Business positive experience with the internship you can walk away,” says Garcia, who is Leadership Program for In-House Coun- 38 CCCA MAGAZINE | SPRING 2014 PRINTEMPS