Page 36 - CCCA 247020 Magazine Spring 2016

{ sTraTegIC ManageMenT }

“ Solos are not hired to do all the legal work; rather, with other solos or external counsel. They

”
solos are expected to manage all the internal and
can learn useful practice management
external legal services the company requires.
techniques from solo “out-house” prac-
titioners—sometimes even more so than
from other in-house counsel who work
framed so they do not need to be the liai- common perception of in-house practice in completely different contexts. There
son. Before outsourcing the fle, solos can as the “easy” lifestyle choice. are no easy formulas but some common
construct a legally relevant chronology, With good intentions, many solos have themes emerge: solos must prioritize im-
compile a key contact list or create a sum- tried adding support staff to ease the portant versus urgent, identify risk over
mary term sheet. In other instances, solos workload—perhaps temporary or sea- reward, and make it a habit to keep up the
can hire external counsel to be the liaison. sonal at frst, and then permanent. How- very protocols and infrastructures they
For example, retain an external lawyer ever, having staff can sometimes backfre, have created to maintain order.
who will handle multi-jurisdictional fl- as increased responsibilities come with By virtue of having made the career
ings conducted by other frms. For the increased resources being allocated to decision to work in-house, solos tend to
variety of subject matters and fle assign- the legal department budget. Solos may be naturally self-disciplined and resource-
ments under the responsibility of the legal inadvertently be taking on new non-legal ful with good organizational habits. Solos
department, effective solos use a combi- duties in their department when they are will beneft from leaning on their own
nation of these time-saving strategies. already stretched. strengths as a starting point in managing
In addition, solos have to balance in- The intensity of workload compounds their legal departments. After all, good
ternal work and external engagements, with the responsibility and accountability practice management comes down to the
and shoulder the ultimate responsibility of being the sole lawyer. For example, as practice of good habits. ❚
as the lone legal mind. In addition to re- the only member of the legal profession
sponding to the company’s dynamic busi- and offcer of the law within the company,
ness cycles, solos have to somehow main- solos are also expected to mark the ethical Catherine Chow is the Vice-President Legal and
General Counsel at Keg Restaurants Ltd, where
tain order in the legal department all by boundaries. she manages the legal matters of more than 100
themselves. They often manage the chaos Solos manage by devising their own locations across North America. Her proactive ap-
without supervision or help, and with unique strategies. To emulate a support- proach to risk management has been recognized as
an industry-leading initiative, winning both a 2014
very few resources. As a result, solos fnd ive peer environment, solos can—and Canadian Lawyer In-house Innovatio Award and a
the intensity of the workload betrays the should—establish networks and alliances 2014 Lexpert Zenith Award.

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36 CCCa MaGazInE | SPRInG 2016 PRInTEMPS