Page 29 - CCCA Magazine Winter 2017

{ FeatUre }

rom sharing street tacos with a beat cop in Guadalajara, to tHe leAp
visiting a remote mine site via helicopter with a security I joined Major in late 2015 as General Counsel and Corporate
Fteam in lawless Guerrero state, to spending the day with Secretary. Major is the largest New Brunswick-headquartered
coffee farmers in the hills of Baracoa, Cuba, I learned how to public company, with operations in over 20 countries, includ-
connect with folks from all walks of life. My knowledge and ex- ing a strong presence in Latin America—a key draw for me.
perience connect me with senior management, but this back- Having now completed my second year in this position, it’s a
ground helps strengthen my credibility with many of Major’s ftting moment to refect back on some of the bumps encoun-
frontline workers as well because they know that I haven’t been tered along the way and the strategies employed in navigating
stuck behind a desk my entire career, and serves as a valuable this transition. While this piece is not intended to be a “how to”
asset when navigating complex matters as they unfold in real guide (or, in some respects, a “what not to do” guide)—par-
time in the 20+ countries where we operate. ticularly given that any lawyer making this type of leap is going
to face a host of unique challenges—my experience may give
tHe CAreer itCH others looking to make a big career move a taste of what it’s all
about and reassurance that it can be done.
During my six years in Latin America (2009-2015), I fell in love
with that part of the world, met my wife and began a family. My
job as a diplomat in Canada’s foreign service gave me the privi- prior to mAking tHe leAp
lege to travel extensively, crisscrossing through most of Mexico’s While I initially sought opportunities both at law frms and in-
states and all of Cuba’s provinces and meeting with individuals house, over time, I gravitated exclusively towards in-house coun-
from a broad swath of society (e.g., law enforcement, religious sel positions (despite being cautioned on a few occasions that
leaders and community organizers). I was captivated by Latin such positions are “few and far between”). Simply put, in-house
America’s rich cultures and the energy of daily life. roles are much more attractive because they offer the possibility
However, as the years ticked by, I started to get a career itch I to work in a variety of areas of law while being intimately in-
couldn't quite put my fnger on but knew it would likely involve volved on the business side—a combination that matched well
returning to my previous career in law. This prompted me to be- with my interests and varied professional background.
gin crafting an exit strategy. As part of this, I enrolled in a dis- Many of the prospective employers were intrigued by my in-
tance LLM program in international business law (University of ternational credentials but reluctant to consider my decade with
London - UCL/QMUL), which I completed while in Mexico City. the government as an asset. While they shouldn’t be faulted for
Nearing the end of that posting, I set out on the job hunt this (I am the frst to admit that there are gaps in my legal prac-
and cast a wide net—both in Canada and abroad. After a mul- tice), this signifcant hurdle was at times overly infated. In fne-
titude of cold calls and repeatedly making the tough pitch that tuning my pitch over time, what seemed to resonate most was
I could jump back into the private sector after nearly 10 years my extensive experience living and working outside of Canada,
in government, I landed a position that would take me back to and how the skills gained during that time could bring value to
my home province. the in-house counsel position.

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