Page 44 - CCCA 278683 Magazine_Spring 2018

{ LEgAL INNOVATION }

embrACing FlexibilitY

in Your CAreer

By Kate Ryder, Vanessa Vidas and Arie van Wijngaarden

How to get the most out of your career is a common question Her consistent fow of e-Discovery
projects means she can offer both short-
among lawyers. Today’s legal careers are far different from er- and longer-term opportunities, giving
the model of a generation ago. Most do not spend their entire project lawyers more options. At the same

careers working as an associate for a big frm to make partner. time, her team’s focus on leading edge
technology, proprietary processes and a
multi-disciplinary team means she can
n fact, the percentage of Ontario law- Flexibility Within the law Firm offer clients creative, cost-effective advice
yers who are partners at frms fell from Not every lawyer who works for a law and services.
i20% in 2011 to 17% in 2016.* Options frm is an associate or partner. There are The project model Wortzman uses also
such as in-house, project management, a wealth of alternative opportunities, has benefts for companies who need to be
legal innovation and contract work allow many created because of shifts in technol- able to scale their legal departments quick-
lawyers to have great careers while main- ogy. For example, dedicated knowledge ly for major transactions or cases. Hiring
taining fexibility. management lawyers manage systems permanent staff is expensive and often dif-
“When I started practicing, there was a to identify expertise and craft strategies fcult to justify to the fnance department.
very hierarchical ‘up or out’ model in law around information governance. Other However, contract-based project lawyers
frms but today things are very different,” lawyers work in pricing and analytics, can be a great way to fll this gap.
says Judith McKay, Chief Client and Inno- creating budgets and tracking proftabil-
vation Offcer at McCarthy Tétrault LLP. ity on matters. There are also options in lifelong Flexibility
“We need to respond by creating opportu- marketing, human resources and vendor Many practicing lawyers have no idea
nities such as our MT>OnDemand solu- management for lawyers who want to what they will do when they retire. This
tion, which gives lawyers more fexibility use their relationship and critical think- is alarming because 44% of Ontario-li-
in their careers and clients more options.” ing skills to achieve outcomes beyond the censed practitioners are over 50.* How-
McCarthy Tétrault’s MT>OnDemand billable hour. ever, hitting 65 does not have to be “game
is a community of lawyers with strong All of this is slowly affecting the law over.” Clients are increasingly recognizing
technical and industry expertise who can frm model and the services it can offer. the unique expertise retiring or retired
complement an existing team; it allows A multidisciplinary team increases agil- lawyers have, and forward-thinking frms
clients to control costs, manage workloads ity, creativity and focus on the big picture, are offering fexible consulting opportu-
and deliver work more effciently. Models including easing the legal pain points of nities to these lawyers.
such as this create more options for both in-house teams. Lawyers should take ownership of their
practitioners and clients. career fexibility at every stage of their de-
Indeed, businesses need to be nimble project-by-project opportunities velopment. Understanding today’s array of
st
to attract and retain 21 century talent. Lawyers can also maintain fexibility in opportunities is a useful frst step to make
An in-house department may need to their careers by working on special proj- this happen. The mix of in-house, project
fll a parental leave or could beneft from ects. Susan Wortzman, Canada’s leading and consulting roles now available means
someone who knows the company but e-Discovery lawyer and Partner at Mc- lawyers have more options than ever before.
prefers to work on ad hoc projects. The Carthy Tétrault, says this offers lawyers Be sure to choose the right one for you. ❚
challenge is fnding the talent to fll these unique opportunities they otherwise
gaps. Flexibility becomes a key differen- would not be able to access. “Lawyers
tiator for businesses assessing candidates beneft from having the fexibility to work Kate Ryder is Senior Director, International and
and candidates choosing between differ- from home, spend time with their kids Special Projects; Vanessa Vidas is Senior Director,
ent organizations. and set their own hours,” says Wortzman. Strategic Initiatives; and Arie van Wijngaarden is a
student-at-law at McCarthy Tétrault LLP.

* law Society of Upper Canada, 2016 Annual Report Data: http://annualreport.lsuc.on.ca/2016/en/annual-report-data.html

44 CCCA MAGAzine | SPRinG 2018 PRinTeMPS