Page 13 - CCCA Magazine Fall 2018

{ ProfiLE }

“
the people in goVernment WAnt to do A

blockchain, a decentralized platform that good Job And they look to industry to knoW
runs smart contracts; and the blockchain WhAt ‘doing A good Job’ meAns. so my role gets
interface Jaxx, a freely available crypto- to impACt the legislAtion And regulAtions.
currency wallet to enable people to man- ”
age their digital assets.
Like most in-house counsel, Cameron- “[The CLO role was] already a man- when I was frst starting my law practice!),
Huff’s path to this position was not agement job…. Now I have a broader but it ended up being essential for my ca-
planned. He started his legal career as mandate of management rather than just reer. Writing for the public demonstrates
a student at Research in Motion, in the the legal items,” he explains. “But even your knowledge, leads to interesting con-
technology licensing group. At the time, the idea of someone who is in-house nections and is a way of giving back to the
they had one of the largest, most sophis- counsel dealing with purely legal matters community.” As in-house counsel, he con-
ticated commercial in-house counsel is just fction!” tinues to share through Decentral’s blog.
groups in Canada. Then he articled at Since joining Decentral only one year Another secret to his success has been
McCarthy Tétrault, where he worked for ago, the staff has gone from 12 to 50—and taking the time to learn. “I've been suc-
“some of the best technology law minds continues to grow. cessful as a lawyer because of my knowl-
in the country.” At the end of articling, he “Today we have one of the most re- edge outside of law,” he says. “When I was
started his own technology law practice. spected blockchain development teams at Research in Motion I read about every
“When I frst started doing legal work in the country and also one of the nicest,” company product, upcoming initiatives,
for cryptocurrency companies, it was a he asserts. “I say ‘nicest’ deliberately. One and industry developments. As an in-
tiny niche that few people had heard of. of the challenges of tripling a company dependent technology lawyer, I learned
It was technically complex and presented is maintaining a positive culture. We've everything I could about the details of
novel legal issues,” he says. “After building been sure to scale while also building to a cryptocurrency so that I knew more than
my practice and profle for several years, I positive place where people are respected, almost all of my clients about the techni-
became one of the few lawyers in Canada feel empowered and they agree with the cal workings and industry developments.
who could say that they did blockchain company's viewpoint. I feel strongly that In my current position, I spend time ev-
law full-time.” this is the right thing to do, and it's paid ery day reading about the industry and
One of his early clients was then- off for us in terms of employee retention emerging technological developments.”
unknown Di Iorio, now one of the most and hiring great people. Ethics is of criti- Indeed, it is critical that he is well in-
successful people in the cryptocurrency cal importance in my personal life, in law formed and up to date: “Being in the
industry. “He often tells people that I and in building a long-term business.” blockchain industry means making im-
was the only lawyer who came to visit his Cameron-Huff frmly believes ethics portant decisions in an environment of
offce when he asked for a meeting,” re- are an asset, not a cost: “I have said no very high uncertainty. [We] have to make
counts Cameron-Huff. to a variety of requests over my legal ca- quick decisions as to which opportunities
That work became the majority of his reer that were unethical, unprofessional to explore, without solid information be-
business, so when he was offered the po- or were off-side of the rules for Ontario cause the space is evolving every day.”
sition of Chief Legal Offcer at Decentral lawyers…. Someone may ask a lawyer to While this environment is not for
in September 2017, he made the move in- bend or break a rule (whether or not they everyone, it has allowed Cameron-Huff
house. The company’s growth has been realize it) but they'll usually also appreci- to thrive: “We have the opportunity to
steady and swift, with Cameron-Huff ate someone who can be trusted to con- build an industry and help to shape it in
being promoted to President two short sistently follow the rules. That's the sort a positive direction. I spent many years
months later and a new General Counsel of lawyer I've worked for in the past, who as a lawyer working reactively (often be-
being hired in 2018. I would want to hire and it's the sort of ing engaged once something was under-
“I am not quite out of it. I still deal lawyer I've strived to be in my career.” way), so I fnd it refreshing to be work-
with the company’s legal matters, some of He also believes in sharing his views ing so proactively.” ❚
them anyway,” he says of his promotion. and experience. He cites his blog as one of
“[But] it’s more that I am on a team of his most worthwhile career investments:
people dealing with it, rather than han- “It took a lot of time and paid $0 per hour Lynne Yryku is the Executive Editor of CCCA
Magazine.
dling it all on my own, which is nice.” (which was something to think about

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