Page 10 - CCCA Magazine. Winter 2018

{ LegaL perFormanCe }

trend spotted:

business-sAvvY lAWYers

By Karlee Blatz

I went jean shopping recently. I was travelling and I found myself with some free time. It has clearly
been a while, as the state of the denim universe took me by complete surprise! When did high-waisted
jeans become fashionable again? And acid wash is back in too? As someone at the tail end of GenX
and slightly too old to be an “elder millennial” (much to my chagrin), I felt like I was in my teens again.
results will help you be more than fash-“ Perhaps allowing the legal role to evolve and

his surprise factor also applies to no-
ticing professional trends. Often in
tthe daily grind, it is diffcult to have
integrate with the business functions of the
perspective, see the bigger picture and
identify important trends. However, if
you can pause and take that step back, the
even the goal to work towards.
ionable—you will see how you must grow organization is the right move. Perhaps it is
and adapt to be able to guide your orga-
nization through the ever-evolving busi- ”
ness, regulatory and legal environments. I know I’m preaching to the converted negative. Had I forgotten how to be a
There are a number of very smart le- when I say that the value we provide to our lawyer? Had I failed to understand the
gal futurists who have thought, written employers cannot be measured simply by boundaries of the role? Maybe. But per-
and presented on the changing face of le- the money we save our organizations in haps allowing the legal role to evolve and
gal services. For me, the question always external fees or by fnding effciencies. integrate with the business functions of
seems to come down to how I ft within Even our infuence over systems and pro- the organization is the right move. Per-
this new landscape. How do I remain rele- cesses given our insider knowledge of our haps it is even the goal to work towards:
vant in the face of changes, some of which organizations is only part of our value. intimately understanding the business,
may take me by surprise? Close alignment with the strategic and actively integrating with it and adding
I know I still have a lot to learn in my operational priorities and activities of the value at core levels.
career (but I’m only a dozen years in, so I organization is, in my view, the essence of Because the future comes with no guar-
have a good amount of time to do so). Ev- the value proposition of in-house counsel. antees, this is what I believe we can do to
ery time I think about this, I try to come up At the end of a long day recently, one prepare: continue to hone our leadership
with a toolkit, a list or some perfect group of my colleagues approached me about a skills, increase our business acumen, and
of three that I will use to not only react but meeting I had just been in about a crisis- study and learn as much as possible—in
also proactively anticipate and adjust to type issue for the organization, asking terms of legal issues and otherwise. Well,
trends. But each time I come back to only why a lawyer’s perspective was needed. It I guess I could also buy a pair of high-
one thing that has helped me feel prepared. was exactly because I could provide stra- waisted jeans! ❚
I feel very lucky to have had the opportu- tegic business advice. And while it may be
nity to complete the CCCA’s Business Lead- because I approach this whole adventure
ership Program for In-House Counsel last of my career differently than others, I fnd Karlee Blatz is Regional Director of Labour
year because if I could pick only one thing myself being asked for non-legal perspec- Relations and Senior Legal Counsel for Human
Resources at the Winnipeg Regional Health Author-
that will determine the future of in-house tives more and more regularly in my role. ity. While she may sometimes be late to fashion,
counsel, it would be our ability to act as a On my way home that evening I re- she strives to be up to date on legal and business
strategic business advisor, not just a lawyer. fected on whether this was positive or issues. She can be reached at kblatz@wrha.mb.ca.

10 CCCA MAGAzInE | WInTER 2018 HIVER