Page 30 - CCCA Magazine Fall 2019

{ inSidE EdGE }

the Antidote to deVil’s snAre:

reFleCtions oF A First gC

By Tamiko Ohta

in 2018, this column featured two in-house counsel who eloquently London, Ontario, has welcomed me with
addressed the value of change and strategies to help your organization enthusiasm. I consider their support a key
to my success.
thrive. i was asked to pen the acoustic version of change, specifcally,
5. legAl ConCepts Are trAnsFerAble too.
at the management level as a company’s frst general Counsel. If you are overwhelmed by the scope of
responsibility as a frst, remember the le-
gal strategies and principles you’ve been
hen I was hired as the frst GC at ing tendrils of the plant and solving the honing throughout your career are trans-
my company, I happily completed puzzle. When setting up legal frameworks, ferrable. That “spirit and intent” debate
Wmy 90-day assessment plan, draft- realize there is value in the prioritization you had when updating the executive
ed Legal’s mission and vision statements, process but none in steadfastly sticking compensation disclosure? It can help you
and ensured executive alignment on the to the original plan. I now have more think through the ambiguity of a compli-
lot. As the days turned into months, I had nuanced and fexible objectives, and can ance standard. That localization strategy
a steady stream of visitors come through elaborate what is “urgent but not impor- you created on the subsidiary cash unit
my door with requests for legal services, tant” versus “important but not urgent.” plan? It can work in customizing a sales
projects to mitigate risk and opportuni- 2. stAy humble. As a frst, you are often agreement for international markets.
ties to enhance decision making. Mission working with people who have never di-
accomplished, pat yourself on the back, rectly interacted with a lawyer. Earn their 6. trAnslAte personAl strengths into ser-
right? Not quite. respect through your actions and the ViCes. I am at my best when practicing
Fans of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter se- quality of your services. Ask, rather than advocacy through infuence, and I love to
ries will remember that in the frst book, tell, your new colleagues what level of ser- share by telling stories. I translated these
Harry, Hermione and Ron fnd themselves vice Legal can provide on a matter, and concepts into a quarterly legal newsletter
trapped in a tentacle-like plant called a don’t be afraid to say you need more time for the senior management team, which
Devil’s Snare. The young wizards soon re- before you offer your assessment. I use to educate them on upcoming legal
alize the harder they struggle, the more the developments. The “stories” are the case
plant constricts. 3. go beyond onboArding. In my view, what law facts, which reinforce how legal con-
At my three-month milestone, I had sets you apart as a frst is how curious you cepts apply internally.
the epiphany that my attempts to tackle a are about your company’s business. I had Last quarter, I had an executive refer to
carefully crafted priority list and “prove” a comprehensive onboarding process but a process “pre-TO” (pre-Tamiko Ohta). Is
the value of the nascent legal function had that was only the start of my journey. This the Devil’s Snare in retreat? Perhaps. But I
inadvertently created a conceptual Devil’s year I’ve committed to reviewing our continue to keep my wand and spell book
Snare. The harder I worked, the more I 3000+ products with our developers. nearby just in case… ❚
uncovered projects to be done, and the 4. ConneCt resourCes And CreAte Communities.
more people I engaged, the more my ser- The true resources are the people around
vices became in demand. you. Find the colleagues who know “why” Tamiko Ohta is the frst GC of
StarTech.com Ltd., a private
So what is the antidote to this co- things are done the way they are done. company based in London, ON,
nundrum? How does a “first” without a Make an effort to go to the social events that creates, distributes and
team survive? I offer the following rec- surrounding CCCA conferences instead sells a wide portfolio of IT acces-
ommendations: sories. Previously, she spent 14
of running away to check emails. Ask years in-house at an upstream
1. relAx the mentAl lists. In Harry Potter, colleagues to introduce you to other in- oil and gas company, last serving as Vice-President
it is Hermione who remembers to relax, house counsel who share your geography Legal and Corporate Secretary. Reach her at
thus freeing herself from the constrict- or industry. The legal community here in tamiko.ohta@startech.com.

30 CCCA MAgAzine | fALL 2019 AUToMne