Kathleen: I like to help businesses develop and grow.
Why did you become a lawyer?
Kathleen: I have an undergraduate degree in commerce from McGill University with concentrations in entrepreneurship, and international business. I was interested in pursuing a career in business consulting, but the year I graduated, we were in a recession and there weren't a lot of great opportunities. So I decided to continue my university education and attended law school at the University of Toronto. I thought law would be a great second degree.
Having worked at two large Bay Street law firms during my undergrad summers in their accounting departments. I knew what the law firm environment was like what the business of law is about, and that consulting is really a lot of what a business lawyer does, working closely with clients, understanding their business and goals, developing plans and solutions. But obviously from a legal perspective. Whether it be helping them acquire other companies or be acquired, raise money to finance their operations, or future plans, or enter into various types of business arrangements.
Throughout my career, I've done everything from very small deals all the way up to cross border, multi-billion dollar deals in a number of sectors such as technology, mining, consumer products, financial services, and even government agencies. I particularly like when clients have unique elements to their transactions that requires strategic and innovative solutions.
I love leading edge, never been done before kind of work, the fun and excitement of working with a great client and the wonderful team here. The adrenaline of getting a deal done. That is what I enjoy most about my work.
How has your legal career and expertise evolved?
Kathleen: When I was in law school, my first summer job was setting up a business law clinic at U of T. Our focus was on helping new entrepreneurs set up their businesses and many of our clients were participating through an Employment Insurance Program.
It was the first of its kind in Ontario, and it was structured to have lawyers from Smith Lyons, one of Gowling WLG's predecessor firms, review the student work. So I got to know the lawyers here. When it came time to interview for a summer job at a firm the firm was of course my top choice.
On day one as a summer student, I got to work with our securities group and I liked the area right from the start. In addition to general corporate and M&A, there's a significant regulatory component.
Overall, it lined up with what I had been studying at law school and my undergrad background.
I just find securities transactions which can be integral to growing a business from practically startup to a major success story, very interesting.
And I also like the ongoing compliance aspects of this area because we get to know our clients so well through the day to day.
Between my first and second maternity leaves, there was a major focus on governance of public companies with the adoption of Sarbanes-Oxley in the United States.
I had already worked on corporate governance matters for senior public companies in my
early years, and I took this time in my career to become an expert in this quickly evolving area.
The experience of advising boards of directors and management of public companies on corporate governance related matters, eventually expanded into advising other types of organizations, private companies, not-for-profits, even government and regulatory bodies.
As an aside my 21 and 19 year old daughters don't appear to be pursuing careers in business or law.
But we definitely need more nurses and engineers as well, so I'm okay on that front.
How have you helped the firm develop and grow?
Kathleen: For the last six years, my main contribution to firm management has been as the head of the business law department, which houses our broader corporate and tax practices in our Toronto office with over 70 lawyers, plus clerks and students.
There are so many aspects to this particular management role. As a member of the Management Committee and Toronto department heads are responsible for recruitment, partnership admission, performance evaluations, supporting talent and business development, as well as change management. Compensation matters numerous other financial matters, and the overall morale and functioning of the group within the office and firm.
And while being a department head has been fulfilling work, and I've enjoyed recruiting 25 lawyers to the group, not including our summer and articling students, steering 10 associates into the partnership and supporting my partners in growing our department's business by over 60%.
My term will finish at the end of 2022. I have great pride in what we've achieved together and I'm looking forward to continuing to support our great management team as we move into the next phase of my now 25 year career with the firm.
What is your approach to helping clients?
Kathleen: I won't lie I can be pretty intense when I'm working on a deal. I'm one of those people who can focus on a task and realize I haven't moved from my chair for hours. I'm a strategic and innovative thinker, and I thrive on solving problems. I think clients like the way I can roll up my sleeves and that I take accountability to really help them get their deals done. As a senior public m&a lawyer in our office, and a corporate governance expert, I really enjoy being a trusted adviser. Integrity and loyalty are important to me. And I know that the matters I work on can be very difficult for an organization and more importantly, the people who are involved. And being there to help them make sound decisions is important to me.
What are your thoughts on the future?
Kathleen: When I think about the future, I know a lot of people are concerned about uncertainty. But I've seen a number of ups and downs in my career, the.com boom and bust and the financial crisis to name a few. And what I saw then, and I continue to see now is the opportunity to learn, adapt and be innovative to help clients and law firms face new challenges.
And now as a first time empty nester, as I'm told they're inevitably going to return from time to time,
and with finishing up my current management role, I'm looking forward to this next stage of my career at the firm.
I'll continue expanding my business law practice and expertise, working with existing and also new clients in emerging industry sectors, and will continue to help our clients develop and grow.
And I'm hoping to have more time to mentor the next generation and maybe I'll even have time to take up an interesting hobby.
Visit our website to watch other videos in the series: gowlingwlg.com/influencers-in-toronto