How do you approach managing legal risk and supporting business continuity during periods of uncertainty or disruption, particularly in highly regulated or cross-border environments?

I try to center my approach on business-minded pragmatism, and to being a practical business partner who also understands the law. Legal risk doesn’t exist in a vacuum, and I feel that in-house lawyers need to fight that initial urge to say “no” or look at things through a purely theoretical or overly conservative lens. During periods of disruption, my priority is to facilitate discussion, educate stakeholders on realistic risk exposure, and build consensus around a path forward.

At the end of the day, managing risk isn’t about eliminating it entirely. I believe it is about making smart trade-offs and balancing legal realities against the broader commercial needs of the business, our franchisee partners, and our customers, ensuring we stay nimble and resilient while continuing to move forward strategically.

Have there been any moments in your career as an in-house lawyer that you consider particularly defining, unusual, or formative in shaping how you approach your role today?

The rapid rise of Generative AI has been one of the most fascinating and defining shifts of my career, and it’s continuing to define and shift it daily. Having previously worked in a film and television studio environment, I navigated a unique cultural dynamic where artists valued the sanctity and purity of creative work, while business stakeholders tended to prioritise efficiency and scalability. Learning how to reconcile those competing, deeply held values has helped to prepare me for today’s AI transformation. Navigating GAI requires balancing innovation and operational efficiency with legal, ethical, and brand integrity. That earlier studio experience taught me how to respect foundational core values while guiding a business through unavoidable technological change.

How has your organisation’s risk profile evolved in response to geopolitical uncertainty, trade dynamics, particularly Canada–US relations, or regulatory change, and how has the legal function adapted?

As macroeconomic and trade dynamics evolve, our job is to keep things moving smoothly without overcomplicating them. We stay focused on A&W’s mission, which is to excite Canada’s most avid burger lovers wherever they are with the best tasting burgers they crave, earning even more of their visits. The legal team makes sure our supply chain and day-to-day operations can handle outside market pressures without ever compromising on those values.

Are there any causes, sectors, or community initiatives in Canada that you are personally passionate about, and how has that influenced your professional perspective?

I am deeply passionate about mentorship, knowledge sharing, and demystifying the law, which can feel intimidating or opaque to non-lawyers. I remember the fear and overwhelming feeling of being a new lawyer, and I am committed to empowering business partners, junior lawyers, and students to feel confident asking questions and seeking counsel that genuinely serves them. I actively lead workshops and guest lecture at law schools whenever I can to help cultivate community and break down traditional legal gatekeeping. Professionally, this mindset reinforces my belief that the best in-house lawyers educate, empower, and build accessible, transparent relationships across the entire organisation.

How do you determine the balance between internal legal capability and external counsel support, and what do you value most in external legal advisors in the Canadian market?

We manage core operational, franchise, and governance strategies internally so that our legal decisions are guided by our institutional knowledge, collaborative brand culture, and commitment to serving our franchisees. We engage external counsel strategically, bringing them in when highly specialised expertise or additional bandwidth is required.

We manage core operational, franchise, and governance strategies internally to leverage our strong relationships and deep institutional knowledge, engaging external counsel when specialised expertise or extra bandwidth is required. What I value most in external legal partners is commercial pragmatism, agility, and a clear understanding of cost-benefit realities. I look for lawyers who deliver responsive, realistic advice that accounts for our business environment and not just strict legal theory. Furthermore, in today’s market, I value external partners who understand modern budgetary parameters, respect predictable fee structures, and aren’t necessarily bound by archaic billing practices, ensuring every dollar spent ultimately drives value back to our franchise network.

Looking ahead, what do you see as the most significant legal, regulatory, or commercial developments shaping the Canadian in-house landscape over the next 5–10 years?

In my opinion, the defining trend over the next decade will be the democratisation of AI tools and the temptation for individuals or businesses to bypass legal counsel in favor of self-serve AI solutions. While tempting, relying blindly on AI for complex legal matters presents significant risks, not just in terms of accuracy and reliability, but also privacy, ethical and environmental risks. The legal profession needs to be realistic about AI’s capabilities while taking active responsibility for setting ethical, practical standards for its use. I think lawyers generally have a unique duty to lead by example, embracing technology to enhance efficiency and strategic output without replacing the nuanced judgment, empathy, and ethical stewardship that legal counsel provides.