Career Biography

Having spent 22 years as in-house counsel with various multinational organisations, I am grateful for the knowledge and satisfaction that this career has brought me.

While articling at Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, the opportunity arose to complete secondments at Imperial Oil, and it was then that I knew a career as in-house counsel was for me.

Being an in-house lawyer has never been about simply providing legal advice. It has been about gaining such a deep understanding of the business that the attributes you bring to the team are far beyond technical legal expertise. It is that understanding, paired with a healthy dose of curiosity and a desire to successfully drive business forward, that has allowed me to collaborate with leaders in navigating complex challenges while managing risk in achieving the organisation’s strategic objectives.

It is immensely gratifying to me to know that I can help shape important business decisions and trajectories from a “seat at the table”.

I have had the privilege of working in highly regulated industries, including in healthcare, life sciences, chemicals, energy, infrastructure, manufacturing, and essential services. Whether working with executives, engineers, chemists, operational experts, sales teams, or international colleagues, this career has taught me that strong communication skills, a sense of humility, and the ability to build trust across an organisation, leads to solutions through a genuine understanding of the business and a dedication to teamwork.

Rather than specialising in one area of law, an in-house career offers exceptional variety. There is no “typical” day! At Imperial Oil, I could be reviewing aviation agreements one moment, while working on employment topics the next. As legal counsel at First Canadian Title, a leading Canadian provider of title insurance, I honed skills in the areas of insurance and real estate.

At Siemens Canada, I was negotiating complex agreements in respect of significant commercial transactions in the automation, healthcare, and infrastructure industries, including for the Keystone Pipeline project.

Progressing from counsel to general counsel at BASF Canada over the span of ten years meant navigating within a highly matrixed organisation, in close collaboration with global colleagues. The general counsel role opened doors to a place on leadership and executive teams, including during BASF’s global acquisition of segments of Bayer’s agricultural businesses and assets.

Perhaps the most fulfilling aspect of an in-house career is witnessing the long-term impact of one’s work. Now as regional Canadian counsel at WM since 2019, I have advised on renewable energy, organics, and recycling infrastructure projects from concept to implementation. The sense of pride that comes from standing in front of, for example, a state-of-the-art recycling processing facility, having negotiated the contracts and advising on all legal matters underlying the project from the beginning, is unparalleled.

Looking back on my career, I remain convinced that choosing to practice as in-house counsel has been one of my best professional decisions. For those who value teamwork, problem-solving, variety, and a chance to make a lasting difference, a career as in-house counsel is both professionally fulfilling and deeply rewarding.