“The overlap of my in-house counsel and business advisor roles is growing as I become more senior within my organization, and as fellow senior management and executive become more aware of my expertise and experience,” says Michael Ladha, now Vice President, Chief Legal Officer & Corporate Secretary for Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro.
On his continuing quest to add value in such discussions, he enrolled in the Business Leadership Program for In-House Counsel, which he thoroughly enjoyed and found “very useful and applicable” to his work. “Because of the program, I feel more able to contribute to the discussion at the senior management table from a business advice perspective, as opposed to being restricted to just legal advice.”
He also seeks out new and challenging files and special projects in his organization to continually develop and connect with his colleagues. “There is so much I am able to learn from people who have spent a significant part of their careers with my organization. Gaining that institutional knowledge is equally as important as any academic designation I could attain.”
The valuable networking with accomplished in-house counsel from across Canada was one of the highlights of the Business Leadership Program for Michael. “Despite the wide variety of industry and different geographic areas of the country represented in the room, the majority of people were experiencing many of the same issues and concerns within their organizations. It was reassuring to learn that you are not alone and to be able to discuss common issues and learn from each other.”
“I have attended several multi-session professional development programs,” he says, “and this was the most professional and well organized one I have encountered.”
This article was originally published in May 2020 and has been minimally edited to update titles.