2nd Women & Leadership in the Legal Profession

Improving your leadership style and building on your strengths to achieve maximum success in the legal profession
Date: November 25, 26 & 27, 2014
Location: Toronto
See Full Description: Download PDF

Highlights

Hear inspirational presentations by top-ranking women lawyers, as they share their career and leadership tips

Achieving success in the in-house setting

Gaining senior partner buy-in for women initiatives

Strategies for achieving a better work-life balance

Developing key leadership skills within the law profession: negotiation techniques, communication tools, networking skills

Career management strategies


The Federated Press Woman in Law Leadership Award


This Award, created to recognize exemplary leadership shown by a Canadian legal department or firm, salutes the best in women in the legal profession. This year’s winner, selected by the Federated Press’ Award Committee, will be honoured during a special cocktail at the Summit

Why Attend?

Dear Colleague,


Women today have more opportunities than ever before to be successful leaders in their chosen profession, but as every successful woman lawyer knows, achieving a leadership role within the legal profession still presents unique challenges for women.


The key to surmounting these challenges lies in developing and honing proven, effective leadership skills, such as the ability to effectively communicate, negotiation skills and maintaining effective work-life balance.


Federated Press' Inaugural Women & Leadership in the Legal Profession Summit will explore the strategies and resources utilized by top-ranking women executives within the legal profession who have successfully advanced their way to the top of their organizations, as they provide you with their unique perspectives on how to achieve success in the often demanding legal profession.


Join these senior women leaders who have mastered key leadership skills and are thus in a unique position of being able to make a difference within the legal profession and create a legacy for future generations of women leaders.


Attend this Summit and hear outstanding women leaders within the legal profession share their career and leadership tips, as they discuss:




• Achieving success in the in-house setting

• The art of self-promotion for female lawyers

• Strategies for achieving a better work-life balance

• Developing key leadership skills within the law profession: negotiation techniques, communication

tools, networking skills

• Career management strategies

Participating organizations include: Accenture Inc., Aird & Berlis LLP, ArcelorMittal Dofasco, Blaney McMurtry LLP, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Canadian Apartment Properties Real Estate Investment Trust, Canadian Bankers Association, Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, Davis LLP, Family Responsibility Office, Fogler Rubinoff LLP, Infrastructure Ontario, Mazda Canada Inc., McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Metrolinx, Miller Thomson LLP, Ontario Securities Commission, Osler Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, Parliament of Canada, Sony Music Entertainment Canada Inc., TELUS, WeirFoulds LLP, Xerox Canada Ltd.


We at Federated Press are particularly proud of both the faculty and the topics to be discussed at this event as we look forward to three days of sharing, learning and network building.

Don’t miss our practical workshop sessions on Diversity Practices: Ensuring Women Make it to the C-Suite and Beyond and Becoming an Exceptional Leader by Leveraging Your Natural Talents & Strengths

Sessions

Session1
Leadership Development and Excellence
Judy G. Naiberg, VP, Legal & Business Affairs, Sony Music Entertainment Canada Inc.
9:00-9:45
Panel: Succeeding in Leadership Roles

Dorothy A. Quann, VP, General Counsel & Secretary, Xerox Canada Ltd.

Judy G. Naiberg, VP, Legal & Business Affairs, Sony Music Entertainment Canada Inc.

Nora F. Osbaldeston, Partner, National Chair of the Financial Services Group, Miller Thomson LLP

Kelly Friedman, Partner, Davis LLP

Succeeding in Leadership Roles Regardless of the barriers that persist, talented women are succeeding and taking their place in leadership roles in the legal world. In order to break into the inner circles of power and influence, women need to understand what leadership means and how to operate effectively in within their environment. This panel of successful women lawyers will explore what aspiring female leaders need to do to succeed in leadership roles. Bringing your personal strengths, vision and voice to leadership Establishing your personal brand Obtaining recognition Identifying and overcoming obstacles to leadership positions Role of the leader in setting direction, building consensus & getting things done Leadership imperative in today’s law firm Developing your abilities to influence Fostering the leadership qualities that women possess The reluctant leader: how taking on a leadership role can enhance your own career satisfaction

Bringing your personal strengths, vision and voice to leadership

Establishing your personal brand

Obtaining recognition

Identifying and overcoming obstacles to leadership positions

Role of the leader in setting direction, building consensus & getting things done

Leadership imperative in today’s law firm

Developing your abilities to influence

Fostering the leadership qualities that women possess

The reluctant leader: how taking on a leadership role can enhance your own career satisfaction

9:45- 10:30
Maximizing Opportunities for Career Change

Andrea Wood, Senior Vice President, Legal Services, TELUS

Maximizing Opportunities for Career Change Faced with greater opportunities than yesteryear, today’s women leaders must be adaptable and change-oriented. It becomes critical to maximize opportunities in your career to broaden experience, deepen networks, demonstrate your competence and establish yourself as a leader. In this presentation, Andrea Wood will share lessons she has learned along the way in her career journey. The importance of having a career plan and being firm but flexible in its attainment Being open to new opportunities “Learning the ropes” quickly in the new position Projecting an aura of competence and confidence Being mindful of lessons learned from past experience and applying it in the new position Dealing with the “nay-sayers” and those who appear to be working against you Being adaptable and emotionally intelligent

The importance of having a career plan and being firm but flexible in its attainment

Being open to new opportunities

“Learning the ropes” quickly in the new position

Projecting an aura of competence and confidence

Being mindful of lessons learned from past experience and applying it in the new position

Dealing with the “nay-sayers” and those who appear to be working against you

Being adaptable and emotionally intelligent

10:30-11:00 NETWORKING BREAK
11:00- 11:45
Nurturing Leadership Skills in Female Lawyers

Mary Martin, Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Metrolinx

Nurturing women leaders is particularly challenging in the still male-dominated legal profession. Work-life balance issues, effective training initiatives and development paths that make sense for women lawyers are some of the key roadblocks to be overcome. This discussion details effective strategies for fostering women leaders within the law department.

Designing leadership development programs uniquely geared to women

Overcoming an old-school culture, despite having progressive policies

Ensuring women are co-creators of the department’s leadership development strategy

Developing effective mentoring programs

Leadership development approaches that take into account work-life balance issues

11:45- 12:30
Achieving Success in the In-House Setting

Corinne Pruzanski, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary, Canadian Apartment Properties Real Estate Investment Trust

While corporate law departments may arguably offer more flexibility than a large law firm, women in-house counsel face the similar pressures that impinge upon work/life balance as well as key challenges unique to the in-house setting. This session explores key issues affecting women’s potential for advancement in corporate legal departments.

Identifying the path to the top

Securing mentoring and professional development opportunities

Achieving work/life balance in a corporate setting

Strategies to empower women lawyers to steer their in-house careers towards their own idea of success

Best practices for advancing and retaining talented women lawyers

How successful general counsel manage C-suite and board expectations

Confronting a multilayered glass ceiling

Defining success in an in-house context

Develop internal and external networks

Distinctions between experiences in law firms and in corporate law departments

12:30-1:30 Lunch
Session2
Women at Their Best
Colleen Spring Zimmerman, Partner and Co-Chair of the Business Development Committee, Fogler Rubinoff LLP
1:00-1:45
Senior Partner Buy in for Women Initiatives: Demonstrating the Business Imperative

Lisa A. Borsook, Executive Partner, Chairperson of the Commercial Leasing Practice Group, WeirFoulds LLP

For initiatives promoting women to be successful, they must have the support and commitment of executive management who have the power to influence change across the organization. This session will discuss strategies for gaining executive commitment to leadership diversity and ensuring that the strategic importance of women’s initiatives is understood and communicated across the firm. Finally, it will explore the relationship between women’s initiatives and the bottom line of a law firm.

The business of practicing law: understanding how the firm works and its strategy

The business imperative for gender diversity

Advancing women to senior leadership positions in law firms: the challenges and solutions

Supporting business development for women

The changing landscape of the legal services market

1:45-2:15
Achieving Work-Life Balance: the Unique Challenges Faced by Women

Sharon C. Vogel, Partner, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP

Achieving Work-Life Balance: the Unique Challenges Faced by Women Personal time management skills and practice management skills are critical in reaching your full potential both at work and at home. This presentation will explore strategies for achieving a better work-life balance as well as various programs that can be adopted in law firms/departments that support women in achieving a work life balance. Unique challenges women face reconciling their work and personal lives Creating a work-life strategy and action plan Clarifying priorities: individual challenges and degree of importance Practical tips and advice for achieving better work-life balance, health and well-being Developing “off-ramps” and “on-ramps“ that enable lawyers to leave practice for a period of time Designing flexible work arrangements to help lawyers meet personal needs

Unique challenges women face reconciling their work and personal lives

Creating a work-life strategy and action plan

Clarifying priorities: individual challenges and degree of importance

Practical tips and advice for achieving better work-life balance, health and well-being

Developing “off-ramps” and “on-ramps“ that enable lawyers to leave practice for a period of time

Designing flexible work arrangements to help lawyers meet personal needs

3:00-3:30 NETWORKING BREAK
2:45-3:15
Providing Leadership Development for Female Lawyers

Elena V. Reshetnikova, Legal Counsel, Accenture Inc.

With women still underrepresented in senior partner ranks, firms should seek out and groom women for leadership opportunities. Whether it is communicating, negotiating, networking, managing your career path or achieving work-life balance, there are core competencies you must master in order to lead successful organizations while accelerating your own professional growth. This session will look at best practices for providing leadership development for female lawyers.

Critical skills needed for women to successfully navigate and "take ownership" of their careers

Elements of effective leadership training initiatives

Providing opportunities for chairing practice groups, departments or committees

Developing transparent strategies for equitable succession planning

Leadership-focused mentoring and coaching programs

Succession planning and client transition

3:30-4:15
Career Planning: Positioning Yourself for Long-Term Success

Colleen Spring Zimmerman, Partner and Co-Chair of the Business Development Committee, Fogler Rubinoff LLP

Career Planning: Positioning Yourself for Long-Term Success Women lawyers recognize the need to be adaptable in the face of change, finding a way or blazing a new path to make the most of opportunities. Career progression is a voyage of discovery, and this presentation will share experiences and insights into navigating the twists and turns of a career, providing strategic advice and concrete ideas about positioning yourself for long-term success. Building relationships: deepening your networks and support system Cultivating a mentor/supporter/advisor Seeking challenges, taking risks and pursuing goals Continuous development Enhancing your leadership effectiveness Keys to successfully advancing through various stages of your career

Building relationships: deepening your networks and support system

Cultivating a mentor/supporter/advisor

Seeking challenges, taking risks and pursuing goals

Continuous development

Enhancing your leadership effectiveness

Keys to successfully advancing through various stages of your career

4:15-5:00
Mapping Out Your Success: Taking the Next Step in Your Career

Julie Ruben Rodney, Partner and Founder, MaxPeoplePerform

Miriam Anbar, Lawyer, Rodney Employment Law

Mapping Out Your Success: Taking the Next Step in Your Career In this interactive session participants will reflect on what they have achieved so far on the path to leadership and commit to taking the next step forward. Facilitated by a leadership facilitator and an employment lawyer, participants will capture lessons learned and develop a preliminary action plan to help them achieve their goals. Through this session, participants will learn about: Identifying core leadership behaviours to help drive career growth Key tips for leveraging resources and network to attain career objectives Recognizing the shortcuts and find out where the roadblocks may be along the way Strategies to accelerate your development to achieving career success Importance of recognizing lessons learned and mistakes along the way How to align your values to your profession

Identifying core leadership behaviours to help drive career growth

Key tips for leveraging resources and network to attain career objectives

Recognizing the shortcuts and find out where the roadblocks may be along the way

Strategies to accelerate your development to achieving career success

Importance of recognizing lessons learned and mistakes along the way

How to align your values to your profession

Session3
Strategies and Skills for Successful Leaders
Carol D. Pennycook, Partner, Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP
9:00-9:45
Panel: Networking & Developing Strategic Relationships

Agnes B. Di Leonardi, General Counsel, Mazda Canada Inc.

Sherri Altshuler, Partner, Aird & Berlis LLP

Having access to key people and critical information can be the difference maker to reaching your goals and achieving success in a legal career. Strategic relationships are indispensable. This panel of successful women explore how they have networked and made the connections that led to their business development and career success.

Why women traditionally do not make the same crucial connections in more casual situations

How to effectively ask for and get business

Developing opportunities for making successful contacts

Carving out networking time

How women can identify opportunities to open up business dialogues and make useful connections

Turning strategic relationships into mentors, sponsors and clients

9:45-10:30
Panel: Lessons in Leading People and in Success

Janet L. Bobechko, Partner, Blaney McMurtry LLP

Katie Daniels, Deputy Director, Corporate Finance, Ontario Securities Commission

Carol D. Pennycook, Partner, Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP

Lisa Marcuzzi, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, ArcelorMittal Dofasco

Panel: Lessons in Leading People and in Success The concept of leadership is evolving, with a style that depends on influencing, rather than commanding, others is emerging. Women, like all leaders, are most effective when they lead with authenticity, bringing their personal strengths, vision and voice to leadership. This panel of prominent and influential women will address how they have transcended gender expectations within their firm or organization to be seen as strong leaders, and how they have successfully dealt with resistance to their leadership. Achieving the respect required to lead Building shared values Creating a team Handling the people issues Adhering to professional standards and clearly defined roles of leadership Is it necessary to adopt male behaviour patterns and thought processes to succeed? How can women use their different leadership style to add value?

Achieving the respect required to lead

Building shared values

Creating a team

Handling the people issues

Adhering to professional standards and clearly defined roles of leadership

Is it necessary to adopt male behaviour patterns and thought processes to succeed?

How can women use their different leadership style to add value?

10:30-11:00 NETWORKING BREAK
11:00- 11:45
Playing to Your Strengths to Become an Effective Leader

Nathalie Clark, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary, Canadian Bankers Association

By helping to recognize and leverage strengths, women can realize previously untapped leadership capacity. This discussion will help participants explore this notion in more depth, including:

Understand the difference between traditional and current models of leadership and the implications for development

Develop a process to uncover and celebrate your natural talents and strengths

How to develop and leverage talents through innovative leadership development initiatives through job crafting and deliberate change

Examine the link between your own leadership development and organizational transformation

Explore how organizational culture can impede or enhance the development of effective leaders

11:45-12:30
Navigating Through Career Changes

Carolyn Calwell, Legal Director of the Legal Services Branch, Family Responsibility Office

Change is a constant in the legal profession, particularly for women progressing through greater roles and responsibilities. Success is predicated on being able to adapt to the constant flux with purpose and equanimity - it also helps if you do not take yourself too seriously. This presentation details some practical tips and techniques for managing career change in the legal profession.

Capitalizing on opportunities to broaden experience

How do you transfer experience and skills to different sectors and demonstrate credibility and competence?

Deepening your networks and support systems

Lessons learned to enhance your effectiveness as a leader

12:30-1:30 Lunch
Session4
Overcoming Hurdles
Deborah Glendinning, Partner, Chair of the firm’s National Litigation Department and a member of Executive Committee, Osler Hoskin & Harcourt LLP
1:30- 2:15
Panel: Enhancing Leadership Through Communication

Deborah Glendinning, Partner, Chair of the firm’s National Litigation Department and a member of Executive Committee, Osler Hoskin & Harcourt LLP

Esther Zdolec, Senior Vice-President, Human Resources, Infrastructure Ontario

Eve Adams, MP Mississauga Brampton South and Parliamentary Secretary (Minister of Health), Parliament of Canada

Panel: Enhancing Leadership Through Communication One of the most effective ways for women to project confident leadership is through clear and persuasive communications. This presentation will share tried-and-true principles for overcoming communication obstacles and ensuring that your communication skills are just as powerful and positive as your talents and abilities. Reassessing your assumptions about how you communicate Tips for projecting clarity and inspiring confidence Delivering your message with empathy and your personal touch Ensuring continuity between your visual and verbal messages Communication 101 – the fundamentals we tend to ignore Why giving others a voice is as important as finding our own voice What it really means to be authentic

Reassessing your assumptions about how you communicate

Tips for projecting clarity and inspiring confidence

Delivering your message with empathy and your personal touch

Ensuring continuity between your visual and verbal messages

Communication 101 – the fundamentals we tend to ignore

Why giving others a voice is as important as finding our own voice

What it really means to be authentic

2:15-3:00
Creating a Female friendly Organizational Culture

Lynn Parsons, Partner, McCarthy Tétrault LLP

Suzanne Murphy, Partner, McCarthy Tétrault LLP

Despite representing approximately half of all law school students and half of all associates, women are twice as likely as men to leave the profession due to the demands of the legal profession. This discussion details how to ensure women flourish within the legal profession through fostering a more female friendly culture.

Offering regular opportunities for law firm/department to work and socialize across gender boundaries

Encouraging development of informal relationships and mentorship opportunities

Develop policies that ensure equal access quality assignments and training

Conducting firm-hosted women’s initiatives specifically tailored to interests of female lawyers

Creating work-life strategies

Designing flexible work hours

3:00-3:30 NETWORKING BREAK
3:30-4:15
The Art of Self-Promotion and Attracting Clients

Lisa Mattam, Managing Principal, The Mattam Group

Women in leadership roles must walk a fine line between displaying a self confidence that commands the respect of those around them and coming across as too aggressive. Attracting clients is both the product of effective self-promotion and a means of demonstrating your value to the firm. This presentation will discuss why effectively promoting yourself is important for both your law firm and the clients you retain.

Effective means of self-promotion

Developing your natural skills and working at using them as effectively as possible

Identifying and leveraging strengths that are underutilized

Authenticity: what style and substance really means

Assessing and knowing your own strengths

Gaining trust of clients

Projecting an image of self confidence

4:15 5:00
The Possible Made Practical: Radical Respect for the Woman-in-Law

Maureen Geddes, President of GeddesGlobal and past -president of CANGRAM International Inc.

With almost three decades of majority female graduates in law in Canadian universities, is the power of “the women-in-law” embraced with enthusiasm in your firm? Or do some outdated worldviews, perhaps your own, remain a challenge to transcend? The demographic numbers are a force to be reckoned with, but the real power for leadership comes from a different place: the transformation of women and men from within. Join Maureen in visioning the possible, and learning practical ways of being and doing to make the possible, practical.

An exploration of the ways women respect themselves, with increasing awareness of their influence on corporate culture and the world of work

Cracking the confidence code, and working with colleagues to understand female and male ways of communication

What is the context and purpose of being a woman-in-law?



Workshops

Optional workshops:
9:00-Noon
Workshop: Diversity Practices: Ensuring Women Succeed in Leadership Roles

Janet Naidu, President, HR Diversity Solutions

Women play a critical role in enhancing business performance by providing a diverse perspective and unique skills. Sponsoring and mentoring women is critical for helping businesses leverage all of the talent they need to compete on a global level. Leadership is critical to the recognition and value of diversity, particularly to the various dimensions and identities of women. The subtle elements of bias and discrimination in terms of race, gender, identity and class could only impede organizational success in this age of globalization. Creating an inclusive environment that welcomes and supports women is critical to attracting women to the organization. But far more impactful is the retention and development of female leaders. Indeed, one of the most effective ways of fostering diversity is to showcase diversity within the leadership of the company. This workshop will examine effective ways of progressively creating women leaders and sustaining their contribution to business performance.

Conducting leadership initiatives specifically tailored to the interests of high potential women

How organizational culture can impede or enhance the development of effective leaders

Developing and leveraging talents through innovative leadership development initiatives, job crafting and deliberate change

Examining the link between leadership development and organizational transformation

Encouraging development of informal relationships and mentorship opportunities and eliminating bias

" Janet Naidu is President of HR Diversity Solutions. For over 20 years, she served in a leadership role at the LCBO in the field of Diversity Management and also served as the head of the Ombuds Office. Prior to her leadership role in promoting workplace diversity, she was involved in the development and implementation of corporate compensation policies and pay equity requirements. "
1:30-4:30
Workshop: Becoming an Exceptional Leader by Leveraging Your Natural Talents & Strengths

Chantal Thorn, Principal Consultant, Chantal R. Thorn, Phd Consulting

The world in which we live in today is ambiguous, complex and fast moving. Leading in this environment requires a different set of skills than those required in previous decades. Gone are the days of the heroic, all powerful leader. Today’s leaders require the ability to deal with complexity and a multitude of tasks, and to work cooperatively and innovatively. However, all too often such strengths are not legitimized through leadership development programs. Leaders often do not truly develop their strengths and instead strive to be that superhuman ideal. By helping to recognize, leverage and not apologize for strengths, women can realize previously untapped leadership capacity. This dynamic and interactive workshop will help participants explore this notion in more depth. In particular, this workshop will help participants:

· Understand the difference between traditional and current models of leadership and the implications for development

· Be introduced to and participate in a process to uncover and celebrate their natural talents and strengths

· Recognize how to develop and leverage talents through innovative leadership development initiatives, job crafting and deliberate change

· Examine the link between your leadership development and organizational transformation

· Explore how organizational culture can impede or enhance the development of effective leaders

" Chantal Thorn is Principal Consultant with Chantal R. Thorn, Phd Consulting, an organizational development, training and consulting company dedicated to supporting individuals and organizations in achieving excellence. Dr. Thorn development talent management and leadership development programs, as well as interactive training and education and executive coaching programs for senior executives. "

Participants

Participating organizations include: Accenture Inc., Aird & Berlis LLP, ArcelorMittal Dofasco, Blaney McMurtry LLP, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Canadian Apartment Properties Real Estate Investment Trust, Canadian Bankers Association, Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, Davis LLP, Family Responsibility Office, Fogler Rubinoff LLP, Infrastructure Ontario, Mazda Canada Inc., McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Metrolinx, Miller Thomson LLP, Ontario Securities Commission, Osler Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, Parliament of Canada, Sony Music Entertainment Canada Inc., TELUS, WeirFoulds LLP, Xerox Canada Ltd.


Who should attend

In-house corporate & legal counsel; lawyers in private practice; vice presidents & directors of law, legal affairs, compliance & regulatory affairs and human resources; corporate secretaries

Price

Price list:-

  • Conference and 2 workshops: $2995
  • Conference and 1 workshop: $2520
  • Conference, 1 workshop and Proceedings: $2695
  • Conference, 2 workshop and Proceedings: $3170
  • Webcast only: $1575
  • Webcast and Proceedings: $1874
  • Conference and Proceedings: $2150
  • Conference: $1975
  • Proceedings Only : $599
Order Now>>

View PDF

Additional Information

Other information
REGISTRATION:
To reserve your place, call Federated Press toll-free at 1-800-363-0722. In Toronto, call (416) 665-6868 or fax to (416) 665-7733. Then mail your payment along with the registration form. Places are limited. Your reservation will be confirmed before the event.
LOCATION:
Novotel Toronto Centre Hotel, 45 The Esplanade, Toronto, ON, M5E 1W2, 416-367-8900
CONDITIONS:
Registration covers attendance for one person, the supplementary course material as described in this document, lunch, morning coffee and refreshments during breaks are provided for registered duration. The proceedings of the event will be captured on audio or video. Multimedia proceedings with all slides and handouts can be purchased separately on a CD-ROM which will also include the event material. This event is being webcast. A camera will capture the person making the presentation. A camera may also capture the registration desk. The public webcast only includes the presentation. By registering, you agree to waive any recourse against Federated Press as a consequence of the webcast of your presence at the event. Please enquire with onsite hosts if you wish to ensure that your seat is outside the scope of the webcast. Workshops are not covered in webcast.
TIME:
Registration begins at 8:00 a.m. The morning sessions start promptly at 9:00.
CANCELLATION:
Please note that non-attendance at the event does not entitle the registrant to a refund. In the event that a registrant becomes unable to attend following the deadline for cancellation, a substitute attendee may be delegated. Please notify Federated Press of any changes as soon as possible. Federated Press assumes no liability for changes in program content or speakers. A full refund of the attendance fee will be provided upon cancellation in writing received 13 days prior to event date. No refunds will be issued after this date. Please note that a 15% service charge will be held in case of a cancellation.
DISCOUNT:
Federated Press has special team discounts. Groups of 3 or more from the same organization receive 15%. For larger groups please call Sandra Frattolillo at 1-800-363-0722, ext. 223 to get more information.
PAYMENT:
Payment must be received seven days prior to the event date.