WOMEN GENERAL COUNSEL CANADA QUASI-QUARTERLY Issue No. 6, April 2025
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Une version française suivra dans un envoi séparé
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Springing Forward with Fresh Momentum!
As we step into a new season, the arrival of spring brings with it a renewed sense of energy, possibility, and growth. It’s a perfect moment to reflect on the strong start we’ve had in 2025—from insightful programming to meaningful connections across our national community of women general counsel.
We’re proud of the momentum we’ve built so far this year and excited for what’s ahead. Our upcoming programming is designed to support and empower you as leaders, offering opportunities to learn, share, and grow alongside peers who understand the unique responsibilities we carry.
Together, we continue to shape the future of our profession—one conversation, one initiative, and one season at a time.
During our February 2025 AGM, we proudly welcomed an exceptional group of women general counsel from diverse industries and regions to guide the WGCC through 2025-2026. We encourage you to get to know your WGCC Board of Directors and look forward to hearing from you! |
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MESSAGE FROM YOUR NEWLY ELECTED PRESIDENT AND CHAIR | HEATHER MULLEN
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Dear WGCC Members, I am truly honoured to serve as your President and Chair for the next two years. As we begin this new chapter together, I am excited about the opportunities ahead for our WGCC community.
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In 2025, our focus will be on strengthening our WGCC network and fostering meaningful connections. By sharing our experiences and supporting one another, we can build a vibrant community that celebrates our achievements and tackles our challenges together.
A key theme this year will be “Holistic Wellness”. A recent Canadian survey found that 50% of in-house counsel respondents reported an increase in anxiety and stress over the past year. It’s clear that we need to prioritize our well-being alongside our professional growth. I welcome your ideas on how we can integrate wellness into our programming and support each other in this critical area.
With wellness in mind, I also encourage you to attend WGCC events in person wherever possible – face-to-face interactions deepen our connections in ways virtual formats can’t always match. At the same time, we are committed to inclusivity and will continue to enhance our online/virtual offerings to ensure all members feel connected and supported no matter where they are geographically located. I invite you to reach out to me with questions, ideas for programming or member milestones that you’d like to share. Let’s celebrate each other and continue to build a strong, supportive WGCC community. Thank you for your trust - I look forward to an inspiring and impactful term ahead!
Warm regards,
Heather Mullen
President and Chair
Women General Counsel Canada
Personal email: Heather.L.Mullen@gmail.com |
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WHAT HAVE WE BEEN UP TO LATELY
We kicked off 2025 with a focus on connection, reflection, and a dash of
fun—think impromptu happy hour meet-ups (because sometimes you just need a good
conversation and a better glass of wine), our AGM followed by an “energy
audit” to help us avoid burnout and channel our inner powerhouse, and a
powerful International Women’s Day fireside chat with the incomparable Justice
Rosalie Abella on gender parity—equal parts inspiration and mic drops. |
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On February 10th, our BC members came together on Main Street for an
evening of wisdom, laughter, and margaritas—a combination we highly recommend.
It was a fantastic opportunity to connect, swap stories, and celebrate the
ever-growing strength of the Women GC community in BC. WGCC is proud and
grateful to be connected with such an inspiring group of women who continue to
lead, support, and thrive together. |
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At our AGM, we did what women general counsel do best—handled business with purpose, inclusivity, and just the right amount of flair. We elected a powerhouse board to lead us forward, applauded the remarkable achievements of our outgoing (and forever fabulous) Past President, Lara Speirs, and capped it off by honouring our unstoppable Director of Communications, Andrea Fellows, with the President’s Award for her dedication, creativity, and tireless work behind the scenes. Minutes approved, spirits lifted.
Following the formalities, we shifted gears with an energizing session led by a career and life coach who helped us hit pause and reflect. Through an engaging energy audit, we explored how to better prioritize self-awareness and self-care—because burnout isn’t a badge of honour. She also reminded us to tune into our “glimmers”—those small, joyful moments that spark gratitude and keep us grounded amid the chaos. A timely reminder that even in our busiest seasons, joy is always worth noticing.
Huge thanks to Torys LLP for their collaboration and support in hosting the event—and for treating us to a delicious lunch that kept both spirits and energy levels high. |
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In celebration of International Women’s Day 2025 and this year’s theme, Inspire Inclusion, McMillan LLP graciously hosted a standout event featuring a fireside chat with the Honourable Justice Rosalie Abella. Justice Abella shared powerful insights on the ongoing pursuit of gender parity and the importance of creating truly inclusive spaces in law and leadership. The engaging conversation was followed by thoughtful audience questions, sparking meaningful reflection and dialogue. A lively networking reception closed out the evening, giving attendees the chance to connect and continue the conversation. |
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Sincere thanks to McMillan for their generous hospitality and for championing inclusion in such an inspiring way. |
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We kicked off 2025 with not one, but two dynamic rounds of Networking Circles - powered by caffeine, connection, and the hard-won wisdom of our brilliant Emeritus members, who consistently prove that experience really is some of the best networking currency.
In January, we launched our first Networking Circles of the year with a timely and strategic focus: General Counsel Leadership – The Art of Goal Setting for Your Department. Guided by the wisdom of our Emeritus members, the sessions helped WGCC members start 2025 strong — discussing how to map out smart, aligned goals that not only support their teams, but also elevate their organization’s broader strategy. From big-picture thinking to practical planning, the conversations offered a valuable mix of inspiration and real talk—because setting goals isn’t just about ticking boxes; it’s about amplifying impact and ensuring your department is a strategic force, not just a legal one.
In our second round of 2025 Networking Circles, we tackled the theme "You Have a Seat at the Table. Now What?"—because pulling up a chair is just the beginning. Members dove into the complexities of navigating the C-Suite with savvy, sharing hard-won lessons on how to not only have a voice at the table, but to make it count. From rethinking leadership styles to suit the executive dynamic, to tactfully ensuring credit lands where it’s due (read: name the brilliant woman behind the idea), the conversations were rich with real strategies for driving influence and amplifying both personal and team impact. The verdict? Thriving in the C-Suite takes more than presence—it takes purpose, precision, and the power of peer support.
Participants earned CPD credits while sharing perspectives and ideas with colleagues in a safe and collegial environment. And similar to our past networking circles, participants were invited to engage in a coffee connection with another member. Coffee Connections are a great way to take networking to the next level by getting to know a fellow WGCC member better one-on-one. It’s an opportunity to discuss pressing issues that you may be facing in your organization with a fellow GC - share best practices, trade war stories and forge new friendships.
Watch your inbox for the next Networking Circles coming up this Spring! |
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Exciting Industry Forum events are on the horizon, featuring lunches, socials, and more! Join us on April 8, 2025, for our upcoming Industry Forum—hosted by McCarthy Tétrault—where WGCC members will dive into the fast-evolving landscape of US-Canada relations and explore how to navigate the ripple effects on your industry with insight, agility, and strategic foresight.
As a member of Women General Counsel Canada (WGCC), you have the opportunity to connect with peers in your industry through our exclusive Industry Forums. These forums are a space for open conversation, support, and learning—curated specifically to help you navigate the challenges and opportunities unique to your industry.
By connecting with others who share a deep understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities in their fields, members can exchange ideas, ask targeted questions, and explore strategies tailored to their specific industries. These connections form a vital support network, empowering members to grow and thrive both personally and professionally.
Click HERE to learn more about our Industry Forums, explore the current forums available, and find out how to join. |
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LOOKING AHEAD - MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR THE SPRING!
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- (Hybrid): Join us as we explore the dynamic developments in the U.S.–Canada relationship—including tariffs and related cross-border matters—through an engaging discussion with leading experts who will offer valuable insights for general counsel across industries. Click HERE for more information - April 8, 2025 (CPD)
- WGCC & Stikeman Elliott Breakfast and Keynote Speaker (In Person): Join us for an engaging breakfast session featuring keynote speaker, Chantelle Courtney of Inflection Point Coaching and Consulting who will be speaking about: "The Power of Presence: Commanding Leadership in Uncertain Times" | Click HERE for more information and to register - April 28, 2025 (CPD)
- BC Happy Hour Social (In Person): We're excited for our BC members to gather for an evening of connection and conversation celebrating the strength of the WGCC community. Further details to come!
- Annual Summit 2025 | Empowering Minds, Leading Forward (Hybrid): Mark your calendars for May 29, 2025, as WGCC hosts its signature full-day event at the Thomson Reuters offices! This year’s Annual Summit—Empowering Minds, Leading Forward—will feature inspiring keynote speakers, thought-provoking panels, and dynamic conversations designed to fuel leadership, strategy and connection. Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with fellow General Counsel members and legal service providers, share insights, and leave with fresh ideas and a renewed sense of purpose. Click HERE to add to your calendar (CPD)
- Fireside Chat with Stephen Poloz Sponsored by Osler (Hybrid): Join us for a fireside chat on "How GCs Can Adapt to a Riskier Future". Don't miss this opportunity to explore how general counsel can navigate and thrive in an increasingly uncertain world. Registration details to come! - June 10, 2025 (CPD)
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WGCC Event with JEM3 Consulting & Bindustries Consulting: Watch for your opportunity to join us for an engaging and candid conversation with esteemed GC leaders Judith McKay and Bindu Cudjoe on “Strategic Branding and Negotiation Tactics – How to Get What you Want, Authentically”.
Bindu Cudjoe is the Principal and Strategic Advisor of Bindustries Consulting Inc., a former executive and Chief Legal Officer in the complex and highly regulated financial services industry as well as a former law firm partner. Judith McKay is the Principal and Strategic Advisor of JEM3 Consulting, a former Chief Client and Innovation Officer with a top tier law firm with over 800 lawyers, and a former global general counsel for a Fortune 500 company. Keep checking your inbox for further information and registration! - June 19, 2025
The WGCC Programming Committee continues to work on an exciting lineup of CPD sessions, networking opportunities, and social events for the 2025 calendar year! Be sure to watch your inbox and check the Events Calendar on the WGCC website regularly for updates and details. We can’t wait to see you at these fantastic events!
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Adrian Lang | WGCC Member & Regional Chapter & Recruitment Lead (Ontario) & GCU Alumni Lead |
Fostering Creativity for Innovation & Productivity
Reflections from a recent presentation |
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Earlier this year, I gave a presentation on fostering creativity as a way to build innovation and productivity. It’s a subject I’ve thought a lot about—because in today’s fast-paced, resource-stretched environments, creativity isn’t just for artists or entrepreneurs; it’s a core leadership skill. It allows us to break from the norm, see challenges differently, and bring new energy and perspective to our teams.
At its heart, creativity is curiosity. I know this well—not only from experience, but because my sister, Amanda Lang, wrote The Power of Why (Harper Collins), which dives deep into the connection between curiosity and creativity. Amanda explores how curiosity drives an open-minded, exploratory approach to problem-solving, and identifies what fosters it (and what shuts it down). She highlights elements like challenging assumptions, reframing problems, encouraging divergent thinking, creating safe spaces, and experimenting—ideas that deeply shaped my own thinking.
So how do we, as leaders, create the conditions for creativity to thrive?
- Build Psychological Safety: A term coined by Amy Edmondson of Harvard, psychological safety is the cornerstone of creative culture. When people feel safe to take risks, speak up, and make mistakes, they are more likely to share bold ideas and try new things. Without it, creativity gets stuck behind silence.
- Encourage Risk-Taking and Accept Failure: Creativity is inherently risky. Not every idea will work—and that’s okay. Leaders need to normalize failure as part of the process and encourage experimentation without fear of blame. That’s where the magic happens.
- Foster Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration: Innovation often emerges when people with different backgrounds and ways of thinking come together. As leaders, we can create opportunities for our teams to mix perspectives, challenge each other constructively, and find new connections between ideas.
- Provide Time, Space, and Tools: Creative thinking doesn’t happen on a packed calendar. Leaders must intentionally carve out time and space for exploration and equip their teams with the tools—whether digital platforms or physical environments—that support creative flow.
- Promote a Growth Mindset: Drawing from Carol Dweck’s work, a growth mindset is the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through effort. When we celebrate learning, perseverance, and improvement—not just polished outcomes—we help teams stretch further and take creative leaps.
- Make Creativity a Continuous Practice: It’s not a one-off brainstorming session—it’s a culture. When leaders prioritize curiosity, create room for reflection, and reward experimentation, creativity becomes a habit, not an event.
Measuring creativity isn’t easy, but you can look to indicators like idea generation, peer feedback, innovation output, and your team’s ability to solve new, complex problems.
In the end, our job as leaders isn’t to have all the answers to create the right conditions for new ideas to flourish. When we do, innovation and productivity follow naturally. |
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-- Written by Adrian Lang
WGCC Member, Regional Chapter & Recruitment Lead (Ontario),
GCU Alumni Lead
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We’re excited to welcome our newest WGCC members to our community of over 200 talented, driven, and future-focused women leaders! We can't wait to get to know you better - and to learn from all the expertise and fresh perspectives you bring!
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Kamika McLean Weshall Investments Inc.
Katey Grist Methanex
Kyla Henriksen BCI
Miriam Levin Starlight Investments
Nadia Somani Forum Asset Management Inc.
Paloma Ellard Ontario Securities Commission
Shivani Anand Calderon Ascend Fundraising Solutions
Uma Annamalai GE Vernova
Véronic Meilleur AtkinsRéalis |
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At WGCC, nothing makes us happier than sharing hacks, tips, and must-know recommendations. Whether it’s a brilliant speaker for your next event, a legal app that could save the day, a can’t-miss book or podcast, or celebrating someone who has recently won an award, we’ve got you covered. |
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Congratulations to the 2025 Excellence Awardees at the Canadian Law Awards! WGCC is incredibly proud to celebrate the achievements of our esteemed members who have been named Excellence Awardees at this year’s Canadian Law Awards. Special congratulations to Lara Speirs for her recognition as Past President and Chair of WGCC, alongside: Heather L Mullen (Kenvue), Hina Latif (Mercedes-Benz Financial), Jane Murdoch (Finning International Inc.) and Pam Hrick (Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund). Their exceptional contributions to the legal field are truly inspiring, and this recognition is well-deserved!
Another round of congratulations to the respective companies of our WGCC colleagues, whose remarkable contributions played a crucial role in earning them the recognition as Excellence Awardees: Fengate Asset Management (Vernita Tsang), RBC (Laura Hately), University Pension Plan Ontario (Christine Chen), BDO Canada (Christina Porretta), Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Canada Corporation (Hina Latif), Sagard - SNPE Holding Company (Puja Kumar), Staples Canada (Adrian Lang), CPP Investments (Patrice Walch-Watson) and SE Health (Farah Ismail)
Together, these individuals, teams, and organizations are reshaping the future of law and paving the way for the next generation of leaders. To view the complete list of Awardees and for more details about the 2025 Canadian Law Awards, click HERE. _______________________ |
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Have you had an amazing speaker, service, podcast, resource or tool that your fellow GC's may benefit from? If so, please share and contribute to our curated recommendations for WGCC members! Whether it's announcements, awards, or upcoming speaking engagements, allow WGCC to amplify your news and spread the word by emailing: info@womengc.ca! |
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CHANGES TO OUR PRIVACY POLICY | | | |
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We would like to inform you that our Privacy Policy has recently been updated. We encourage you to take a moment to review the changes to stay informed about how your personal information is collected, used, and protected.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us at info@womengc.ca. Click here to view the updated Privacy Policy: |
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Exclusive Member Benefit | Preventative Health Assessments with TELUS Health
WGCC, in partnership with TELUS Health, is pleased to offer exclusive pricing on Preventative Health Assessments (PHAs) for all members and their guests. These comprehensive assessments are designed to support both physical and mental well-being—because maintaining optimal health is key to sustained performance, sound decision-making, and long-term success.
With increasing strain on our public healthcare system, proactive, preventative care may be something you’re considering for yourself and your loved ones. Visit our webpage for details on how WGCC members—and their friends and family—can take advantage of this special offer. |
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Women Get On Board (WGOB) | Upcoming Events & Exclusive Discounts
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WGOB is proudly celebrating 10 years of getting women on boards! With a growing network of over 1,000 members across Canada, WGOB continues to champion the next generation of women leaders—one board seat at a time. They stand by the power of three: one woman in the boardroom is a token, two is a presence, and three is a voice.
Looking ahead to a busy and exciting spring, WGOB is pleased to share a lineup of upcoming events and programs—along with exclusive discount codes available to WGCC members. Don’t miss these opportunities to learn, connect, and take your board journey to the next level! |
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WGOB Membership Discount
$50.00 off
Click here for more details and to apply, click here |
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Virtual WGOB Membership
Information
Session
May 6, 2025
Click here for further details
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Upcoming WGOB | Members-Only Events |
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WGOB Board Ready Series (Virtual)
The series is designed to empower women with practical insights and tools to empower them with confidence and courage to lead and serve on boards.
In 2025, the WGOB Board Ready Series includes three virtual sessions on Elevating Your Board Effectiveness.
Facilitated by Dr. Deborah Rosati, Founder & CEO of Women Get On Board and a WGOB Corporate Director in Residence, this series is a complimentary offering exclusive to WGOB members. Attendees will receive a complimentary copy of Deborah Rosati’s e-book: Elevating Your Board Effectiveness.
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Elevating Your Emotional Intelligence in the
Boardroom
June 24, 2025 | 12:00–1:00 p.m. ET
Click here to register |
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Elevating Your Board Leadership September 9, 2025 | 12:00–1:00 p.m. ET. | Click here to register |
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WGOB Virtual Speaker Series - Key Issues Facing the HRC
The role of the Human Resources Committee (HRC) continues to evolve and become more complex. The decisions made by this committee are highly scrutinized and send important signals to stakeholders about the company's strategy and priorities. |
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Session Two - Executive Compensation
Excellence: Aligning Pay with Strategy
June 18, 2025
| 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET. For more information and to register, click here. |
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OUR SINCEREST GRATITUDE TO OUR SPONSORS & PARTNERS
WGCC would like to thank its generous sponsors and partners for their ongoing support of the women general counsel community! |
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