The GC Collective

?? Toronto GCs - Join Us for an Evening of Professional Development & Social Networking! On December 3rd, join us for "Cocktails & Boardroom Briefings: The Art of Communicating Risks to Your Board." This exclusive GC Collective event will feature an interactive workshop where you'll master practical strategies for more effective board communication. You’ll also dive into a hands-on breakout session that simulates real-world boardroom challenges, giving you the opportunity to refine your approach to crafting board materials that truly resonate. We’re excited to feature Patricia Bood, the CEO of Puimac Consulting and a seasoned director, executive, general counsel, and corporate secretary. With over 25 years of legal, governance, and operational experience, Patricia has led significant functions at organizations like British Columbia Investment Management Corp and Brookfield Renewable. Her expertise will provide invaluable insights into navigating complex boardroom dynamics. Thank you to our sponsors at Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP for hosting this event. Consider becoming a member of The GC Collective to attend events like this. It's free to join for the first 6 months, and you will gain access to a powerful knowledge-sharing network of senior legal executives and unique peer-driven learning opportunities aimed at elevating your leadership.

We are delighted to announce that Gowling WLG Canada LLP will be GC Collective’s Law Firm Founding Sponsor for a second year ! We want to express our gratitude for Gowling WLG's continued belief in our mission and for joining us in our commitment to empower General Counsel through knowledge-sharing and professional growth. We are excited to continue this journey together and look forward to showcasing the invaluable contributions Gowling WLG will make to our community. A special thank you to Aimee Halfyard, partner at Gowling WLG, for being a champion of the education and support we provide general counsel in our membership. Aimee is a former General Counsel and one of the original members of our then-unofficial collective?in 2020. Aimee knows firsthand what it’s like to be siloed in a highly demanding role and how impactful it can be to find a supportive group of peers. Your vote of confidence in The GC Collective demonstrates both innovation and understanding of the benefits General Counsel receive through our collective. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for your support!

?? Sharing a few highlights from our amazing GC Collective Leadership Summit in Toronto! ?? This was our second time hosting this Summit, and every time, I’m blown away by the energy and insight our members bring to the table. Throughout the Summit, each participant from this remarkable group worked on shaping unique action steps to grow as impactful legal leaders. From taking a closer look at their leadership practices to assessing how they lead their teams, everyone walked away with practical next steps they can start implementing right away to elevate their leadership. What makes this community so special is the trust and openness everyone brings to the table. In every roundtable discussion and hands-on workshop, there’s a real willingness to share insights and learn from one another’s experiences.? It’s moments like these that remind me why The GC Collective is more than just a community —it’s a genuine support system for legal leaders who want to grow together. Together we are really moving? our industry forward. A huge thank you to Gowling WLG and LawVu for sponsoring this wonderful event, to David Lancelot and my cofounder Jenn Smyth-Whelly for sharing their wisdom on modern leadership. I’m grateful for each of you who joined our Summit and I’m looking forward to seeing all the growth ahead! Andrea Fellows, Alex Ghita, Anjlee Patel, BA, LLB, ICD.D, Amanda Bafaro, Brenda Doig, Craig Burgess, CCEP, AWI-CH, Ed Ma, K.C., Frederic Duguay, Fernando Garcia, Helen Martin, Ilan Mints, Julia Gray, Joanna Grossman ???, Julie Chapman, Kristin Taylor, Nickola Voegelin, Natalie Scruton Federle, Rustam Juma, Fabien Fourmanoit, Thomas Santram, Vivien Tzau, Will Ramjass Benjamin Westelman. #GCCollective #LeadershipInAction #LearningTogether #LegalLeaders #Community #Grateful #inhouselegal

? GC Collective has officially launched in Québec ! ? Earlier this week, we hosted our first member social in Québec and are incredible grateful to Gowling WLG for hosting us ! ? GC Collective est officiellement lancé au Québec ! ? Un immense merci à Gowling WLG de nous avoir re?us dans leurs superbes bureaux de Place Ville-Marie pour le lancement officiel de GC Collective au Québec. Quel plaisir ce fut de faire découvrir l’esprit exceptionnel de notre communauté dans ma province natale et de retrouver dans cette aventure mes amis de l'Université Laval Naim Antaki et Vicky Trépanier. ?? Chef des Affaires Juridique au Québec ? Joignez-vous à GC Collective ! Avec des opportunités éducatives uniques axées sur le leadership en entreprise, des opportunités de réseautage avec vos pairs qui comprennent véritablement votre r?le, The GC Collective est la communauté pour vous. Soumettez votre application sur notre site web (lien dans les commentaires)

?? Metrics for Modern GCs: Leveraging Data and Insights for Impact ?? In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, the role of the GC extends beyond traditional legal oversight; running a legal function successfully carries increasing expectations and opportunities to use data, metrics and insights to prove impact, improve operations and engage successfully with your data-centric business peers. On October 28th our members will join David Lancelot, CLO and EVP Advocacy at LawVu, as he shares his expertise on how GCs can leverage data to prove impact, improve operations, and better engage with business leaders. ?? Key takeaways include: ?? Developing a data-driven mindset to boost your legal team's strategic value ?? Identifying impactful KPIs, benchmarks, and reports to track success ?? Overcoming common challenges in data collection and storytelling This is a members-only event, designed to help you elevate your leadership through insights that matter. Consider becoming a member of?The GC Collective to gain access to a powerful knowledge-sharing network of senior legal executives and unique peer-driven learning opportunities aimed at elevating your leadership. #GeneralCounsel #LegalOps #LegalInnovation #DataDrivenLeadership #KPIs #GCCollective

? Here’s What You Missed in Our Latest ESG Session! ? Last week, General Counsel across industries gathered for an exclusive, high-impact virtual session led by Christine Uri, founder of ESG for In-house Counsel and former Chief Legal Officer and Sustainability Officer. Christine walked us through a clear 4-step approach helping our GCs align their executive team around a focused and actionable ESG plan. Christine's insights are truly transforming the way in-house counsel can tackle ESG! From emerging governance risks to greenwashing litigation, GCs are clearly stepping up to lead. Couldn’t attend? Don’t get left behind again! Join the GC Collective and unlock exclusive access to trainings like this! #ESG #GeneralCounsel #GCCollective #InHouseCounsel #Leadership #Sustainability #CorporateGovernance #LegalLeadership #ESGRegulations

We started The GC Collective out of a genuine desire to help fellow GCs succeed. One group that we are particularly passionate about supporting is solo GCs or those leading small legal departments who often feel overwhelmed, unsure where to begin when it comes to improving how their legal department operates. They know they need to move beyond being reactive and start building processes for efficiency, but they just don't know where to start. That’s why we are thrilled to announce our brand new Legal Ops Learning Labs, designed specifically with those GCs in mind. In just three interactive workshops, led by the amazing Stephanie Corey and her team at UpLevel Ops, we’ll help our GCs assess priorities, build a roadmap, and create small but impactful wins to kick-start their legal operations. Our first session sold out immediately after we announced it, which is a true testament to the need for this kind of support. If you're a GC looking to break free from the constant demands of daily legal work and want to get serious about building a better, more efficient legal department, I invite you to join The GC Collective. Connect with other GCs who are navigating the same challenges and take the next step towards transforming your legal department. #generalcounsel #inhouselegal #legaloperations #legalinnovation #community

?? Another incredible evening with The GC Collective crew in Vancouver ?? A huge thank you to LawVu and to David Lancelot, LawVU's CLO and EVP Advocacy, for believing in our mission to elevate General Counsel and for helping us build an authentic community where GCs can come together, support each other, and grow. We are truly better because of your support! ?? ?? ?? To the 25+ members who showed up last night—thank you for investing your time and energy in fostering these meaningful connections. It's these moments that make our community stronger. #GCCCollective #GeneralCounsel #Community #Connection

We are incredibly proud to share that our founder, Paula Pépin, has been recognized as one of the Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers in Canada by Canadian Lawyer Magazine for 2024 in the Changemakers category. This award is a testament to Paula’s unwavering commitment to empowering General Counsel across the country. Through the GC Collective and her coaching practice, Paula has become a catalyst for transformative change within the in-house legal landscape. She has cultivated a culture of collaboration, openness, and knowledge-sharing within the GC Collective, creating a supportive environment where growth-minded legal executives can exchange ideas, seek advice, and build authentic relationships. The impact of Paula's leadership in building a supportive network and uniquely tailored education opportunities for GCs, means that legal teams in Canada and beyond are working smarter, led by a well-supported legal leader. On behalf of our members and the entire GCC team, heartfelt congratulations to Paula Pépin on this well-deserved recognition!

Ever wished you could gauge your company's financial pulse without getting lost in spreadsheets? Imagine having the clarity to anticipate financial trends and make decisions that align your legal department's work with your company's strategic goals. On September 20th, John Fong, a seasoned CFO with over 20 years of experience across healthcare, technology, and natural resources industries, will be leading an exclusive session for our GC Collective members. John will help our GCs demystify the intricacies of their company's business model and key financial drivers, equipping them with the knowledge to: ?? Understanding how Legal can best partner with their CFO and finance team. ?? Learn how to decode company's financials and make informed decisions. ?? Identify the key drivers of their business to predict financial health with confidence. Are you a General Counsel, CLO or Head of Legal ? Consider becoming a member of The GC Collective to attend events like this. It's free to join, and you will gain access to a powerful knowledge-sharing network of senior legal executives and unique peer-driven learning opportunities aimed at elevating your leadership.