Bateman says private law firm experience is not the “be all and end all” to in-house success
By Julius Melnitzer | June 20, 2023
Dahlia Bateman, general counsel and lead for the Office of Legal Services and Fair Practices at Wilfrid Laurier University, is well-placed to opine on what it takes to succeed as a young in-house lawyer.
Her diverse experience embraces the corporate commercial space and a strong background in academia. She’s been GC for a restaurant and hospitality services business, ombudsman at Dalhousie University, and a member of the admissions committee at the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie. She also assisted the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Medicine with its admission processes, practised law on her own and has litigation experience.
As a judge at this year’s Lexpert Rising Stars Awards, Bateman brings that broad background to bear. The awards honour leading lawyers under 40 from law firms, in-house departments, and other practices. Nominations are open now and close on July 8.
Given the wide swath of Bateman’s career, it’s not surprising that her assessment of the successful young lawyer is a comprehensive one.
“To be an effective in-house lawyer, it’s important to be conversant in many areas of the law, be able and inclined to do research where there are gaps in your own knowledge, be collaborative and a good listener, and understand the business.” MORE . . .
Julius Melnitzer is a Toronto-based legal affairs writer, ghostwriter, writing coach and media trainer. Readers can reach him at [email protected] or https://legalwriter.net/contact.
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