Jon Domanko believes law firms provide essential training grounds for lawyers who want in-house careers
By Julius Melnitzer | July 5, 2023
When Jon Domanko decided he liked the in-house counsel’s job better than his boss’, he set out on an unwavering course that took him to his current position as Tim Hortons’ top lawyer in Canada.
“As a junior marketer at Coca-Cola I did a lot of product work with the company’s in-house counsel,” he said. “Her job looked a lot more interesting than mine.”
Law school followed, but before Domanko’s call in 2009, he summered and articled at Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, where he spent most of his time working on the Coke account, which also occupied him during his two years as an associate at the firm.
Eventually, Coke called in 2011, giving Domanko the in-house opportunity he craved.
“I did mostly marketing and intellectual property law, with a bit of commercial work,” Domanko says.
The calls kept coming. In 2014, it was Tim Hortons.
“I jumped at the chance to join the quintessential Canadian brand,” Domanko says.
Domanko had barely caught his breath at his new job before Burger King and Tim Hortons merged to create the new parent company Restaurant Brands International. But he stayed where he was, mainly doing the same kind of work as he had at Coke until RBI appointed him as head of legal, Canada, responsible for Tim Hortons and Burger King operations in Canada. 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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