Bindu Cudjoe is the strategic advisor of Bindustries Consulting and a former executive and chief legal officer in the financial services industry, including Laurentian Bank and BMO 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 at McCarthy Tetrault, and a former global general counsel for a Fortune 500 company. They spoke to the CL Talk podcast about how in-house counsel need to shift from being perceived as the “Department of No” to a trusted strategic advisor, and how they can manage the transition.

Clio’s 2024 legal trends report highlighted significant growth in artificial intelligence usage in the legal profession. Chris Stock, VP of legal content and migrations at Clio, spoke to the CL Talk podcast about what is behind this rapid adoption and what it means for the role of lawyers. Stock highlighted AI's role in automating tasks, reducing costs, and addressing the legal talent gap and provided predictions about the longer-term impact on how lawyers run their businesses.

Last spring, Jill Fraser was appointed the managing partner of Aird & Berlis, a full-service law firm based in Toronto. She spoke to the CL Talk podcast about finalizing the firm's strategic plan, investing in people and technology, transitioning her practice and the firm’s plan to expand in Vancouver.

Tali Green is the CEO of legal tech platform Goodfact, which builds case chronologies for litigators. She spoke to the CL Talk podcast about why she initially did not build her product with artificial intelligence but has recently integrated it. Green also spoke about the shift in the legal profession's acceptance of AI and plans for her product, including medical record optimization and expanding into global markets.

Caroline Zayid is the regional managing partner for Ontario at McCarthy Tétrault. She spoke to the CL Talk podcast about her multifaceted role, the broader landscape of litigation in Canada, and her reflections on being a returning judge at the 2025 Canadian Law Awards. Nominations are open now for the Canadian Law Awards. The deadline to submit is January 31. Nominate at https://www.lawawards.ca.

Benjamin Perrin has always been critical of the justice system. Last year, we spoke to him about his book, which put the criminal justice system on trial and argued for a shift from a tough-on-crime to trauma-informed approach. More recently, he has shifted his focus to generative AI, examining the good and bad applications in the classroom and beyond. He spoke on the CL Talk podcast about the implications of this technology on his students, fellow law professors, and the justice system in Canada and worldwide.

Western Canadian law firm Stringam Law has had a sustained period of expansion, transforming from a single location to an established network with offices across Alberta and Saskatchewan. With that growth came a strategic shift to a more corporate leadership approach, culminating in Kurt Schlachter's appointment as CEO in 2023. Unlike many law firm leaders who continue to practise law, Schlachter took on a full-time management role in line with the firm’s plans to do things differently. This has allowed him to focus on expansion and internal culture. The firm now operates out of 15 offices and plans to increase its presence in Western Canada. He spoke with CL Talk about his leadership philosophy and his firm's expansion plans.

Catherine Meade is the vice president, community, sustainability and social responsibility at Ontario Lottery & Gaming Corporation. For our CL Talk podcast, Meade discussed cultivating an ESG commitment at OLG and measuring success. She will appear on a panel examining that topic at Canadian Lawyer’s ESG summit on October 30 in Toronto. Visit this webpage for more information on the ESG Summit: https://www.esg-summit.ca/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=editorial_article&utm_campaign=esgsc2024&utm_content=awareness&utm_term=asset01

Michael Kelly is OMERS's chief legal and sustainability officer, leading the pensions fund’s approach to sustainable investing and ESG. For our CL Talk podcast, he discussed managing stakeholder and investor expectations in a changing sustainability landscape. Kelly will appear on a panel examining this topic at Canadian Lawyer’s ESG Summit on October 30 in Toronto. Visit this webpage for more information: https://www.esg-summit.ca/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=editorial_article&utm_campaign=esgsc2024&utm_content=awareness&utm_term=asset01

Poonam Puri is a corporate director and professor at Osgoode Hall Law School. She holds the York Research Chair in Corporate Governance, Investor Protection and Financial Markets. For our CL Talk podcast, Puri discussed the role of in-house counsel in navigating ESG in a high-stakes environment. She will deliver the opening address on this topic at Canadian Lawyer’s ESG summit on October 30 in Toronto. Click here for more information on the ESG Summit: https://www.esg-summit.ca/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=editorial_article&utm_campaign=esgsc2024&utm_content=awareness&utm_term=asset01