On March 27, I participated in the Day in the Life program arranged by McGill Law’s Career Development Office. As this meeting was arranged over a month in advance, I came prepared with questions and a sense of what I was hoping to learn through this experience. I was going to be meeting with Mr. Norm Steinberg, a McGill law graduate, with over 43 years of experience as a corporate lawyer working at Norton Rose Fulbright (and its predecessor, Ogilvy Renault). As the former Global Chair for Norton Rose Fulbright, Mr. Steinberg was involved in the expansion and growth of the firm.
Over the course of his career, Mr. Steinberg has sat on the boards of many different companies and non-profit organizations throughout Canada, ranging from an AI translation company to Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal. I was hoping to learn more about how Mr. Steinberg achieved such success in his career and, in particular, how he transitioned from a career as a prominent lawyer to working in the business world, serving such a wide range of companies.
Mr. Steinberg had prepared an engaging schedule. We met at his office in BFL Canada, where Mr. Steinberg serves as the company’s Vice Chair and sits on its board. I had the opportunity to ask questions and learn about Mr. Steinberg’s background. The discussions ranged from Mr. Steinberg’s experience being admitted to McGill Law as a student, to his work scaling the Montreal-based practice Ogilvy Renault into the global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright. He explained how his transition into the business world was natural, how his experience as a corporate lawyer was relevant and valuable to the boards he served.
Before we departed the BFL building, Mr. Steinberg introduced me to Mr. Daniel Radulescu, General Counsel for BFL Insurance. Over the course of our conversation, I learned more about BFL, and its distinct advantages over competitors, comprising its entrepreneurial approach, a robust and cohesive national strategy, and its unique employee compensation scheme. Mr. Radulescu explained how aspects of BFL’s business require guidance and help by in-house counsel, and how he leveraged his litigation experience at his prior law firm to guide his decision making at BFL.
Next, Mr. Steinberg and I took a short walk to Fiera Capital, where Mr. Steinberg serves on its Board of Directors, acts as Chair of the Governance and Nominating Committee, and works closely with the legal team. At Fiera, we met with Melanie Giuliani, a member of Fiera’s legal counsel team. Mr. Steinberg, Mrs. Giuliani, and I discussed some of the recent trends in ESG and DEI. Mrs. Giuliani explained how Fiera is working to integrate ESG and DEI into its corporate strategy. Investors, whether they are private individuals or institutional investment funds, are asking how investment firms ensure that their capital is being used in a responsible way. Legislation is beginning to reflect this change in attitude, and Mrs. Giuliani explained how Fiera will likely need to respond to these different duties and obligations imposed on it.
Mrs. Giuliani also spoke about her time working as counsel at the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the airline trade association, which, among other activities, helps to reconcile airline and travel agent fees. Mrs. Guiliani had to adapt quickly and learn how to handle legal problems she had never encountered while working at her previous law firm. In being successful at her new job, Mrs. Giuliani emphasized the importance of being open to learning and maintaining an intellectually curious mind.
Finally, Mr. Steinberg and I went out for lunch. We discussed some of the takeaways from my morning with him. One of the key lessons I learned was the importance of maintaining long-term relationships. Whether that relationship is with a client, a colleague, or even a local business owner, long-term and lasting relationships are essential to building a strong practice and becoming successful in the field. Throughout his career, Mr. Steinberg explained how the connections he built transformed into new and unexpected opportunities. In addition to his legal expertise, Mr. Steinberg’s vast network of connections often proves invaluable in helping the companies on whose boards he sits. This is only possible if one puts the time and effort into building these relationships.
From my discussions with Mr. Radulescu and Mrs. Giuliani, I came to understand the importance of being open to challenges and learning from new experiences. In their careers, both made radical transitions in the type of legal work they do, but they managed to draw on the skills they had previously developed and grow and adapt to their new environment.
As we concluded the discussion and I walked Mr. Steinberg back to his office, we promised to keep in touch and stay connected. The discussions and lessons learned from Day in the Life were invaluable. I plan to take this knowledge forward with me into my future career.
This blog post is a submission by Samuel Benzaquen, a 2L at McGill Law who participated in the Day in the Life shadowing pilot program.
