General Counsel and Corporate Secretary (BBA)

Marianne Bolhuis, Canadian Olympic Committee

By: Lauren O’Sullivan, Outreach & Support Peer

As an undergraduate Bachelor of Business Administration student, Marianne Bolhuis participated in co-op work terms that exposed her to in-house lawyers and helped her to realize that the legal field stretches far beyond how the profession is typically represented in popular media. Upon graduation, Marianne worked mostly in digital marketing and business transformation at a consulting startup. However, given her growing curiosity for the legal field, coupled with strong encouragement from mentors, Marianne applied to law school and graduated from Queen’s University in 2003.

Marianne currently serves as General Counsel and Corporate Secretary with the Canadian Olympic Committee. Her role stretches across different domains including governance, compliance, and contract law. As an in-house lawyer, Marianne is responsible for managing quarterly and annual board of directors’ meetings. This planning involves creating the agenda, checking by-laws and items that must be approved (e.g., sponsorship renewals), and incorporating new topics needing approval. Her role strikes a balance between predictable responsibilities and unexpected challenges such as handling employee termination claims filed against the company or resolving disputes with vendors. An in-house lawyer is a very demanding career and requires the ability to think on one’s feet. To manage her position, Marianne utilizes strong time management skills, working on more predictable projects far in advance, and building time into her schedule to deal with other urgent issues that arise.

The career of an in-house lawyer requires one to be proficient in several different areas regarding the law. In contrast, at big law firms, individuals often become experts in a niche area of law. In-house lawyers are required to share their legal expertise on a wider scope of topics, which may be viewed differently by other professionals within the company, such as their marketing team. Working with diverse personalities and opinions requires superior problem-solving skills, along with professionalism, sound judgement, and maturity. Being able to adapt and adjust to the working styles of your colleagues encourages positive communication and efficiency. Additionally, one of the most rewarding aspects of this role is being able to own a project end-to-end. Getting as involved as possible in a task is a feature often unique to in-house lawyers who have a 'bird's eye view' of their organization. While formal legal training helps people accomplish this, Marianne emphasizes that much of the role of a lawyer is learned in the workplace.

Almost anything you’ve done in your career will be a building block for a later role and often first, second or third jobs will not check all your 'dream career' boxes. Building experience and honing transferable skills are essential steps toward securing your ideal role.

According to Marianne, being open to new opportunities is key to a successful legal career. While Marianne practiced in different legal sectors including intellectual property and corporate law prior to working with the Canadian Olympic Committee, she expresses that she does not regret pursuing other opportunities. Working in big law firms provided the opportunity to sharpen her project management and drafting skills and deepen her knowledge of corporate governance. She expresses that “almost anything you’ve done in your career will be a building block for a later role,” and often first, second or third jobs will not check all your 'dream career' boxes. Building experience and honing transferable skills are essential steps toward securing your ideal role.

While there is no one playbook to follow to become an in-house lawyer, there are a few resources that are key to a successful start. The Law Society of Ontario regulates the lawyers of Ontario, ensuring they meet high standards of learning, competence, and professional conduct. It is through this organization that lawyers are licensed. Additionally, the Canadian Corporate Counsel Association (CCCA) is full of useful resources. This organization falls within the Ontario Bar Association (OBA) and has many other subdivisions supporting specific legal fields. For example, they have a young in-house lawyers division that provides information on in-house positions and resources for employment. As soon as you are a licensed lawyer, you are eligible to register with many different sectors of the OBA, including the CCCA.

Marianne acts as a mentor in a program with the CCCA. Within mentor-mentee relationships, it is helpful to seek multiple opinions and perspectives versus just taking one mentor’s advice at face value. Seeking diverse opinions (e.g., through career coffee chats 'informational interviews') and asking intelligible questions will deepen your understanding of a field and help you make more informed decisions as you progress along your career path. In one instance, a mentor discouraged Marianne from attending law school! Despite this dissuasion, it did help her think more critically about whether it was the correct career move for her.

There is no one ‘perfect personality’ best suited for a career in law. Above all else, a genuine curiosity in the field will assist you much more than any specific personality trait. The field of law is only strengthened by a variety of dispositions. As an undergraduate student, be sure to immerse yourself in a variety of law-related clubs, volunteer/work in organizations focused on legal-related topics and be sure to leverage LinkedIn to reach out to legal professionals to gain career insights!