By Marie Laure Leclercq
Last year, when seats opened up on the national Board of Directors under the new governance structure, I decided to apply, and I had the privilege of sitting on the first board faced with the challenge of operating under the new CBA 2.0 structure.
Through my work with the national Board, I gained even more knowledge and experience than I had hoped for.
I especially learned a great deal about governance, particularly the importance of process when it comes to achieving results: perhaps oddly, this was a deep philosophical revelation for me, which I now apply in other areas of my personal and professional life.
I see the Board as an opportunity to experience many individual and group work experiences and as an opportunity that allowed me to showcase and hone, in a responsible way, my legal, managerial (including but not limited to marketing, finance, accounting and human resources), psychological and communications skills and knowledge.
Some of my favourite experiences from the year include serving on the Funding Formula Task Force and representing the CBA at the International Association of Lawyers annual congress in Toronto last year. But sitting on the selection committee for the Viscount Bennett Fellowship was the highlight for me: working diligently to select a candidate for whom this fellowship will make a real difference, either in their life or their family’s life, was a truly fulfilling human experience.
Of course, this all involved a great deal of work. Anyone who would like to apply should be forewarned: you need knowledge of the Association, enough discipline to manage the additional workload while continuing your professional practice and maintaining your personal life, and a good dose of passion for the CBA.
I am beginning my second year with my eyes wide open, strengthened by my experience, and conscious of our collective responsibility as a Board to carry out our duty to the best of our abilities.
Marie Laure Leclercq, a lawyer with De Grandpré Chait LLP in Montreal, is the CBA Board member from Quebec.