Mr. Derek Hayes

Derek Hayes provides a comprehensive account of his pioneering career as an in-house counsel in Canada during a transformative period for corporate legal departments. After graduating from University of Toronto Law School in 1963 and articling at McCarthy & McCarthy, Hayes pursued an LL.M. in London before beginning his corporate legal career at Massey Ferguson in 1967. His journey through several major Canadian corporations – including Massey Ferguson, Eatons, Shell Canada, and ultimately CIBC – illustrates the evolution of corporate legal practice from a stigmatized career choice to an essential business function.

Hayes describes the significant changes in corporate legal departments during the 1960s-1980s, including the professionalization of in-house counsel, the growth in department sizes, and the shift in client relationships from CEOs to General Counsel. He details his role in building legal departments at Shell Canada and CIBC, transforming them from small, underutilized groups into substantial professional operations with specialized practice areas. His experience includes unique international work as a legal advisor to the Tanzanian Attorney General (1973-74) and navigating complex corporate restructurings, including Massey Ferguson’s financial collapse.

The interview reveals the practical challenges faced by early corporate counsel, including skepticism from both business executives and private practice lawyers, the need to prove cost-effectiveness compared to outside counsel, and the evolution of more rigorous management of external legal services. Hayes emphasizes the importance of maintaining high professional standards and the ethical challenges inherent in corporate legal practice, while noting the increasing attractiveness of in-house positions for lawyers seeking challenging work with better work-life balance.

This description was written by AI and may contain some inaccuracies.