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This is a photo of Judith McKay

Judith
McKay

Chief Client and Innovation Officer

Toronto

Contact by email at [email protected]

t. +1 416-601-7961

2921

Law School

University of Toronto

Bar Admission

Ontario, 1994

Judith takes the pulse on evolving clients’ needs while leading the charge to re-envision how law firms deliver value

In her role, Judith strategically connects the business community, market opportunities and McCarthy Tétrault lawyers while leading the firm’s Clients and Markets and Client Service Innovation teams. Leveraging her unique experience as a legal marketing executive, innovator and former global general counsel, Judith is helping to re-imagine legal services to meet the evolving needs of clients. She helps the firm develop and promote creative solutions for clients, embracing the role that technology and big data can play in driving efficiency, and optimizing clients' legal spend, without ever sacrificing quality. Among other innovative approaches, Judith founded the firm’s MT>Align division which provides clients with access to top tier independent contract lawyers to support their short-term or temporary legal needs.

" She’s very creative in her approach and she’s the Chief Client and Innovation Officer, so she’s got people in her team that do legal project management. She’s been very good in terms of helping us to use the firm’s resources as much as possible and she’s invited me to speak at events. They hold a lot of really good events so that people can come together and brainstorm ideas for working better and working smarter. She’s really driven the innovation aspect of the firm there and [they] probably stand out more than any of the other Canadian law firms in terms of innovation.  "
Client

Prior to joining the firm, Judith (a chemical engineer and an IP lawyer by training) was Vice President and General Counsel for DuPont Pioneer, responsible for legal affairs internationally. Before this position, she was Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel for DuPont Canada, where she led the company's operating team as well as legal and public affairs.

Client-centric and market-focused, Judith knows how to help general counsel in Canadian, US and global business environments succeed, precisely because she’s been in their shoes. Performing client side at the executive level in a Fortune 500 company has made Judith keenly attuned to the voice of the client and what is of value to them - and equally important - what isn’t. She draws from her considerable in-house experience to ensure the firm delivers innovative legal solutions.

" She’s amazing. She is more like our relationship partner, and less of a lawyer. She does do some practising still, but she is perfect because she’s been in-house and she knows what it’s like. She is incredibly innovative and creative, by far the best relationship partner I have worked with. She is a tremendous asset to McCarthy, I can’t say enough good things about her. "
Client

Judith is currently on the board of Lumenus, a community service agency and has served on the board of Artscape, a not-for-profit urban development organization, and was a member of the Art Toronto Opening Night Committee. She is also the firm’s relationship lead for several important firm clients as well as Women General Counsel Canada including collaboration on ground-breaking business programs for women lawyers. Judith is a past recipient of WXN’s Canada’s 100 Most Powerful Women Award, and is a frequent speaker at conferences and seminars focused on business management in the legal industry. Judith obtained her BEng (Chemical) from McMaster University and her LLB from the University of Toronto.