TORONTO – Canadian Lawyer InHouse, a Thomson Reuters publication, has announced the winners of the second annual Innovatio Awards to recognize the innovative work of legal departments among Canadian businesses and their legal service providers.

This year’s honourees are:

• BMO – Innovation of the Year and Litigation Management, Large Department
• EDC (Economic Development Canada) – Law Department Management, Large Department
• Bell Mobility/McCarthys/Cognition – Working with External Counsel, Large Department
• TD Bank – Risk Management, Large Department
• Imdad Ali, legal counsel, BMO – Tomorrow’s Leader, Large Department
• Interac Association/Acxsys Corp. – Law Department Management, Small Department
• Aecon Construction – Diversity, Small Department
• RBC – Diversity, Small Department
• Mount Sinai Hospital/Cognition LLP – Working with External Counsel, Small Department
• DHX Media – InHouse M&A Dealmakers, Small Department
• 3M Canada/Blair Fantillo – Compliance, Small Department
• Harpreet Sidu, general counsel, Pethealth Inc. – Tomorrow’s Leader, Small Department

The Innovatio Awards celebrate in-house legal departments that have embraced innovation and improved the way they practise in today’s complex environment. From running a department, to working with global partners and managing tight-budgets to achieve great outcomes, the winners represent the best practices from in-house departments across Canada. Honourees were peer-nominated, and finalists were selected by a venerated panel of judges consisting of senior in-house counsel from 10 different Canadian public and private organizations. Winners were announced during an award ceremony in downtown Toronto last night.

“Once upon a time, in-house law departments primarily focused on their roles as litigators and guardians of an organization. But today, we see both large and small in-house departments, alike, adapting to the new reality of an ever-connected business and legal environment that requires innovative and creative solutions to serve the needs of their organizations,” said Gail J. Cohen, editor in chief of Canadian Lawyer and emcee during last night’s ceremony. “It is an honour to recognize these law departments and individuals who have demonstrated excellence and inspired the legal community through their work – congratulations.”

For more on the Innovatio Awards, including profiles of all of this year’s honourees, visit canadianlawyermag.com/inhouse.

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