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Practice makes Perfect

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This article was published 23/05/2019 (2323 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

As long as there is a functioning economy in Manitoba, Catherine Howden will never have a shortage of work.

A partner at Pitblado Law, Howden’s preferred area of practice is bankruptcy and insolvency as well as debtor-creditor issues. She acts on behalf of a number of financial institutions and when their business or personal clients run into financial difficulty, she’s on speed-dial.

“There is always work. If there is a downturn in the economy, there is more work,” she says. “Your work changes depending on what is happening in the economy. One industry might be doing great but another is not.”

Developing knowledge in an area as complicated as bankruptcy requires focus and commitment, and often there is a sense of urgency, if a company is not meeting its payroll or paying taxes, for example.

“You don’t dabble in it. You are usually learning on a very fast curve because a lot is happening and significant decisions have to be made very quickly,” Howden says.

“It’s a big puzzle. You have to figure out what fits where.”

Called to the Manitoba bar in 1992, she initially had a general litigation practice, but found her calling while working with another partner, who became an invaluable mentor.

“It is great to have a sounding board and somebody who understands your language and finds it interesting. There are always different approaches to a problem, and you need to be able to quickly identify and provide strategic and practical advice to the client.”

Mentors have also played a role in the number of files that cross the desks of Pitblado partners Nicole Hamilton and Karen Poetker, both of whom work in the construction industry.

Poetker says there is no substitute for gaining experience with senior litigators.

“I developed relationships with the lawyers in our office and the clients. You also tend to get referral work from people in the practice area, especially on large files where many parties are involved and conflicts tend to arise,” she says.

Hamilton took an interest in matters involving builders’ liens and the litigation arising from them.

“It’s a small pocket of people who do this kind of work so you establish relationships with other counsel on the files. That triggers referrals on conflict issues, which always come up in a city the size of Winnipeg,” she says.

“As a junior lawyer, having a mentor is very important. That is who you are going to consult with, who you learn from, and who you work alongside. As you gain experience, you are in more of a position to fly on your own or to tag team with colleagues in the office on larger matters.”

But because Winnipeg is a relatively small legal market, you can’t focus too narrowly. Poetker, for example, also does a lot of insurance-related work while Hamilton handles a lot of estate cases.

“They are totally different areas of practice,” Hamilton says, “but it keeps things interesting; there is never a dull moment.”

The three partners along with their colleagues, have created a formidable team in the Winnipeg legal landscape.

Learn more about Pitblado partners and their areas of practice at pitblado.com.