The highlight of our meeting was a thoughtful and inspiring panel discussion titled “Beyond the Title: Honest Conversations About Career Pivots, Reinvention and Finding a Better Fit,” moderated by Rotary member Sandra Lowe.

Panelists:

• Claire – Chief Legal Talent Officer at a 70‑lawyer firm (Singleton Urquhart Reynolds Vogel LLP), former practicing lawyer and partner
• Janiene – Director of Operations & Talent at a local litigation boutique (Met Law Litigation Counsel), with 17+ years in the legal field
• Shirley – Director of Operations at Coast Mountain Bus Company (TransLink), responsible for all bus operations, transit communications, and transit security, and leading a team of about 4,000 people

Sandra framed the conversation around one central question: What happens when your job title no longer fits who you are or who you’re becoming?
 

Claire: From Partner to Legal Talent & AI Leader

Claire described her journey from practicing lawyer and law firm partner to a leadership role overseeing the full lawyer lifecycle, legal technology and AI strategy, and equity, diversity and inclusion.

Early in her career, she worried that time spent on internal committees, mentoring, and training programs was holding her back from the billable work needed for traditional success. A business coach challenged that view and asked: “What if you leaned into the work that actually gives you energy?”

By embracing what she loved—developing people and improving the firm from the inside—she found not only greater satisfaction but also new opportunities. Eventually, this led her to pivot out of partnership into firm management. She acknowledged the emotional challenge of giving up the identity of ‘partner’ and business owner, but emphasized that following her strengths and enthusiasm has led to a more fulfilling role.

Janiene: Many Roles, One Career – and the Power of Self‑Awareness

Janiene has seen the legal world from almost every angle: she started as a receptionist, then became a legal assistant, paralegal, and later a lawyer. She eventually launched a coaching and consulting business for legal professionals, and today serves as Director of Operations & Talent at a litigation boutique.

Her experience has shown her that titles can be both helpful and limiting. In some firms, a title defines you very narrowly. In others, one title hides a wide variety of responsibilities—her own role includes elements of operations, professional development, marketing, business development, and coaching.

Janine emphasized that many professionals are so busy they rarely pause to ask:

• What am I actually good at?
• What do I enjoy most in my day?
• Where do I feel energized, not drained?

It was stepping back to answer these questions that led her to leave full‑time practice, start her coaching work, and ultimately move into management. Now she brings coaching tools into her firm by holding regular one‑to‑one meetings with associates and staff, creating a safe, ongoing conversation about what is and isn’t working, and how roles and development can evolve over time.
 

Shirley: From Public Affairs to the Front Line of Operations

Shirley shared a compelling story of reinvention inside the same organization. She began her career in 1999. Now is is the Director of Operations. For many years she built a highly successful career in Government & Public Affairs: community engagement, municipal relations, provincial and federal advocacy, and even pioneering Indigenous relations for TransLink.

At one point she asked then‑CEO Kevin Desmond how she could advance further. His response was clear: she needed operations experience. It was a moment that exposed a blind spot—she had never really imagined herself as an operations leader.

After an initial unsuccessful application for a SkyTrain role, she later applied for the Director of Operations (buses) position. In conversations with the VP, she was very direct: if they wanted “more of the same,” she wasn’t their candidate. But if they wanted change, she brought strong leadership skills, relationship‑building experience, an understanding of the enterprise, and a deep personal connection to transit (as the daughter of a long‑time bus operator).

Audience Questions: Networking and Younger Generations

During Q&A, members asked about the role of networking and the impact of online connections vs. meeting in person.

• All three panelists agreed that networking is critical to career development and to opening doors to new paths—often more so than we realize.
• Online networking (e.g., LinkedIn, virtual coffees) has made it easier to form subject‑matter‑based connections across cities and even countries. Claire noted that she has meaningfully helped people she has never met in person, thanks to these online relationships.
• At the same time, they stressed that in‑person relationships remain irreplaceable, especially in people‑centred settings like transit depots or Rotary itself.

The panel also touched on younger professionals, many of whom entered the workforce during or after COVID and may feel less comfortable with traditional in‑person networking (some don’t even carry business cards). This is an area where more mentoring and modelling from experienced professionals can help.
 

Key Takeaways

The conversation consistently returned to a few core messages:

• Titles do not define you.
• Pay close attention to what you’re good at and what gives you energy—these are powerful guides for your next step.
• Networking and relationships are essential, both for opening doors and for supporting others along the way.
• Change is rarely easy—especially when it involves letting go of a long‑held identity—but it can lead to more meaningful, better‑fitting careers.
• In a world of rapid technological change, it is our human skills and values that ultimately set us apart.