May 2019 – My Interviews

Christian Deslauriers is a Criminal Law attorney who has his own partnership, Deslauriers and Lemieux. He obtained his civil law degree from Laval University in Quebec City in 2000. After that, he pursued his Bar certification a year later. Once he completed the necessary requirements, he began practicing law by working at the Office of the Prosecutor of International Criminal Tribunal for the former country of Yugoslavia in the Balkans.

Although he enjoyed the job, he soon left to pursue additional education and ended up obtaining his Juris Doctor title at Ottawa University. While completing these studies, Christian Deslauriers focused on Common Law. Simultaneously, he also became a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada.

Why did you choose to pursue a career in the field in which you currently work?

I wanted to become a lawyer because this profession intrigued me from an early age. I remember watching TV shows like Law and Order and thinking how incredible it would be to have a job where one argues cases in court. Once I finished high school, I also realized that I have very good communication skills and an ability to study with a great attention to detail. So, I felt that pursuing a law degree was the right decision. Many years later, I am happy to say that this was the right choice as I never regretted my academic endeavors.

In what way does your professional role make it possible for you to have a positive impact on others?

Well, depending on the role which is being discussed, I think that there are a few different ways in which I can impact people. Obviously, being an attorney is the first one that comes to mind since it is my main occupation. More importantly, lawyers are known to work directly for the people who need representation during legal challenges.

My impact boils down to my ability to give somebody a second chance by helping them avoid false charges or overcome crimes that might have happened as a consequence of immaturity, some simple mistakes, and so on. Even when I am unable to completely save somebody from the legal system, my skills allow me to negotiate a fair punishment that will help that person become a better version of themselves.

As far as my other ventures, I also work as a manager for Diana Roze. My involvement there has allowed her to reach her dreams and become a recording artist. Lastly, all of the software projects that I have participated in aimed to provide people with better payment systems that would make their lives more convenient.

Can you give our readers any advice about starting their own business?

You should not base your decision to start a business on factors that limit how wide the array of opportunities is. In other words, you should not only focus solely on the things that you may be passionate about. Although this sounds counterintuitive, it has helped me get involved with a lot of different markets and attain some hefty profits in each.

For instance, if you are a lawyer who only wants to work with law-related businesses, you are effectively reducing the number of eligible opportunities. Instead, learning how some other market works and becoming an investor there could help you use your different set of skills to present new ideas. Eventually, you might even start liking the new industry that you entered, and it could become a full-time passion.

What do you do for recreation?

I try to exercise at least a few times a week. Usually, this takes place early in the morning before my day starts. That way, I feel energized and have some adrenaline rushing even before I get any coffee in my system. Additionally, I try to do something with my friends or family no less than once or twice a week. Sometimes, this can be a simple movie night at the theater or at home. There are also days when I get everybody to come out and we have a little picnic or take a long walk.

Is there an Australian you admire or who has had a profound influence on you personally or professionally? Explain.

Geoffrey Edelsten would probably be the first person that comes to mind. For those unfamiliar, he is an entrepreneur who operates in the field of medicine and is mostly known for founding the Allied Medical Group. His approach to medicine helped revolutionize the Australian healthcare system and ensured patient care improved by enormous margins, bulk billing came to life, medical centers with longer hours started operating, and much more. He is the type of person that was able to jump-start a positive movement which resulted in a better life for millions of people.

As a leading management compensation consultant, Jason Borrevik has established his reputation as a knowledgeable expert in both fields of technology and law. He was born and raised in Oregon where he went to high school and the University of Oregon. After graduating with a degree in economics, however, he moved to California to pursue a degree in law.

Afterward, Jason Borrevik joined one of the most prominent law firms in the country, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, and spent nearly a decade working with clients who needed help in the areas of law and technology. Now, however, he serves Compensia as a Principal who spends a lot of his time working with a wide range of private and public technology company clients that require high-level consulting from someone who understands the compensation market very well.

What does an average day look like for you?

I usually start my day the night before by creating a detailed agenda and list of action items for the next day. This helps me get going the moment that I wake up and I do not have to waste any time doing last-minute planning. I normally sleep between six to seven hours and start work by 7. I typically work 10 to 12 hours a day and work ranges from developing client-specific reports to participating in client calls and Board meetings. These meetings can be in-person or via phone/video.

Was there ever a time when you doubted your career choices and decisions?

Definitely. Even now, I still have some moments when I question myself and wonder if I could have completed a certain project in a more efficient way. Those periods where I analyze my own decisions, however, are almost always very short-lived as I do not dwell on the past. If I made a judgment call and there is no way to change it, I do not believe that additional stress will help.

How do you deal with the constantly evolving market and the never-ending amount of knowledge that you must possess to remain efficient?

I spend a lot of time catching up with the latest trends in the market. This means that I learn something new almost every day. Although it can get pretty tiring after a while, you have to understand that your consulting practice is solely dependent on your ability to offer current advice to your clients. So, if you fall behind and are not familiar with the latest changes, you will be setting your clients up for failure.

What have been some unexpected developments in your industry that caught you off guard?

Political and regulatory developments can lead to unexpected outcomes in the compensation filed. For instance, the current administration’s changes to the tax law impacted compensation practices in a material way.

Would you agree that most entrepreneurs who fail can only blame themselves for such outcomes?

To an extent. I think that is a pretty harsh statement, however, as certain businessmen and women fail due to extenuating circumstances that they have no control over. For instance, almost all Blockbuster owners went out of business when Netflix became popular. In most cases, however, this was not their fault but simply an evolution of the market that they could not keep up with.

Month: May 2019