Sanders monitors changes to defamation law and internet regulation
As principal and general counsel at business management consultant firm, Navigator, James Sanders divides his time between his two different roles – advising boards and individuals on high-stakes public affairs issues as principal, while also focusing on legal affairs, as general counsel.
“I tend to lead engagements with a complex legal element to them so it’s helpful for me to be able to speak the same language as both the lawyers and the public affairs team,” he says.
After starting his career as an M&A lawyer at Blakes, Sanders moved in-house at Labatt Breweries of Canada where he continued to hone his M&A skills, before moving away from the legal side to the public affairs team as head of industry and public affairs. When the opportunity arose in 2021 to join Navigator, Sanders felt it was a perfect fit.
“I’d spent part of my career purely as a lawyer, and then part of my career as a lobbyist and a public affairs advisor, so Navigator offered the best of both worlds,” says Sanders. “I get to spend part of my time being the firm's general counsel, and then part of my time being a public affairs consultant to our clients.”
Sanders always keeps a close eye on developments in defamation law, as an important part of his role at Navigator is protecting clients from damaging claims in the media. He frequently works with clients and their counsel to assess when to push back on the publication of a story, versus simply responding to it. This year, he is also carefully watching the federal lobbyist code of conduct as draft changes are currently under consideration.
Another priority for Sanders this year is monitoring changes to the regulation of the internet as public policy experts grapple with regulating speech on social media platforms.
“How we regulate what’s posted on the internet and how that information is accessed by users will inevitably influence how businesses and individuals think about managing their reputation,” says Sanders.
Navigator has approximately 80 employees working at different locations across Canada, so Sanders maintains touchpoints with all areas of the business and sets up meetings to introduce himself to new employees when they first join the company.
“It’s really important for the general counsel in an organization to get involved in the operations of the business because if you don't really know the people who operate your business and what they do every day, it's really hard to provide practical legal advice,” he says. “In my case, I'm lucky because I spend at least half of my time on the revenue-generating side of the business, so my colleagues tend to know and trust that I'm aligned with their business goals.”
On the legal front, Sanders is focused on reducing pain points for the business. For example, he is always looking for ways to make the contracting process with clients less painful and to streamline compliance with lobbying regulations to help everyone do their jobs more efficiently.
He is also involved in supporting the evolution of post-pandemic policies to support the health and well-being of employees. For example, Navigator has introduced an unlimited vacation policy, and the flexibility to work from home.
“Our work at Navigator is super unpredictable so we want to treat our colleagues like adults and trust they will deliver high quality work while ensuring they take care of themselves,” says Sanders.
