OUR PURPOSE
We enable GCs to lead with impact, supported by a trusted peer community and practical leadership development tailored to the GC role.
MEET OUR FOUNDERS
Paula Pepin
Founder | Executive Coach | Former General Counsel
Paula Pepin is a former General Counsel and recognized business leader with more than 20 years of experience leading Legal and HR functions in global, high-growth organizations.
After stepping down from her GC role in 2020, Paula founded GC Collective to support General Counsel evolve from legal experts into strategic business executives—equipped to lead high-performing teams and navigate complex business environments with confidence.
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Paula is a certified professional executive coach who brings over two decades of experience in Legal and HR executive roles, culminating in her recent position as Senior Vice-President, Head of Legal and Corporate Secretary at Hootsuite, one of the most widely used social media relationship platform. As a member of the executive team, she played a pivotal role in the company's growth, overseeing its expansion to more than 1,100 employees, supporting the establishment of offices across Europe, Asia, and Central America and leading the company through eight acquisitions.
Driven by a passion to bridge the gap between legal expertise and leadership acumen, Paula founded a boutique consulting firm dedicated to transforming and scaling in-house legal departments. Over the past five years, she has worked with globally-recognized brands to build strategic plans for their legal teams and implement programs that turn them into high-performing, cohesive units capable of delivering greater value to their organizations. Her unique coaching approach fosters collaboration among legal leaders, helping them evolve into aligned teams that excel in operational execution.
Through her tailored coaching and advisory services designed for in-house counsel, Paula has helped countless legal leaders evolve into strategic business executives, equipped with the necessary skills to navigate complex organizational environments with confidence.
Since the launch of the GC Collective in 2023, Paula's human-centric, values-driven approach has resonated deeply within the legal community, as evidenced by the rapid growth of the collective.
Recognized as one of the Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers in 2024, Paula remains committed to redefining the role of the GC and empowering legal leaders with the skills and resources to succeed in today’s dynamic business landscape.
Jenn Smyth Whelly
Co-Founder | Business Strategist
Jenn Smyth-Whelly brings over 25 years of experience in strategy, operations, and leadership. Her career has focused on helping organizations and leaders successfully navigate change. As a seasoned executive, Jenn has guided businesses through complex transformations by combining strategic insight with practical solutions that support both organizational goals and the people who drive them.
Jenn is one of a handful of experts around the globe that specializes in strategic planning, operations and leadership specifically for in-house Legal departments. Jenn has advised at Lululemon, Affirm, Epcor, KPMG, Miro, Seaspan and University of Toronto to implement winning strategic plans that elevated the impact and value of legal teams.
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Across the globe, Jenn is one of a handful of experts that holds a niche specialization focused on strategy planning for in-house legal teams. She has worked with several recognized brands - Lululemon, Affirm, University of Toronto, Epcor and Seaspan - who have crafted a sustainable vision for their legal teams, their structure, processes and accountabilities resulting in a lean, efficient, and results-driven legal department. GCs and CLOs seek Jenn’s counsel on how best to strategically elevate the impact and value of their departments.
As a former VP of Strategy at Hootsuite, Jenn was responsible for the corporate-level PMO function that managed the highest prioritized strategic projects and she led the business technology function that was responsible for governing the corporate data warehouse and administering 300+ enterprise SaaS tools for the business.
Prior to Hootsuite, Jenn was the General Manager of NGRAIN where she led the company through a strategic transformation from a services-based to product-centric model. She also worked alongside the Board and team to a successful acquisition to mCloud.
Finally Jenn is sought-after for her seasoned facilitation skills and ability to create clarity in messy, complicated situations. She is known for fostering a deep understanding of different ways of thinking and building connective tissue between teams, and pushing toward big goals that leave a lasting impact.
WHY WE EXIST
IT’S A LONELY PLACE TO LEAD
Today’s GCs are expected to lead teams, shape business decisions, and operate as strategic partners to the executive team. They’re building functions, navigating increasing complexity, and rethinking how their teams operate and scale. And yet, most are doing this without a clear playbook, and without peers inside their organization who truly understand the role.
GC Collective brings together General Counsel and Chief Legal Officers, creating a space where they can show up as themselves, connect with peers, and grow as leaders through honest, meaningful dialogue and shared experience.
Through that dialogue, and access to practical leadership development grounded in the unique reality of the GC role, members gain the clarity, confidence, and tools to lead with greater impact across their teams, their business, and themselves. Because when General Counsel lead with clarity and confidence, their organizations are stronger for it.
WHAT WE OFFER
MASTERCLASSES
(In-Person)
In-person, highly interactive learning experiences focused on real leadership challenges, and grounded in peer dialogue.
LEADERSHIP Development
LEARNING DAY
(Virtual)
High-impact virtual leadership sessions designed by GC Collective, focused on the core leadership skills every GC needs to succeed.
OPERATIONS LABS
(Virtual)
Expert-led virtual series designed to build operational and innovation capabilities, through small, interactive group sessions.
EXECUTIVE CIRCLES
(Virtual)
Confidential executive forums led by a qualified coach where a trusted cohort acts as your personal advisory board as you work through real leadership challenges.
Our Community Values
inclusive
trust
Leadership grows where trust is protected and diverse perspectives are welcomed through honest, candid dialogue.
carefully
Curated
Small, carefully vetted rooms create stronger conversations and stronger leaders.
Real
Experience
We bridge lived GC experience with proven leadership frameworks.
Human
Centred
We recognize the human behind the role and support leadership that prioritizes oneself, empathy, and authenticity.
Practical
Leadership
Insight only matters if it changes how you lead tomorrow.