Alumnus Ronnie Ollo (Corporate, 2013 – 2019), Senior Vice President, Investments at Brookfield Asset Management, practiced in the firm’s Corporate Department. Ronnie received his B.A. from McGill University and his J.D. from McGill University Faculty of Law.

1. What renewable energy trends excite you most?

In some respects, the most exciting industry trends are really beyond pure-play renewables. In many markets today, adding new solar and wind projects already represents the most economical way of expanding generation capacity and feature a distinct advantage from an energy security perspective. Equally exciting, in my view, are certain other elements of the broader decarbonization and energy transition shift. For example, the build-out of battery storage capacity, the development of sophisticated carbon capture technologies and newer, safer modes of nuclear generation (including small modular reactors) will all be key ingredients for transitioning to a low-carbon energy future.

2. Any advice on providing mentorship in the workplace?

It is really important to both provide, and seek out, mentorship where possible. I think the rise in remote working has made obtaining mentorship even more important and actually much more challenging, particularly for lawyers in the earlier phases of their career. Some firms, like Paul, Weiss, do a fantastic job of “hard wiring” mentorship by pairing up junior lawyers with more senior lawyers. In other workplaces, you will often need to be a bit more proactive. Raising your hand for special projects or pro bono assignments can be an amazing conduit for forging new relationships. I would recommend maintaining those relationships even after the project is finished by scheduling an informal catch-up meeting over coffee or lunch.

3. Knowing what you know now, what would you tell yourself as a younger lawyer?

I would reinforce the message to not be afraid to step outside my comfort zone. Some of the most rewarding experiences in my career have come from taking on challenges that looked totally different from matters that I had worked on previously—both in terms of substantive learning and equally in getting to interact with incredibly smart, capable and wonderful colleagues who I otherwise would not have had the chance to work with. At Brookfield, solving for complexity during the investment process is part of our “DNA” and, in that sense, being open to new experiences and different ways of thinking is incredibly valuable.