Catherine Nicholson

Senior Counsel @Manulife

Toronto, ON, CA

Reinsurance• Key member of internal legal team that supported the 3 largest reinsurance transactions undertaken by Manulife which involved extensive interaction with senior executives, managing large groups across the organization and adapting to fast changing priorities• Provide legal support and project management expertise for new products and business initiatives that involve reinsurancePrivacy and Cyber• Worked with Group Reinsurance to develop and roll out new treaty provisions and information security risk processes to meet OSFI B-10 requirements• Negotiate expanded privacy and cyber provisions with Canadian and foreign reinsurers including comprehensive information security risk assessmentsM & A and Corporate • Advise senior management, directors and other stakeholders on complex legal and regulatory matters • Provide legal support at all stages of transactions including due diligence, negotiation, communications and managing external counsel• Structured and implemented reorganizations and other transactions in collaboration with business and functional groups (e.g. tax, treasury, finance)Corporate Governance• Act as Reinsurance Centre of Excellence lead and corporate secretary for Manulife reinsurance subsidiaries • Managed global subsidiary capital transactions including training and supervision of clerks• Led global subsidiary governance review to assess current state and identify opportunities to enhance governance practices and efficiency across organizationRegulatory• Operationalize regulatory requirements to ensure compliance and risk management• Liaise with OSFI and other regulators with respect to approvals, proposed legislation and other regulatory mattersIntellectual Property and Brand Protection• Oversaw Manulife’s global IP portfolio including advising on brand protection and enforcement • Led global IP audit to rationalize Manulife’s IP portfolio for enhanced risk protection and cost savings

York University - Osgoode Hall Law School

Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.), Law

McGill University

Bachelor of Science (BSc), Psychology