Team size:   7  

How do you approach managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crises, and how does your legal strategy align with the broader business strategy to ensure the organisation’s resilience? 

In times of instability or crisis, my approach to managing legal aspects centres on ensuring my team clearly understands their role in achieving the organisation’s strategic goals. I emphasise the importance of their contributions, particularly in mitigating legal risks, which often surface in critical provider agreements. These agreements are essential for maintaining business continuity during crises. I encourage the team to update existing agreement templates to safeguard the execution of the business strategy, underpinned by comprehensive risk analyses. 

Collaboration is key to this approach. My team works closely with other departments to adopt a holistic perspective on risk management. This not only allows us to consider diverse viewpoints but also helps expand our knowledge beyond the legal field. We continuously build our expertise in areas like data privacy and cybersecurity, which are pivotal to the organisation’s digital transformation strategy. By doing so, we ensure that the legal strategy is aligned with broader business objectives, enhancing the organisation’s overall resilience. 

What are the main cases or transactions you have been involved in recently? 

Recently, my team has been deeply engaged in negotiating software agreements critical to the development of several digital products and internal applications that support the organisation’s core business strategy. These agreements are vital to driving digital innovation and ensuring that our operations remain aligned with the overarching strategic goals of the business. 

What emerging technologies do you see as having the most significant impact on the legal profession in the near future, and how do you stay updated on these developments? 

The legal profession is undergoing a significant transformation due to emerging technologies, with virtual legal assistants at the forefront. These AI-powered assistants are increasingly taking on repetitive, time-consuming tasks that previously occupied much of the legal department’s bandwidth. By automating such tasks, legal professionals are freed up to concentrate on more complex, high-value work that requires critical thinking and legal expertise. This shift leads to more efficient resource use and the delivery of higher-quality legal services. 

Virtual assistants are highly customisable, tailored to the specific needs of a legal department, which significantly enhances their utility. Another key technology is automation in document review and contract lifecycle management (CLM). This not only speeds up processes but also generates valuable data that informs decision-making and helps implement legal performance metrics. However, traditional key performance indicators (KPIs), which focus on quantity or revenue, often fail to reflect the true contributions of a legal department, especially in areas like risk management and compliance. I believe emerging technologies will play a crucial role in creating more comprehensive KPIs that can better communicate the legal department’s value in business terms. 

To stay abreast of these developments, I regularly engage with industry reports, attend legal tech conferences, and collaborate with peers who are also navigating the evolving landscape of legal technology.