Based on your experience, what is the key to collaborating successfully with business partners?

Inadequate communication is a fundamental impediment to successful collaboration between legal and business partners. Both teams believe the other’s communication of their challenges or feedback is unclear. To successfully collaborate in my experience the following is required: stop using legal jargon and provide business friendly language; understand the industry, competition, business and aligned legal with business goals; ditch exchange of emails, get up or pick up the call and work out solution; get involved in projects at the initial stage; focus on serious or high-risk matters; show value by placing alternative options and solutions on table; be transparent and gain trust by delivering quick turnaround; and meet your business partners for matters other than work and build human connections.

These have been my mantra in my professional career, spanning over 25 years, and I believe this has helped in building good relations and collaborations with business partners, be it external or internal. I advise my team also to do the same.

How do you motivate and manage the other members of your legal team well?

Empowerment, autonomy, and trust are the fundamental characteristics I practice and follow to motivate my team. Knowing that they are empowered and have autonomy in carrying out their jobs inspires the team to take ownership of the success of their decisions. The team members are motivated to engage directly and closely with business partners. The clear division of work among them, which aligns with company requirements and goals, also helps team members focus and deliver outcomes. The team is provided regular feedback, ensuring that each team member understands their role and the impact of their work.

We meet as a team on a weekly basis to discuss work, progress, and difficulties and provide support and solutions if any are required by other team members. I always find time to respond to their queries and requests for support. The team members are always encouraged to suggest new or innovative ideas and options and be assured that their back is always covered. The focus is always on quality and timely deliverables whether the same is performed in office or at work from home.

A conscious effort is made to understand each legal team member’s professional and personal aspects. They are constantly supported and assisted by doing hand holding, training and sharing my own experiences and challenges. We do hold open one on one talks to create openness and trust within the team. We organise team outings from time to time to strengthen our personal bond. Last but not the least, recognising achievements, whether through formal awards or informal acknowledgments, helps maintain high morale and motivation within the team.

Are the effects of AI on the legal world overplayed, or underplayed

Change is constant, and whether the legal community likes it or not, AI has begun to revolutionise and impact numerous elements of legal areas, and its influence will only increase. AI-powered technologies can automate basic operations such as document review, legal research, and contract analysis thus freeing up legal practitioners’ time for higher-level work that requires judgement and discretion. AI should be viewed and used as a tool to boost human productivity and efficiency. However, AI, like any other tool, has limitations, and it cannot handle complex legal challenges that necessitate a deep understanding of context, precedent, and nuances of human behaviour.

Legal role and jobs evolve or change due the usage and adoption of AI. Certain areas like negotiations, dispute resolution, and litigation will still require human being discretion, experience and knowledge, wherein AI may possibly could not contribute. In addition, the use of AI in legal practice raises ethical concerns regarding algorithmic bias, and the protection of client confidentiality and may limit its adoption.

To summarise, while AI’s effects on the legal realm are neither overstated nor understated, they are significant and far-reaching. By striking this balance, legal practitioners may navigate the changing terrain while continuing to provide high-quality legal services in an increasingly complicated environment.