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In what ways do you see the in-house legal role evolving in your region over the next few years?

I expect an increase in the number of in-house lawyers in the region over the next few years. The expected growth is due to the benefits of having in-house lawyers who are part of the company and therefore have a deeper knowledge of the organisation. This way it is easier to see the needs of the company in a much greater extent compared to an external lawyer. The in-house lawyers have a local presence, the knowledge of the people who works in the company and have the small conversations providing continuous insight into new needs. These are factors resulting in ongoing and good advices. In addition this assistance is often cheaper for the company than using external lawyers for all assistance. However, companies will need to engage external lawyers because society is so complex that lawyers with other specialisation can be required. The good in-house lawyer will know when there is a need to engage others for the best result. Even though there might be an increase in the number of in-house lawyers, there will still be a need for external lawyers with a different specialisation, and sometimes external lawyers are needed due to a lack of capacity.

I also find that the in-house lawyer role is in constant change from a person giving advice on legal rules and managing disputes to become a counsellor who is close to the process and the decisions. I believe that this trend will continue in the years to come.

What would you say are the unique qualities required to be successful as an in-house lawyer in your industry?

A good in-house lawyer has in-depth knowledge of the industry and one’s company. It will no longer be enough to know how the industry is working today. In order to help move the business forward and be well equipped to meet the challenges of the future, the in-house lawyer must also have an understanding of what’s to come, and what new challenges the company may face in the future.A good in-house lawyer must not only know the rules, but also be a good contributor to come up with creative solutions and should be supporting the organization.A good in-house lawyer must also be able to adapt the communication to whoever is the recipient of it.

Furthermore, the lawyer must have a good network of other lawyers and professionals.

Do you have any effective techniques for getting the most out of external counsel, in terms of how to instruct them?

My experience is that in order to succeed it is crucial that one know the different lawyers and their special skills, including their strengths. Anothereffective technique for getting the most out of external counsel is to provide the lawyer with enough factual information and be precise in the description of the assignment or issue. This is often easier if the task is set aside due to lack of capacity and not due to lack of expertise. Fortunately, after more than 20 years in the industry, it is not often that this is completely outside my area of expertise.

Have any new laws, regulations or judicial decisions greatly impacted your company’s business or your legal practice?

The legislation is regularly changing and even though these changes may appear small, it is important to keep up to date with these changes and act accordingly. The changes therefore have an impact on our company’s business and our legal practice. During the past years, the adoption of the GDPR regulation must be the biggest single law change. We initiated a large internal review, and we have collaborated with similar players in housing cooperation on what changes must be implemented in order to be compliant with these regulations.

Looking forward, what technological advancements do you feel will impact the role of in-house legal teams in the future the most?

We live in a world where digitalisation is increasing. More and more work tasks that were previously done manually are now being automated. The use of digital planning and building models will also have an impact within the legal area in real estate development projects. Routine tasks will be automated, and artificial intelligence will assist with some of what the lawyer is doing today. Artificial intelligence will be able to present alternative solutions based on systematic experience and provide guidance for good decision making. However, I do not think that the need for expertise and experience will disappear. I feel the biggest challenge going forward will be to be willing enough to keep up with technological developments. It will be important to prioritize and stay up to date and spend time making the necessary changes. I am pretty sure that there will be major changes as a result of technological developments, but it is difficult to predict what the big changes will be. Therefore, one must not look at changes with fear, but rather see how to exploit them. This will affect everyone’s everyday lives, and also the in-office lawyer.

What can law firms do to improve their services to the legal department?

The same rules apply to the law firms as to the general provision of legal services to clients. The law firm must know its client and have a high level of knowledge. I also believe that there could be more potential for sale by having innovative law firms thinking outside the box when it comes to assistance that can be provided. There will also be a market for selling new technology that simplifies the day-to-day life of lawyers. I think this is a service that both in-house lawyers, and also the smaller law firms, would benefit greatly from.