How do you feel the pandemic has changed the world of work for in-house counsel and the function of the general counsel?

The changing governmental instructions requiring swift legal guidance during the pandemic, such as home working, employee testing, vaccination, and return to the workplace, implied that staff-related issues moved up on the legal agenda. Moreover, the added focus on legal and regulatory risk management has led to participation in an increased number of board meetings, perhaps even strengthening the general counsel’s role as a strategic business advisor to the board and management. Managers tend to request legal input on a broader range of commercial matters requiring general counsel to adopt a more proactive approach to risk mitigation in business-critical projects. Remote working often offers higher flexibility (and increased workload) to the general counsel, implying that the volume of successfully completed business-critical contracts becomes the basis for their performance measurement. Adding value to the organisation is all about productivity and quality — presence in the office has become less relevant.

What will be the main focus for the company in the next 12 months and how do you intend to assist with this?

We will continue focusing on developing and supplying products that contribute to energy reduction and promote green energy. DEIF will engage in partnerships with strategic customers and establish a unified digital ecosystem. Mitigation of risks will rank high on our agenda, as will providing pragmatic and effective legal advice to ensure appropriate digital security in our deployment of new technology to ensure compliance with the legal framework.

What do you feel are the pros and cons of an in-house legal role compared to a private practice one?

In-house lawyers have extensive knowledge of the company’s business, its strategic goals, and the decision process, coupled with direct access to other key decision-makers, enabling them to provide tailored legal advice. Good working relations with specialist managers throughout the organisation lead to the comprehensive business insight required to advise the management with the agility necessary to influence and speed up business decisions on a wide range of issues. On the other hand, the close co-operation with managers throughout the organisation means that your legal advice is sought on various subjects. Accurate prioritisation is necessary to ensure that business-critical matters are given the appropriate legal focus.