Team size: six

What are the most significant cases or transactions you and your team have been involved in?

In 2020, Novo Nordisk CLAT was one of the few pharmaceutical affiliates world-wide certified under ISO 37,001 (“anti-corruption system”). In 2021, NN CLAT received an ISO follow-up external audit and received a favourable assessment, keeping and extending the certificate to all markets under Novo Nordisk. Another important project we held in CLAT was piloting IO´s new cybergrants system; Novo Nordisk volunteered to pilot the new cybergrants system and worked with the external developer to adjust the system to local needs and successfully implemented it. After implementation in 2021, all NN CLAT’s grants, sponsorships and donations will be processed through the system, improving controls, records, and standardization of such activities in 2022.

And finally, several drug launches were carried out in different countries of the region, all in record time, to give our patients the best benefits.

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

The role of general counsel has become more strategic during the Covid-19 pandemic, this is because in-house lawyers have had a more participatory role in decision-making at all levels of the organisation.

We have stopped being just advisers and become business partners, who support the creation of strategies which anticipate risks and achieve early success in companies. The risk management led by the legal team led us to be close to the different countries that we integrate and seek prompt solutions for the benefit of patients.

How do you suggest in-house lawyers build strong relationships with business partners?

They need to create circles of trust. We must put aside the notion of the legal department existing solely to “solve problems”; our duty is that of an ally to the business to create the best strategies or projects that work best for the business.

It is important that our legal team understand individual and organisational goals and what needs to be accomplished so we can ensure that we are effective in helping to achieve those goals. You need to balance risk against reward as some risk is often required. and is particularly important to understand the short and long-term business value of the deal.

In-house counsel needs to be on the side of the commercial team, understanding the challenges and providing general advice not only in the legal sense.