What are the most significant cases or transactions that your legal team has recently been involved in?

Our team was able to deliver in the context of limited resources, global entertainment divestment trends and travel restrictions. The entertainment industry was severely impacted by the pandemic and is unlikely to make a full recovery quickly. Our sector, while used to ups and downs, was hard hit by the pandemic, and required planning to better our chances of survival. As group general counsel, company director and member of the group executive committee, I was involved in doing scenario planning based on various potential futures to maintain our ability to bounce back and reclaim our leadership position in the market. I was also involved in implementing relevant actions for the Group’s general restructuring, costs reduction, diversification of our sources of revenues, while maintaining a healthy company culture.

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

One of the many consequences of the pandemic for in-house counsel has been the reshaping of their role to become more strategic, as they have taken part in decision-making at the highest levels of their organisation. In-house counsel is now more ‘strategic and advisory’ and less ‘compliance-focused’.

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

The focus for the Group in the next 12 months will be to pursue efforts to ensure the Group’s survival and leadership position in the market. For this purpose, we will continue to diversify our activities and sources of revenues to strengthen our client’s relationship, deliver creations and productions despite the constraints and restrictions of each jurisdiction where the Group is active, develop business opportunities and to restructure the Group. I will assist with these actions mainly by proposing the most appropriate approaches and securing them from a legal and overall perspective, including risk assessment.

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

In-house lawyers are exposed to a well-rounded and multifaceted approach, allowing them to develop know-how in several areas, with less room however for progression or promotion.

On the other hand, in a private practice, lawyers are, most of the times, specialised and worked only in one or very few areas, with more progression opportunities.