Team size: 12

What has been the number one challenge that has impacted you over the past year?

The main challenge was developing an internal legal background for ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) to support the projects involving the reduction of carbon footprint, carbon credit, renewable raw material and products and recycling. In providing legal support to businesses, there is a challenge in defining requirements to support ESG initiatives especially when different legislations. This is crucial to ensure the support for new sustainability projects underway in Europe and Asia and all initiatives related to the reduction of carbon emissions that request immediate legal support.

Do you have an example of a time when you have come up with an innovation that improved how your legal team works that did not result in a large expense?

We use the same system for different documents. For example, the contract system used to issue contracts also can be used to issue Powers of Attorney. Besides that, it can be used as a storage facility for agreements and general terms and conditions.

At no cost, my team created a governance system via SharePoint that enabled document compilation for all folders; granted access to legal teams, board members, accounting area and key persons; and disseminated announcements through e-mails and presentations to the legal and governance teams and managing board members.

We also made several documents, key information, registrations, and board composition of legal entities available in the company’s internal page at no cost. This helps in-house lawyers avoid stopping tasks to give readily available general information.

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

I would say that the understanding the importance of joint decision making and considering different perspectives is crucial for success as an in-house lawyer. Additionally, the ability to adapt to new situations and stay updated on legislative changes and new business trends is also very important in order to effectively and consistently ensure the legal security of business operations.

It is necessary to engage business areas and closely support commercial projects. This can help the in-house lawyer understand the company’s purpose and contribute to achieve its goals and initiatives. This involves having a good understanding of the industry in which the business operates and the demands of that industry.