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

A peculiar characteristic of in-house counsel is that they are not only brought in when legal advice is needed, but instead, are immersed in the business of their company. They closely follow the business and understand it thoroughly from a commercial viewpoint and with regards to business development and strategic direction.

Growth in this role is specifically challenging for a wide-spread business like the one covered by UBS legal Switzerland, which encompasses international regulatory developments, macro-economic changes, digital transformation, sustainable investing as well as transformation of universal banking services.

There is no place for a “iudex non calculat” reflex. In-house counsel cannot stay away from figures and only apply the principle-based law to specific business queries when asked. They need to proactively engage with business figures – which is key to understanding business priorities and making sound judgments. That is why we emphasise the necessity of results reporting, by having a finance colleague join our quarterly team calls to provide a result overview. This guides the in-house team into a business mindset and have grants them a more holistic understanding of the business.

In addition, following the development of the business as closely as you would a sports discipline is also key. In-house counsel need to pre-empt the direction the company is heading. This requires a close relationship with those overseeing the change portfolio, which ultimately creates new exposure.

To be at the top of their game, in-house counsel must perceive themselves as athletes. This requires four building blocks; strength, endurance, agility, and regeneration. Strength involves knowing your subject matter thoroughly, making sure to stay innovative and keeping up with emerging trends. Endurance is about making sure that the aforementioned strength does not gradually fizzle out and instead, is maintained in the long run. It involves remaining curious, ambitious, open-minded, advocating for collaboration, and taking the time to constantly rebuild strength – as individuals and as a team.

Agility plays a part when in-house teams are at a stable, high-performing pace and need to adapt to new environments. Growth only happens during regeneration and thus, it is important to take breaks for recovery. Finally, to make it as a team, inhouse counsel need to maintain strong ties with external sources of inspiration – such as outside counsel and industry associations – other “athletes”.

Summarily, in our team, when confronted with a challenge, we ask ourselves what our proposed solution is. Making a proposal turns the tables. Empowerment is more than simply being involved and given the tools; it is about having a sense of shared responsibility. It is important that every person on the team uses their voice and realises they all can change the game.