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

My work as general counsel is basically to oversee the smooth operation of the company. I handle several issues spanning various fields of law, and my main goal is to help resolve or avoid issues. For a company as big as 3M, this entails collaboration and coordination with multiple stakeholders in and out of the country. One significant example: the FDA contacted 3M Philippines to discuss the increase in complaints over counterfeit 3M surgical respirators offered to healthcare professionals on local ecommerce platforms. The 3M team quickly came together to find a way to address the FDA’s concern. It was discovered that almost 7,000 sellers were offering either 3M 1860, 3M 1860s or 3M 1870+ on these ecommerce sites, and it was confirmed that almost 70% of the ecommerce sellers used images that showed definite signs of counterfeit, and others used stock images which did not allow an online assessment. I worked with the team, which included country-based technical and regulatory experts in the Philippines and in SEA to establish a framework based on the laws and regulations covering the sale of medical devices in the six SEA countries.

Why are in-house lawyers well-placed to drive change in their organisations?   

In-house lawyers, by their function and the nature of the position, have general knowledge of a company’s operations, and can flag what works, what doesn’t, what needs improvement. We listen to our clients as they consult, and we can identify the root cause of the problems, as well as any unintended but inevitable consequences thereof, and recommend courses of action to address these problems and avoid them, or mitigate the risks that accompany them. Because of this unique knowledge, in-house lawyers are well-suited to be catalysts for meaningful change in their respective organisations.

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

What seems to work for me is an open door, candor, and focusing on the problem-solution and not the person. Business partners know they can approach me at anytime, about basically anything, and Instead of dismissing them outright when the issue they bring is not legal in nature, I tell them so, but help connect them to the right function or stakeholder. Usually, when they come to me with a problem, I make it clear that our purpose is not to lay blame or find someone to throw under the bus, but to understand what happened, why it happened, and how it can be fixed and avoided in the future. It’s also important to empower business partners to make their own decisions, as long as they know that in case of any doubt or uncertainty, they can consult me.