As we enter the next decade, what skills will a corporate legal team need to succeed in the modern in-house industry?

Innovativeness, creativity and pragmatism are key traits of a good in-house counsel. Business partners are looking for answers to their problems and most of the time, they are looking for in-house counsel to help them with their strategies, structure of the transactions and mitigation of risk. Lawyers are solution providers, not blockers. Simply saying “yes” or “no” to their problems will not solve them.

For example, if we are asked whether the company can cooperate with a competitor, the answer may be negative, as it raises certain competition concerns. However, it is possible to go further by advising the business that cooperation with a competitor can be done provided it complies with competition law principles, such as the handling of competitively sensitive information. Simply telling the business partners that cooperation with competitors cannot be done may affect short and long-term business goals, which ultimately affects business efficiency. Our solutions must be more practical and be applicable to the problems of the business partners.

Anticipating upcoming laws and regulations, and closely monitoring the trends are also key, alongside focusing on ESG related matters, in line with the expectations of customers and the industry.

What are some of your main tips for dealing with a crisis?

Stay calm! As in-house counsel, we need to understand our role is to advice business leaders for them to make informed decisions in the best interests of the company. When the company is facing a crisis, do not lose focus, and stay calm.

Building relationships and networking with in-house clients as well as industry players will enable solutions to be crafted and manage the risks and exposures to the company. It is also important to determine what is required from in-house counsel from both legal and business perspectives, including any strategic communications required in response to the crisis, including managing the media, any regulatory notifications, and internal investigations.

How important is choosing to work with external lawyers who align with your company’s values? Are you likely to reconsider what firms you work with based on this?

It is important for external lawyers to be aligned with the company’s mission and values in order to ensure seamless working between in-house counsel and external lawyers. Our values have been embedded in our business conduct, which reflect our sense of duty and responsibility towards the peoples and nations wherever we operate.

Although the expertise and skills of the external lawyers are equally important, it would be better if the external lawyers can appreciate the rationale behind the business decisions that we make and able to provide advice, with respect for the company’s values.