Major Legal Advisers: Country Law Firm, Mexico Sánchez Devanny, Colombia Brigard Urrutia, Ecuador Robalino, Chile Carey, Peru Philippi, Prietocarrizosa Ferrero DU & Uría and Miranda & Amado, Uruguay Ferrere

Could you share an example of a time when you came up with an innovation that improved how your legal team works and did not come at a large expense?

One of my most outstanding accomplishments was creating and implementing a process to standardise the legal possession of premises for new stores in various Latin American markets. Initially incorporated in Mexico, this process has been considered a best practice, and has subsequently been exported to all the countries under my leadership.

The process involved various steps, such as detailed consultation and ongoing cooperation with the construction team, followed by a strict routine of documentation, ranging from technical reports to photographic reports, and lastly, finalising by a permanent and continuous follow-up of the status of other pending and non-compliance items.

This operation helped to boost legal creativity in the remaining non-standardised parts unique to each possession case. Thus, we were able to narrow the distinctive needs for each possession, avoiding any legal breaches and focusing instead on visionary and original tools, such as a notarial certification of a drone flight designed to supervise construction or a notarised certification of news that reveal reasons for non-compliance publications in media.

The routine allowed successful execution of lease contracts, guaranteeing solid cases for simple decision-making process and better expansion planning.

What are some of the main trends impacting the industry sector you work in in Mexico?

Principal trends affecting the fashion industry in Mexico, among others, are the technological solutions applied to business and their impact on the operation, as well as the omnichannel strategies as a trend in constant evolution.

It is important to promote innovative tools, such as legal ecosystems, where the technology allows increased speed and efficiency, improving the performance and profitability of in-house teams – especially smaller ones.

The omnichannel is a dynamic and multifaceted trend, which brings not only enormous operational, logistical, and business strategy challenges, but also permeates and impacts all areas. In the legal field for instance, the changing regulations and legislation depending on the different countries in which the company operates, requires adjusting the operational model in the contractual relations of the company, as well as in the terms and conditions of sales and so on.

Being a relevant trend with a steadily increasing presence, there have been new challenges and difficulties in the closures of deals and agreements, which are all directly impacted by the omnichannel. Hence, it is also quite common to meet relevant industry players amid legal discussions and very sophisticated business implications related to this.

This is where the in-house lawyer must possess operational knowledge of the business, clearly understand the priorities of the company and manage the omnichannel strategy based on both legal and business acumen.

What measures has your company taken to embed sustainability practices into its core business operations, and how does the role of the general counsel contribute to driving and ensuring sustainable practices within the company?

Regarding sustainability policies and our responsibility to the environment, we included a 360-circularity approach, now deeply rooted in our business culture, and converted our mission and vision, which is to introduce quality fashion at the best price in a sustainable way.

The internal legal advice process has undergone a change in recent years, from playing a role in guarding the business to becoming a protagonist in the business strategy. Ambition and a huge sense of responsibility led to making sustainability a priority for the legal department. Promoting social responsibility should be a primary task of any legal department.