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?

As sole counsel, the main concern is being able to provide an additional level of support to fulfil client and business needs using available resources, whether it be global or external counsel. To address this issue, we automated specific standard contracts and developed templates through which the business team can begin the process by creating contracts for legal to finalise and approve. This included classifying contracts and standardising most agreements, which significantly reduced legal involvement in “low-risk contracts.” This has simplified and streamlined the contract issuance, review and approval process, which the business appreciates and allows me to focus on larger strategic projects.

How do you balance your responsibilities as a GC with your involvement in dispute resolution and M&A matters?

A major part of my responsibilities is to avoid disputes and try to mitigate any risks when they occur, through proper drafting and clear documentation governing relationships with third parties. Taking a proactive approach and leading the preparation, negotiations, due diligence, and contracting phase in order to bring the matter to a successful conclusion establishes a strong groundwork for mitigating risks and guiding the company with clear directives to uphold the commitments and obligations of all parties involved.

Can you foresee any key developments to the way general counsel work over the next five years? 

It is important to continue to develop business acumen, increase agility, and update the risk matrix at the same level as technical and legal knowledge. This requires determining how to incorporate new technologies, such as artificial intelligence, to facilitate the general counsel’s workload, enhance communications and streamline operations. The ultimate objective is to allow general counsel to prioritise their workload and focus on more strategic matters.

What emerging technologies do you see as having the most significant impact on the legal profession in the near future, and how do you stay updated on these developments?

Artificial intelligence is expected to have the most significant impact. I believe that improving risk management and risk mitigation represents a blank canvas in this area, and we must use AI to assess risks that will have a significant impact on our role.