Team size: Four

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

While legal skills are taken for granted, a good in-house lawyer must demonstrate business acumen in a broader sense to gain the role as a trusted advisor. It is not sufficient to merely understand the business; the in-house lawyer must be able to think like their business colleagues while also taking company strategy, ethics, and corporate values into account. This combination of attributes will evidence good judgment, securing them a seat at the table.

How have you fostered a closer collaboration between the legal department and your business counterparts?

Close collaboration is about demonstrating added value, in my experience. However, achieving closer collaboration and demonstrating value can sometimes resemble a ‘chicken or the egg’ situation: What comes first? Building a good personal relationship and identifying alternative solutions when a problem arises will go a long way. This will ensure that business colleagues view the legal team as enablers rather than gatekeepers when it comes to doing business.

Do you have a cause, business-related or otherwise, that you are passionate about?

For the past four and a half years, I have been part of AIG’s pro bono program. I am volunteering as a legal advisor at the KFUM Legal Aid office in Copenhagen. KFUM, part of the World YMCA organisation, offers free legal support to marginalised groups of society.

While other legal aid offices closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, our office remained open, which we considered an achievement given the increased demand for legal aid. Due to my engagement, AIG has generously donated money for training events for volunteers and provided IT equipment to the KFUM Legal Aid office.