Team size: Five

What has been the number one challenge that has impacted you over the past year?

A significant challenge has been leading the business through a period of evolving legal, regulatory, environmental and industry related changes and challenges, it has been crucial to ensure my team manages immediate issues and legal risks, while also developing strategies and plans to properly equip our organisation to respond to upcoming changes to the legal, environmental and regulatory landscape.

Looking forward, what technological advancements do you feel will impact the role of in-house legal teams in the future the most?

I feel advancements in artificial intelligence will impact the role of in-house legal teams. Artificial intelligence may play a role in reviewing standard agreements and undertaking less complex work for in-house legal teams. This will make lawyers available for more complex, strategic and high value work. This possibility has previously been discussed and has already been deployed by some organisations already. However, recent advancements are once again bringing these discussions to the forefront. I look forward to seeing how more organisations deploy AI to support their operations, including in the legal industry.

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

Given the plethora of matters a lawyer in my industry is required to advise on, it is critical for successful in-house lawyers to be adaptable and resilient. They need to be able to deal with issues and challenges with a strong focus on outcomes and solutions. Excellent communication skills and the ability to build relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders are also important qualities.