First, can you please give us an idea of the sort of work your team has done recently?

I started my career as an attorney with Fellner Wratzfeld & Partners in Vienna, before joining the in-house legal department of BAWAG Group in 2018. I have headed the retail legal department since 2020, which provides in-house legal advice for all matters in connection with banking products and services for consumer and small business customers. Since BAWAG Group serves more than 2 million customers across Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands, and other developed markets and operates under various brands and across multiple channels offering savings, payment, lending, leasing, investment and insurance products and services for retail customers, my team’s tasks are naturally quite comprehensive. The department’s responsibilities include the implementation of legal requirements in different jurisdictions, digitalization and optimization of existing processes, revision of contract forms and general terms and conditions, management of intellectual property, advice on legal matters for the operating departments, and legal support for projects.

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

First and foremost, the key to success is being able to identify with the company’s philosophy and also sharing its values and goals. Proactive support of business, understanding the business front to end, being an enabler, commercial thinking, and pragmatism – these are typical skills an in-house lawyer needs. Besides this a successful in-house lawyer requires the same qualities as a good lawyer generally: open and problem-solving mindset, diligence, good negotiation and listening skills, empathy, willingness to take responsibility and good instinct. It is also important to have the ability to explain even very complex topics as simply as possible so that they can be understood by non-lawyers.

If you had to give advice to an aspiring in-house lawyer or general counsel, what would it be and why?

Do not be afraid of new technologies or digitalisation. Instead, see it as a great opportunity!