Team size: four 

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

We continuously deliver excellent operational, commercial and strategic advice for all legal and compliance matters to Samsung Electronics Austria’s management with a strong focus on adding value to the company’s performance. 

In addition, we support our business departments on strategic legal matters, ensuring legal compliance already from the early business planning stages onwards, spanning from local projects to the implementation of global compliance initiatives. 

We also have been acting as risk managers, providing unequivocal and robust recommendations and guidance, always ensuring the protection of our valuable brand. 

Moreover, we organise compliance trainings, conduct compliance audits and counsel and guide through data privacy inquiries. 

How does your legal strategy change during periods of instability or uncertainty?  

It is crucial to, whilst providing a long-term strategic direction for the legal department, maintain great flexibility and creativity when finding business-oriented solutions in challenging times.  

I am convinced that it is imperative to focus even more on and clearly understand the business priorities and market trends when facing periods of instability or uncertainty. Me and my team strive to always be one step ahead to manage risks for our stakeholders. It is key to build a relationship of trust with the business and to communicate transparently and openly.  

Also, by actively listening to the needs of the business and by maintaining a close working relationship with the respective teams as well as constantly observing the changing market environment, we are required to anticipate, analyse and manage legal risks for Samsung Austria.  By evaluating those risks frequently, we are updating and aligning the legal strategy roadmap whenever needed and guide the business in a smart and sophisticated way through the complexity of instable or uncertain environments. 

It is also essential to be pro-active; in that regard, it is particularly important to me that the legal team is always is included in relevant task forces and working groups, which I want to drive actively by fostering cross-department cooperations and seamless interaction and cooperation between legal and other functions to be well prepared for challenging times. 

When things get rough it is even more important to perform the core activity of a legal department: monitor legislative changes closely, assess the risks and needs and drive respective implementation measures. I think we all can relate to the recent pandemic which required legal departments around the globe to swiftly get up to speed and familiarise with ad-hoc legislation, including remote working regulations, government subventions and to the effects of the pandemic on the liquidity and solvency of our valued business partners. 

In a nutshell, a reliable legal strategy will allow you to navigate through unstable times and keep your company and its business efficient and safe.   

Do you make use of any ‘legal tech’ products, and if so, for which areas of your job do you find it most useful?    

For Samsung as a leading tech company this topic is two-fold: on the one hand, we are using our expertise to develop modern technologies and enhance our products, for example by launching the first generation of smartphones with artificial intelligence functions. 

Therefore, and that brings me to the other role of legal tech within our legal department, it is of no surprise that we are highly interested and eager to use legal tech products to boost efficiency. Already almost a decade ago, we started developing our own in-house, tailored Contract Management System, which now covers the whole contract lifecycle. Additionally, we have implemented an interactive and multi-functional Case Management System by which we also manage our external legal advisors.   

Finally, a designated online Communication Board serves to foster knowledge sharing and is being used for sharing best practices. 

I believe that the further development of artificial intelligence will have the most significant impact on the future work of legal teams and will change the way we are working both in terms of core legal work and legal management. I am thrilled to take on this challenge and prepare Samsung Electronics Austria for this next generation of legal in-housework.