What are the most significant cases or transactions that your legal team has recently been involved in?

The automotive sector is regulated by a specific law, enacted in 1979, where the market was dominated by only four major automotive manufacturers. The evolution of commercial relations and technological advances make the current scenario different from the scenario foreseen by that law. The great challenge we are facing is to seek alternatives and legal solutions for situations in which there is no legal provision, such as online sales, subscription cars, end customer service platform, implementation of mobility and connectivity services and restructuring of the dealer network.

Also, the hypersensitivity of workers and customers, protectionist consumer protection bodies, the need for greater modernisation of labour standards, volatility of tax jurisprudence, contribute to generating instability in the sector, compromising the predictability of operations, increasing the cost of the production chain, have all been great challenged we have faced more recently.

As we live in a fast-paced world today, what skills will a corporate legal team need to succeed in the modern in-house industry?

We live in an environment that exposes us to all types of information, and as such, knowing how to apply knowledge through clear and simple communication is an essential skill. Information has become a commodity accessible to all. However, absorbing information, knowing how to transform it into knowledge and applying it to the specific case are important soft skills that must be mastered by professionals who want to stand out in the market. Also, having the ability to synthesise information, creating short texts, with simple language, capable of conveying what is desired in a clear and objective way, will increase the perception of in-house reliability and generate greater customer confidence.

How do you suggest in-house lawyers build strong relationships with business partners?

I recommend two simple actions that can have a big impact on building good relationships with business partners. First, in-house lawyers must know the activities of their business partners, understanding the main difficulties and concerns they face on a daily basis. Second, it is crucial to be aware of the main goals, KPIs and objectives, that are part of the company’s strategy. This way, in-house lawyers will be better able to map the main existing legal risks, issue legal opinions full of information that are applicable to the internal client and assist in the creation of action plans