How important is choosing to work with external lawyers who align with your company’s values? Are you likely to reconsider what firms you work with based on this?

Aligning values ​​between companies and external offices is fundamental, a condition without which it is unlikely to obtain a favourable result. It is common to choose law firms that are more aligned with the company’s values ​​and moments, since trust, the constant alignment of strategy and interests is fundamental for the success of the work. As a consequence, as a professional in-house lawyer, the companies I have been working with must be aligned with my values, and yes, I can make changes if I understand that there is a mismatch between understandings.

In general, what would you like to see change about the external law firms you use? Examples could be greater flexibility in billing, a more expansive suite of services offered, more transparency in reporting ESG statistics etc.

The partnership between the internal legal department and law firms is fundamental. For this relationship to evolve in a healthy way, there needs to be trust and alignment. My opinion is that in-house lawyers and external counsel are one legal entity. In this sense, I would like law firms to invest more in our relationship, based on synergy, transparency, trust and a non-competitive situation, aiming at the objectives of our common client: the company.

As opportunities for efficiency, law firms should invest in software and professionals specialised in indicators and business intelligence, in addition to customizing with each of their clients the report and presentation model that they need to receive, without this being considered an extraordinary or unusual service. Based on these indicators, it is possible to measure the quality of the service provided and the measures that the company must take to avoid risks and recover assets, translating the office service into a product of important value. The current market trend is for companies to invest much more in risk assessment consultancy than in litigation. Accordingly, firms should pay more attention to the translation of their work into numbers, and opinions based on trends and market knowledge of how to add value.

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

I believe in the development of work so that the legal department is, in fact, a department that delivers opinions and opinions that translate into actions that add value to the business. For this to occur, a good relationship with business partners is essential. Companies must promote the involvement of their respective legal teams in business projects, to foster the relationship between the areas in the form of cooperation, minimizing elbows in search of a common objective. To in-house legal professionals, my suggestion is to act proactively, create alternatives and solutions together with stakeholders, as a way of building trust and stronger relationships.