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?

I see it as extremely important to work with external counsel who not only understand the values ​​of the company in action but, more than that, know the business. Knowing the business is essential for external lawyers’ legal recommendations to be effective, efficient and not just recommendations that are impossible to practice. So, I always try to find lawyers who work in the same sector as the company where I work and, when this is not possible for any reason, I try to provide them with an integration capable of imparting sufficient knowledge.

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.

I understand that the vast majority of law firms need to be prepared to present to their client multiple reports of relevant indicators, designating where the opportunity to improve the operation is. Regarding transparency and costs, in general, the law firms with which we have worked with more recently, have been quite flexible.

If you have worked in other countries, what are the main challenges unique to operating as an in-house counsel in your current location?

From my experience, the biggest challenge was finding reliable and accomplished local law firms, when you don’t know the region. As such, creating an effective relationship network is very important for in-house operations in that particular situation.

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?

In-house lawyers need to be simple, fast, efficient, close to their business partners, understand the business and the company’s strategy, avoid technical terms, take initiative and always be present and participative, and present solutions and take conscious risks.

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

For me, building relationships is key for success in an organisation. But I’m talking about genuine relationships, showing real interest in understanding what the other person does, what the company does and how the business develops. Every in-house lawyer needs to have genuine listening skills. Before providing an opinion, they should hear how the business works, so that every legal recommendation is effective, and not impossible to be executed.