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

Adelco is a company with ten distribution centres throughout Chile, along with three subsidiaries in Chile and operations abroad. Adelco’s primary focus is on distributing and selling products to the traditional market, including minimarkets and corner stores. In my role within the company’s legal department, my team has been involved in several significant cases and transactions. One of the key areas which we have been working on is finalising the deal between IG4 Inversiones and Gibraltar, who are shareholders of the company. Since joining the company ten months ago, we have actively participated in M&A operations to achieve the shareholders’ agreement. This involved defining new attribution of the administration and participating in the process of selling a portfolio of real estate properties. Additionally, I have played a crucial role in developing standard processes for agreements, implementing electronic signatures, and collaborating with the commercial department to establish a standard commercial agreement used with suppliers. It is worth noting that my team also conducted legal due diligence for a supplier of digital transformation and signed a contract with them. The objective of this process is to transform Adelco into a digital company and marketplace tailored for the traditional market.

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?

Choosing to work with external lawyers who align with your company’s values is of paramount importance. Not only does it ensure that legal advice and services are in accordance with your ethical standards, but it also promotes better communication, understanding, and cooperation with the law firm. In fact, they are knowledgeable about how companies operate, enabling them to provide strategic advice that considers not only legal implications but also the long-term goals aligned with the values and purpose of the company. Establishing a long-term relationship with aligned lawyers can be mutually beneficial for both parties.

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?

I truly believe that to succeed in the modern in-house industry, a corporate legal team needs a range of key skills. Firstly, excellent communication and negotiation skills are essential. To build strong relationships with business partners, in-house lawyers should prioritise effective communication with commercial areas. This involves more than just using commercial language; it is about understanding the needs and objectives of the commercial areas and aligning legal support accordingly. With these abilities, in-house lawyers can become trusted advisors and strategic partners.

Nowadays, is a must participate in commercial meetings, in order to understand and collaborate on projects, in order to provide proactive legal guidance that helps drive business success, even beyond legal considerations. Project management capabilities are also necessary. It is becoming more common for legal teams to lead projects within the organisation. Therefore, it is important to have the capacity to lead individuals who may not think like lawyers, in order to achieve the company’s goals.

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

To cultivate strong relationships with business partners, in-house lawyers should prioritise effective communication with commercial and operational areas, utilising commercial language to convey legal matters. It is crucial to establish personal connections with these areas. For instance, in my previous role, I actively engaged in the commercial committee to nurture relationships, gain insights into the business, and, most importantly, offer legal advice prior to the implementation of projects without proper legal guidance. I am working to implement this practice in my current job. By adopting this approach, I successfully positioned the legal department as a facilitator for the business, transforming the perception of the commercial areas from viewing us as an obstacle to recognising us as valuable partners.

Furthermore, I strongly believe that having a solid understanding of commercial and financial aspects enables me to provide better counsel. As a result, I made the decision in 2022 to pursue an MBA to complement my in-house career.