How important is choosing to work with external lawyers who align with your company’s values?

Choosing to work with external counsel who align with our company’s values is not only important, but essential for several reasons. First, our company values serve as guiding principles for our operations and decision-making. They reflect our commitment to ethical conduct, patient safety, regulatory compliance, and social responsibility, among others. By selecting external lawyers who share and understand these values, we ensure that our legal representation is aligned with our overall objectives and principles and, therefore, with our own company’s objectives and principles.

Working with external lawyers who embrace our values promotes seamless collaboration and fosters a stronger attorney-client relationship. When our external legal partners align with our values, they are more likely to understand our business objectives, anticipate our needs and provide legal advice in line with our ethical framework. This alignment helps us achieve a greater level of synergy, resulting in more effective and efficient legal representation. It can also enhance our reputation and stakeholder confidence and allows for a more cohesive approach to legal matters. They can provide legal advice and strategies that not only address our immediate legal needs, but also consider the wider implications and consequences. This holistic perspective helps us make informed decisions that align with our values and minimise legal risks.

In short, working with external lawyers who align with our values ensures a strong legal partnership, enhances our reputation, and enables us to pursue our business objectives while upholding our ethical standards and commitment to corporate responsibility.

Why are in-house lawyers well-placed to drive change in their organisations?

As members of the company’s in-house legal team, we, the in-house counsel, have a deep understanding of the organisation’s structure, operations, and culture. This knowledge allows us to identify areas where legal and compliance improvements are needed and to advocate for the necessary changes. We are uniquely positioned within the organisation to interact with various departments and stakeholders. We work closely with management, executives, and cross-functional employees, giving us valuable insight into the operations and challenges of the business. Leveraging these relationships, we can effectively communicate the need for change and garner support for legal initiatives.

We are also intimately familiar with the legal and regulatory landscape in which the organisation operates. We keep abreast of developments in legislation, regulation, and industry best practice. This knowledge enables us to proactively identify emerging legal risks and propose changes to policies, procedures, and business practices to ensure compliance and mitigate potential liabilities.

In addition, as trusted advisors, we are often involved in high-level decision-making processes. We provide legal guidance and analysis on various business initiatives, transactions, and strategic plans. This involvement allows us to influence these processes by incorporating legal considerations and promoting compliance and ethical practices.

As representatives of the legal function, in-house lawyers have credibility and authority that can be leveraged to drive change. Our legal expertise and experience enable us to articulate the business case for change and provide persuasive arguments that resonate with decision-makers and stakeholders.