Team size: 20 

How do you approach managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crises, and how does your legal strategy align with the broader business strategy to ensure the organisation’s resilience?  

Crisis and economic instability are recurrent phenomena that periodically impact businesses, presenting significant financial challenges. During such times, the role of legal professionals becomes crucial in devising strategies to mitigate costs and explore alternative revenue-saving measures. Drawing from my experience, I can affirm that the negotiation skills possessed by in-house counsels are invaluable assets. We possess a deep understanding of the business’s operational realities, coupled with a thorough knowledge of contractual obligations and regulatory frameworks. This unique perspective enables us to formulate and implement strategies that effectively alleviate financial burdens and improve cash flow management. By leveraging our expertise, we can drive solutions that not only ensure compliance but also enhance the financial resilience of the organisation. 

What are the main cases or transactions you have been involved in recently? 

Recently, I was an integral part of a team that successfully established an investment fund in collaboration with a client. This fund is designed to operate across Central and South America, serving as a platform to rejuvenate companies through transformative initiatives. By identifying and targeting potential candidates for the fund, we anticipate a substantial increase in the pipeline of engagements within the region.  

In addition to this, I collaborated with my team to renegotiate one of the largest engagements in the region. This strategic renegotiation was crucial in preventing the loss of the engagement and in recovering a multimillion-dollar investment made prior and during the pandemic. Our efforts not only safeguarded the investment but also reinforced our commitment to sustaining long-term partnerships and driving regional growth. 

What emerging technologies do you see as having the most significant impact on the legal profession in the near future, and how do you stay updated on these developments? 

This is an incredibly pertinent topic as we progress in our global initiative to integrate generative AI tools, developed by our Firm, into our legal practice. The advancements in AI technology are likely the most significant developments impacting our roles today. By leveraging these AI tools, we can enhance existing digital signature and document repository systems that are already in place.  

Generative AI has the potential to revolutionise the legal profession, requiring both junior and senior in-house lawyers to reconsider their roles. Traditional legal tasks that were manually intensive can now be easily automated, making these tools readily available for adoption.  

I believe this is an extraordinarily exciting period for our profession. The optimal use of this emerging automation technology can liberate substantial time previously spent on laborious, low-yield tasks. This newly available time allows us to engage in more creative, bespoke, and innovative work, thereby enhancing our expertise and delivering unique value to our clients.  

For instance, instead of manually searching for and reconciling defined terms, generative AI can handle this task, enabling us to focus on simplifying and clarifying the terms themselves. Instead of hunting for applicable precedents, generative AI can perform this function and propose novel legal theories. We can then refine these theories, building upon them to develop even stronger arguments. Furthermore, rather than making an initial pass at drafting issues lists, generative AI can do this, allowing us to inject novelty and creativity into the business terms, thereby achieving a strategic advantage for our clients.  

By embracing these advancements, we are not only preserving the relevance of our roles but also elevating the quality and impact of our legal services.