How do you feel the pandemic has changed the world of work for in-house counsel and the function of the general counsel?

The pandemic has changed the world rapidly, requiring a reactive approach from everyone in the education sector to understand a range of legal issues that arose daily. There has been an increasing need for crisis management, and often we had to give an interpretation of unknown legal terrain. The active teaching of our educational institutions had to be maintained, and exams had to be completed, regardless of the pandemic. The pandemic showed how general internal advice is essential during crisis management. Today, we continuously monitor the impact of the pandemic on our education system, including operational continuity, risks, and infrastructures. We make every effort to ensure that the right decision-makers have the necessary information to make relevant decisions.

What will be the main focus for the company in the next 12 months and how do you intend to assist with this?

No one knows how 2022 will be affected by the pandemic. Our focus will be on how the UN Global Goals for Sustainable Development can be implemented in our institution and the way we educate our students. Another significant area of attention will be the reform proposals for the education sector. This year, board courses will also have to be completed for members of the boards of the educational institutions – courses that we are responsible for the completion. My priority will be to ensure the support of these focus areas in the best viable way. It must also be assured that the advice to our educational institutions is always up-to-date, professional, and correct. Additionally, it is very essential to keep the overall team motivated and ready to meet future challenges.

What do you feel are the pros and cons of an in-house legal role compared to a private practice one?

The most noticeable difference to the internal legal role is the question of time and resources — the fact that you can manage your own time internally and know your operational area in detail, including company structures and processes —is a significant advantage. The internal legal role has evolved from being an advisory to actively join in the decision-making, especially in cases that have significant legal, commercial, and operational consequences for educational institutions. External lawyers can effectively handle the legal tasks due to their diverse legal knowledge, especially considering that in-house lawyers can sometime become company blind. Another advantage of in-house role is that knowing the law industry very well, it is easier to select to which private practice seek advice. The most appealing task is that in-house lawyers get to determine both what needs to be handled internally and what needs to be managed externally, creating value.