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

The legal team collaborates with and provide legal support to the other departments and companies within the group on operational matters as well as corporate, investment and M&A activities. Our legal organisation has undergone significant growth over the past years, since 2020, when Lars Larsen Group was conceptually established as a family office. Today, the legal department is divided into two primary areas. The area Commercial & Compliance area, which mainly provides support on commercial contracts, IPR and marketing etc., and compliance issues, e.g. compliance programs. Also, the Corporate & Investments area provides support on e.g. treasury programs, various corporate issues, commitments to Private Equity and M&A processes e.g. within real estate.

What would you say are the unique qualities required to be successful as an in-house lawyer in your industry?

As an in-house lawyer in a family office, you must be willing to embrace collaboration with other departments and companies in the group and truly take part in the joint responsibility it is to reach success. It is important to understand and have insight into the relevant context you apply your legal skills in and to provide your insights to others. You must trust that good intention is the driver behind feedback from your colleagues and you must be willing to provide the same as most services are provided in collaboration with multiple departments across the organisation.

How have you fostered a closer collaboration between the legal department and your business counterparts?

I believe that dialogue is key to common understanding, and it enables us to better identify the blind spots of the legal organisation in terms of other areas of the organisation. This allows us to continuously improve our support and collaboration with other parts of the company and the business.

To foster a closer collaboration the departments are encouraged to establish, participate and contribute to internal cross organisational project groups, e.g. on corporate matters. This ensures that everyone is, updated and aligned on various themes and thus prepared to execute projects efficiently. Also, dialogue groups allow the employees to keep each other top of mind when in need of each other’s expertise.

We also encourage dialogue with business counterparties from other group companies – either virtual or if possible physical meetings. Employees are always willing to pay the group companies a visit if relevant. Also, network meetings are hosted on specific topics and the organisation makes itself available to make presentations on specific topics if requested. This also allows us to continuously interact with the business.

Finally, all leadership teams prioritize alignment and dialogue to keep each other updated and to ensure involvement of the relevant functions.

Do you have a cause, business-related or otherwise, that you are passionate about?

I’m passionate about how to enable collaboration between the legal function and other functions – striving to act as one team to jointly achieve the goals of the company.