We are thrilled to express our sincere delight in welcoming the GC Powerlist: Denmark Teams 2023, congratulating all the in-house legal departments selected. The Legal 500 has consistently recognised and emphasised the invaluable contributions of these teams in bolstering businesses and fostering their triumphs across various industries. Their dedication and expertise have consistently proven instrumental in supporting and propelling organisations towards success. With immense pleasure and excitement, we acknowledge the outstanding role played by these teams, and we eagerly anticipate their continued excellence and impact in the Danish legal landscape.

This publication showcases the expertise, leadership, and dedication to excellence exhibited by the top in-house legal teams in Denmark. It acknowledges the challenges they have faced, such as navigating the complexities of the Danish legal environment, addressing the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, adapting to technological advancements, fostering strong relationships with business partners, promoting diversity and inclusion initiatives, among others. 

By featuring detailed profiles and exclusive interviews with influential general counsel from various industries, the GC Powerlist: Denmark Teams 2023 provides insights into their strategic contributions, risk management capabilities, and their ability to provide valuable guidance to their organisations. These accomplished teams serve as an inspiration to the legal community, demonstrating the significant impact that in-house lawyers can have on shaping business strategy and achieving organisational success. 

The findings of the research highlighting the resilience and adaptability of companies during the Covid-19 pandemic are indeed significant. The challenges brought about by the pandemic were unprecedented, and it’s commendable that business operations did not come to a halt in Denmark. The crucial role played by in-house counsel in ensuring business continuity cannot be overstated. Their tireless efforts in navigating new regulations and guidelines demonstrate their dedication and commitment to supporting their organisations during these testing times. Coloplast’s legal team is living proof of this, as they state that ‘comparing to life before the Covid-19 pandemic, we have seen suppliers being considerably more reluctant to commit to prices and delivery times (…), it simply requires a closer monitoring. Looking into increased uncertainty also means you need to build in more flexibility in the contractual framework so you can adjust along the way and ultimately also a way out, if the problems become too big.’ 

The exclusive content within this publication also emphasises the need for improvement in the relationship between the legal team and business partners. Collaboration and understanding between these two functions are crucial for the overall success of an organisation. While in-house counsel demonstrated their value during the pandemic by navigating legal challenges and ensuring business continuity, there is always room for progress in fostering stronger relationships with business partners. Effective collaboration between legal and business functions can lead to better decision-making, risk management, and ultimately, improved business outcomes. 

To foster stronger collaboration, as mentioned by DSB’s legal team, ‘it is essential, to gain a profound understanding of the business and the main objectives for that particular business area. This will enable you to fully understand the needs of the business area and thereby make sure that your advice and the legal solutions proposed enable them to reach their goals.’ Ultimately, the various testimonies on the publication agree that ongoing efforts to bridge the gap between the legal team and business partners will lead to a more integrated and harmonious approach, benefiting the organisation as a whole. 

Another critical topic mentioned by in-house legal teams is the importance of embracing technology that resonates with the ongoing acceleration of digital transformation in companies. Technology has indeed played a crucial role in ensuring business continuity, especially during challenging times such as the Covid-19 pandemic. 

The introduction and adoption of technology have proven invaluable for in-house teams in navigating challenges and optimising their efficiency. Echoed by Podimo’s legal department, Danish in-house teams ‘can leverage technology to streamline legal processes and improve efficiency in the collaboration with their business partners. For example, document automation software can be used to create work processes to reduce the time and resources spent by both the legal team and their colleagues on more repetitive tasks.’ In all, by leveraging technology, legal teams can streamline processes, automate repetitive tasks, and enhance their ability to manage and analyse vast amounts of legal information more effectively. This, in turn, allows them to focus on higher-value work, such as strategic legal advice and risk management. 

There are many other relevant topics and challenges exclusively discussed in this publication, so we invite you to explore The GC Powerlist: Denmark Teams 2023 and discover the extraordinary stories of these exceptional legal departments. Through their experiences and insights, we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of the legal landscape in Denmark and the invaluable role played by in-house legal teams. 

We would like to express our gratitude to all the in-house teams featured in this publication for their valuable contributions and for sharing their journeys with us. I am delighted to present to you this distinguished list of Denmark’s most extraordinary, diligent, and successful in-house legal teams.

In an era where continuous changes and transformation are constants that affect most companies, we find it important to stay focused on the goals we want to achieve and the path to fulfil them. Embracing change and seizing the opportunities that transformation brings apply in particular to the in-house legal departments.

In the years to come, a particular agenda will set the stage for many general counsels as numerous ESG-related regulatory requirements come into force and are to be implemented. Major professional challenges await and once again demonstrate the importance of in-house lawyers for the continued success of Danish companies.

The fact that the modern future has moved all the way into the in-house legal departments is also evident in the use of AI and tech for data protection and privacy issues. Many processes are changing, and the way of working and solving tasks is changing with them.

One welcomed and essential development is the increased diversity in the in-house legal teams in Denmark, where more women are taking on leading positions. Increased diversity creates room for different perspectives, which in many ways benefit the entire organisation’s continued development and success in the long term.

The GC Powerlist recognises general counsels and legal teams who are changing or forming opinions within their company or industry, who have developed brilliant technical solutions to complex issues, who have created innovative structures to ensure that the in-house function is driving the business forward, and who have provided a business working model that peers should follow. It is of great importance to us to support this valuable recognition as GC Powerlist sponsor in Denmark.

Bech-Bruun is a leading Danish law firm with a very international mindset. We assist our Danish clients in international matters and advise foreign players when operating in the Danish market. We provide advice to the highest standards based on a unique combination of profound specialisation and a strong internal collaboration with expertise across a wide range of industry groups and public sector organisations across Denmark.

As a first-time sponsor of the 2023 GC Powerlist Denmark, Bech-Bruun is delighted to contribute to highlighting the important role in-house legal teams play in their organisations. We look forward to our continued collaboration with our clients and continue to fulfil our role as an advisor to the business community.

Congratulations to the legal teams ranked in this year’s The Legal 500 GC Powerlist Denmark 2023. We wish you all the best and trust that you will find even better ways to solve your companies’ most critical issues, pertaining to both legal issues as much as to organisation and management questions.