Team size: 15

Can you give an idea of the most significant cases or transactions that your legal team has recently been involved in?

Our legal team is involved in every legal aspect – and often the commercial aspects – of Netcompany. We primarily assist in corporate governance and compliance, and are also involved in contract review and negotiation, ensuring all contracts are drafted, reviewed and, if applicable, negotiated within our risk profile.

We provide general legal advice within all other legal areas. Our team is considered ‘full service’ and we will assist with everything legal issue our business requires. In the past year, our most significant cases were:

The acquisition of Intrasoft International (now Netcompany-Intrasoft), which marked a significant event in the European technology consulting industry due to the consolidation of two major players in the European market.

Shortly after the acquisition of Netcompany-Intrasoft, and while the integration of the entity was still on-going, Netcompany, with Netcompany-Intrasoft as the leading entity, won the major European tender, the European Digital Identify Wallet.

The Digital Post Solution ‘mit.dk’. During the past year, Netcompany also developed a digital post solution – a SaaS solution that enables public authorities and private entities to send secure digital communication to all citizens and businesses in Denmark.

How has your legal team progressed on issues of diversity and inclusion (D&I), and what are the main benefits or challenges of working in a diverse environment?

Diversity and inclusion have become increasingly important in today’s workplace and Netcompany have long recognised the importance of building diverse teams and creating inclusive environments that promote collaboration, innovation, and success.

Our legal team play a critical role in shaping a Netcompany’s policies, practices, and overall culture and it is therefore essential that our legal team reflect the diversity Netcompany, and its stakeholders strive for. Hiring must take multiple factors into consideration, and not only diversification. At the time of writing, our team consists of five different nationalities, a gender split of five males and ten females, and an age difference of 33 from youngest to oldest.

The benefits of having a diverse legal team are numerous; diverse teams bring a range of perspectives and experiences that can lead to better decision-making and problem-solving; they can help companies build trust with their customers and stakeholders; and having a diverse legal team can help attract and retain top talent.

How do you suggest in-house departments build strong relationships with business partners?

Building trust with business partners is crucial and necessary for strong relationships. In-house legal teams should demonstrate their expertise, integrity, and commitment to the company’s goals and values to earn this trust. They should be transparent and honest in their communication and avoid making promises they cannot keep.

Teams should pre-empt and address legal risks, possess business acumen, an understanding of the entity’s strategy, and the individual business partners role in that strategy along with their area of expertise. Without a commercial understanding, the legal team will not be able to support the entities or the business partners with their needs.

The legal teams should facilitate effective communication to build strong relationships with business partners. This will ensure that the business partner views them as valuable partners to include in decisions and spar with.

If you had to give advice to an aspiring in-house lawyer or general counsel, what would it be and why?

It is important to gain a solid foundation in law and be knowledgeable about different legal areas alongside the field of law that the company operates in.

Business acumen and commercial understanding are also vital in understanding the business strategies and priorities of the company you work for; how legal issues can impact these goals and how to overcome such issues.

Finally, it is important to be flexible and adaptable as an in-house lawyer or general counsel. You may be called upon to handle a wide range of legal issues and will need to be able to pivot quickly between different legal areas. Additionally, as a member of the company’s leadership team, you may need to be able to pivot between different business functions and priorities, as the needs of the company evolve over time.