First, can you give us an idea of the sort of work you have been involved with recently?

The responsibility of leading the legal area of a multinational company is always a challenge, but even more so when three countries with important cultural, linguistic, and even legal asymmetries are covered. Unlike external firms that have lawyers specialised by subject matter, the in-house lawyer must have a basic knowledge of everything and be very careful when making decisions. In these times of crisis, the work has been more challenging, and we have had to cover important processes in a range of different areas. The ordinary work has continued, and having to face this together with adopting to the virtual world has been a double challenge.

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

The challenge of the pandemic has been to assess the role of the in-house lawyer and consolidate that function as an important pillar for good decision-making. In the meantime, it is time to be creative and conceive this time of crisis as an opportunity to grow and find new ways to add value to our internal customers, our allies in ensuring that the company continues to operate effectively. Continuing to learn and grow is a never-ending process that a prudent in-house lawyer should never shrink from.

Can you sum up the team culture in your legal department? How does this contribute to your success? 

Three aspects are fundamental: prevention, discipline and teamwork. The in-house lawyer must be an ally of the organisation and management based on prevention. This is fundamental. Our professional culture as lawyers is always to add value, ensure prevention-based compliance and, of course, reduce costs for the company. Having a disciplined team is essential, knowing it and identifying its strengths to place it at the forefront of the processes that make their capabilities and best skills shine. When someone on my team does well, that reflects well on me too. That also allows me, as head of the area, to be able to dedicate myself to more challenging and strategic issues that add value to the organisation. Not losing contact with the outside world is essential to be strategic and proactive. You must be very careful that the day-to-day dynamics do not push you to ignore that there is a vast business world outside one’s own company.