First, can you please give us an idea of the sort of work you have done recently?

We are mainly focused on Power Generation, and the liquid natural gas market, while I myself am in charge of the corporate and business, litigation and regulatory areas. We participate in all aspects related to business development, regulation, decision making, finance, and corporate support to all AES subsidiaries in the Dominican Republic related to electricity, liquefied natural gas sales and related areas.

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

Our role has become more strategic and advisory over the course of the Covid-19 pandemic, as in-house lawyers have taken part in decision-making at the highest levels of their organisation. During the beginning of the pandemic, quick decision-making was required in a climate of continually changing scenarios. Due to the lack of concrete rules, a lawyer’s interpretation of legal documents was essential in making informed decisions. In general, GCs have become more focused, productive and disciplined.

Looking forward, what technological advancements do you feel will impact the role of in-house legal teams in the future the most?

The trend of increasing workloads and flat budgets puts a premium on efficiency. This means that legal departments must improve their processes, their legal technology implementation, their analytics and other digitalisation strategies to support this increased workload.

Adopting this technology also enables legal departments to gather more data about how they are performing, allowing them to make more informed strategic decisions.

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

A good work culture is one in which team members collaborate, share knowledge, communicate and most importantly support one another. When people feel supported and know that someone has their back, they’re able to do great things. When a culture is strong, trust exists, and people will do the right thing. It will encourage regular distribution of praise and feedback so that teams understand exactly what is expected of them and are motivated by the fact that their hard work and dedication is not going unnoticed

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

At AES I have always been accompanied by an extremely competitive commercial and technical team. In the energy sector, it is imperative that you have a full and vast knowledge of everything the company is involved with. This contributes to self-confidence, which is vital for persuading stakeholders and allows the best results to be possible.

There can be a wide gulf between being a lawyer and being a lawyer who really understands and knows the business. Only by doing this can you be a truly effective business partner for the areas where you support. You must seek a balance between your objectives and that of the company. Most of the time, while you give great importance to the details, other areas are more oriented in the achievement of goals. While you have to be conservative and mitigate risk, the other areas calculate their risks and focus on opportunities.