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

Ecuador in recent years, has been taking new paths in terms of Personal Data Protection, this has led to companies and customers face new challenges with the provisions of the regulations, and should see their lawyers as their allies in the implementation of this standard; This new norm not only observes the legal field but also covers and is immersed in all areas of a company, since the risk of non-compliance or leakage of personal information and documentation can come from any area of the company; therefore, having the advice of an expert in the field is vital at the time of business continuity when there is a new standard and when it is regulated and could bring penalties. Finally, with all that has been shared, I conclude that any issue that may arise in this regard must be addressed by an expert in the field. Finally, with all that has been shared, I conclude that any issue can be handled in the best way when working in the attorney-client relationship, since we are the ones called to guide and light our clients, both in-house and external, in this way we become allies and not consultants or service providers.

As we live in a fast-paced world today, what skills will a corporate legal team need to succeed in the modern in-house industry?

I could focus on two essential qualities: first, the disposition to change and second, the knowledge of the industry where you provide services.

The disposition to change is important because, in this society, changes are unforeseen, so the lawyer must be attentive to new challenges and be updated in their knowledge to identify such situations. For example, being aware of regulatory changes that may affect various areas of a company.

Knowledge of the industry is a second relevant factor for an in-house lawyer, as it allows us to be one step ahead of any situation that may arise and to be able to provide the advice that our client expects—for example, knowing how the Personal Data Protection Law can affect the issuance of a policy in insurance companies.

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

Knowledge of the business is vital, because in this way, our advice and suggestions are framed to the client´s industry specific needs and not the general ones. When we are in-house lawyers the same criteria apply, since we are there to expedite the business and not to be an obstacle to it. For example, suggesting contractual clauses that facilitate the negotiation with our clients.

What are some of the main legislative or regulatory changes that have impacted you?

When I worked in an audit firm, one of the most impactful regulatory changes was the timing and basis of auditor rotation at clients. This directly affected the business and client engagement. We had to review our client portfolio by sector and proceeded to verify whether we had to rotate or maintain the service for another period. Also, being a new topic, training was provided to the team and management.