What are the projects that you are most proud of working on over the past 12 months?

Over the last year, I have been involved in management processes with different state entities linked to the hydrocarbon industry, both in project closure processes and the due diligence phase for new investment projects. I have participated in the management and execution of contracts related to non-renewable natural resources and have managed relationships with various stakeholders involved in project closure, which has required an effort of involvement in different areas of a highly technical and specialized industry, seeking to reduce risks and generate value in asset transfer processes. In addition, the scope of socio-environmental issues has posed significant challenges due to the numerous and complex changes, both legal and global, in their treatment and management, especially in the case of projects lasting more than two decades, during which time the world has changed in its treatment of nature and its rights. Guaranteeing compliance with industry standards and local management requirements has been, and will continue to be, a major challenge for the external advisor, in countries where there are constant regulatory changes, so a systematization of information has been generated that has made it possible to document adaptation to change and contractual compliance for almost three decades. On the other hand, the management of new investment processes has required a process of updating knowledge in different subjects related to new technologies, in order to provide comprehensive and reliable advice to foreign investors with a global perspective for long-term projects. Legal due diligence plays a fundamental role in this process and requires coordination with multidisciplinary groups.

How do you approach managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crisis to ensure the organisation’s resilience?

Crises are circumstantial and temporary; therefore, effective work teams find stability by following a line of teamwork. This teamwork is based on concepts in which team members have been trained, duly informed, and have been part of the definition of work guidelines to address the crisis with a common goal. In my professional experience, the formation of multidisciplinary teams has proven effective in analyzing crises from diverse perspectives, leading to the generation of innovative and complementary actions to address situations, while ensuring the seamless operation of business operations. It is essential to consider the perspectives of all individuals within the corporate structure and to solicit their feedback. By engaging all team members in this collaborative process, we can foster a sense of shared purpose and transform challenges into opportunities for growth and innovation.

What do you think are the most important attributes for a modern in-house counsel to possess?

The modern in-house lawyer must be a professional with a high capacity to adapt to new technologies, and in constant training not only in legal aspects, but also in non-legal matters related to ESG, new technologies and team management. The legal advisor becomes the pivot of management, moving closer to the core of the business, while capturing and managing challenges and crises with the work team.

The modern in-house counsel must be able to turn in any direction and be a transformer, interacting with, educating and empowering the different levels of their internal clients.

What is a cause, business or otherwise, that you are passionate about?

I am personally passionate about the process of transferring knowledge and experience to new generations of lawyers. In today’s digital age, technology facilitates access to a wealth of information. However, the experiential knowledge of a lawyer, which is the result of practical, hands-on training, must be imparted directly. I am a staunch proponent of training and knowledge transfer, recognizing it as a transformative endeavor. I am dedicated to fostering collaboration among diverse groups of young lawyers, students, and other professionals, while exploring and discussing legal issues of local and global significance, with a focus on tangible outcomes. These processes of analysis blend diverse perspectives, fostering positive transformations in the perspective of the internal lawyer, contributing to society, and promoting the study of law.