Team size: 11

Key team members: Alice Fung, Brandon Yap, Yong Lee, Michelle Pang, Julie Tu, Bill Yung, Phyllis Cheng, Joshua Leung and Winnie Tsui

Can you sum up the team culture in one sentence?

Our team pursues the group’s collective interests rather than personal ambitions with a commitment to quality service and next generation development. This involves clearly communicating our unique culture to the team, selecting the right lawyers, especially for the senior members, who must lead by example. The team operates without a formal hierarchy, as we wish to encourage open expression of thoughts and ideas. Valuable ideas are welcomed, and case handlers can directly engage with stakeholders and receive their due recognition. Team members experience diverse Asian jurisdictions and our Paris headquarters, fostering broader perspectives and network-building across the group. Appropriate levels of work and senior guidance are allocated to our junior members, thus facilitating their professional growth.

Apart from legal matters, has the team worked on other company initiatives?

We support the Group’s Asian business lines in legal, ethics, compliance, and corporate services. Led by the head, we manage ethics and compliance for Group entities in Asia. This involves adapting and implementing E&C policies, handling compliance needs, and conducting relevant training. Other team members also offer support and serve as gatekeepers for E&C matters during collaboration with business partners, ensuring proactive issue management. Additionally, the team engages in Group activities including testing technology such as an AI contract review.

What steps do you take to ensure effective communication and collaboration with external counsel and other stakeholders during the dispute resolution process?

We ensure that a team member oversees each specific dispute, working closely with external counsel as a unified front. This approach ensures our team’s thorough grasp of the case, and streamlines communication by making it relevant, efficient and mutual. Rather than merely delegating responsibilities to external counsel we treat them as collaborative partners. Internally, the team, serving as the case manager, works closely with senior management to assemble a dedicated business group. By engaging with cases from the outset, we possess first-hand knowledge and insights. This track record inspires confidence and trust among internal stakeholders, resulting in effective and constructive communication.

How does the in-house legal team contribute to the overall dispute resolution strategy of the organisation?

Our team is a trusted partner for legal and risk management, prioritising dispute prevention. Stakeholder trust enables our early intervention and input to avoid conflicts. Should disputes arise, our privileged position allows us to influence resolution strategies, drawing on our experience, institutional knowledge, and understanding of Group resources. Effective communication and collaboration with external counsel and internal stakeholders further enhances the group’s confidence in us.