Legal team size: Five

Major legal advisers/external counsel: Cooley LLP, Goodwin Procter, Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton, Esbrook, P.C.

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

The CSC Generation Enterprise (CSC) legal team recently spearheaded CSC’s acquisition of Backcountry, a leading online specialty retailer for outdoor recreation gear and apparel. This acquisition also included Backcountry’s family of brands: MotoSport, Competitive Cyclist, and Steep and Cheap. In addition to completing several other financing transactions for various CSC brands over the past year, the legal team was also instrumental in closing a $112M credit facility and term loan for Backcountry with Second Avenue Capital Partners and Ares Commercial Finance.

Which recent political, economic or regulatory changes have impacted your work the most in the past year?

The introduction of new data privacy regulations in various U.S. states has greatly impacted my work in the past year given that CSC has brands with customers across the U.S. These new regulations have required us to reassess our data handling practices and policies and to implement more robust compliance measures. The increased scrutiny around data protection has led to an increase in cross-department collaboration, particularly with IT and marketing, to ensure compliance and to mitigate any potential risks.

How does your legal team collaborate with other departments within the company?

The CSC legal team prioritises collaboration across departments and across our brands to ensure that legal considerations are integrated into every aspect of our brands’ operations. For example, we hold regular meetings with key departments such as finance, HR, and marketing. These sessions allow us to discuss ongoing projects, share updates on legal developments, and identify potential legal risks early in the process. For major initiatives, such as product launches or mergers and acquisitions, we form integrated project teams that include members from relevant departments, which ensures that legal input is incorporated from the outset and helps to streamline processes and avoid last-minute legal hurdles.

We also conduct training sessions and workshops for other departments and brand leaders at least on a quarterly basis (or more frequently) on “legal hot topics” such as contract management, data privacy, and regulatory compliance, which not only raises awareness of legal issues, but also empowers teams to make informed decisions. We maintain open lines of communication through channels including email, Slack, and our automated contract management system (Ironclad), making it easy for team members to reach out for legal guidance when needed.

Being accessible as a legal team helps demystify legal processes and fosters a culture of proactive compliance. Finally, we encourage feedback on our legal processes and responsiveness on a regular basis and through an annual survey (with any feedback being promptly actioned). Doing so helps us identify areas for improvement and enhances our ability to support various business needs effectively.

By fostering strong partnerships with other departments and with brand leaders, we not only enhance legal compliance, but also contribute to the overall success of the CSC brands’ strategic goals. Our integrated approach allows us to anticipate challenges and respond swiftly, ultimately driving better business outcomes.