Team size: ~540  

Could you share an example of a time when you came up with an innovation that improved how your legal team works and did not come at a large expense?  

Our operations extend across 11 states and 14 cities with close to 5558 compliance requirements to track for implementation, and one of the innovations that was brought in by the legal team was compliance tracking system that was built internally along with our CIO team. Three key factors determined the need for building this tool: originality, rationale, and impact.  

Originality. Establishing a cross functional team comprising of leadership, legal team, and various internal stakeholders by defining specific roles.  

Rationale. With our operations extending to several states across India and given the reporting structure is both federal and state, the shift from traditional monitoring mechanism to a technology driven approach is the key to define success. The compliance tracking tool helped test the adherence levels to internally defined mandates and aimed to protect the organisation from all risks by adopting a proactive approach and solution. 

Impact. Stakeholders’ participation in the change has instilled confidence in stakeholders and their role and responsibilities in the compliance processes.  

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

Technology is one of the key components of the transformation to add value. 

Strategic priorities are levers critical to the success of the function and we need to embrace those in all that we do. Few key things that shape our function and contributes value includes (i) pro-actively identifying, and deliberately adopting, opportunities that create step changes in quality and productivity; (ii) partner with the business in generating, delivering, and harvesting major value initiatives; (iii) make smart investments – in people, processes, and technologies. Most importantly, we always act as stewards of the core values and ethical practices, making integrity a natural part of our operations and culture. 

Productive work culture is something very important, and five key things are crucial to this: (i) strategic vision – synchronising business needs and legal requirements; (ii) team work – for deriving a common business solution which either averts or mitigates business risks; (iii) client satisfaction – transcending beyond mere legal advice and providing proactive solutions to business requirements and complementing stakeholder collaboration; (iv) employee development – investment made on individual’s strengths to enhance both professional and personal abilities, thereby unlock value;  (v) efficiency – a blend of experience and multi- functional expertise. 

Going beyond legal and giving back to the community, we have catalysed progress in Accenture’s inclusion and diversity initiatives. The legal team has counselled on gender diversity, LGBT rights at workplace and in creating a supplier inclusion and diversity program, enabled 19 knowledge sharing sessions, given back to the community – by visiting elderly home care, holding painting competition for children, and seed sapling on World Environment Day. This has helped Accenture in ensuring an inclusive, open, collaborative, and equitable work environment, irrespective of an individual’s background, needs and expectations.  

In alignment with our robust ESG commitments, the legal team has prominently showcased its expertise and dedication through deep awareness of the latest ESG trends and best practices, placing ourselves at the forefront of knowledge. We have meticulously reviewed and shaped policies focusing on employee rights, diversity and inclusion, and community engagement. Furthermore, as a testament to our unwavering commitment to sustainability, Accenture stands proud in its stringent policy against landfill waste disposal, even in the absence of a legal obligation. The legal team has been pivotal in this achievement, ensuring the incorporation and rigorous enforcement of this mandate across our contractual frameworks and supply chain. 

Legal team members have walked the extra mile to demonstrate their commitment to ESG values in their personal behaviour, such as by making sustainable lifestyle choices, volunteering in their communities, or participating in corporate social responsibility initiatives at the company. This sets a positive example for other colleagues and reinforces the company’s ESG culture. 

If you had to give advice to an aspiring in-house lawyer or general counsel, what would it be and why?  

The overall business landscape is and will continue to be fairly complex due to constantly evolving business models, technology, laws, and regulations. There has not been a year where we have not been grappling with a new piece of legislation that might potentially impact us. In this challenging business environment, legal professionals need to demonstrate learning agility – the ability to unlearn and learn quickly, out of the box thinking and be solution oriented. 

In order for legal counsels to be strategic partners or advisors to the business, it is critical for them to have a thorough understanding of the company’s overall business and the regulatory landscape. Only then can one effectively identify areas of risk across legal, regulatory, ethical, employee, governance, and compliance aspects.  

A legal counsel must wear several hats at once and must constantly strive to maintain the delicate balance between business, legal and regulatory considerations. This includes achieving the right balance between several seeming dichotomies – understand the business implications of both legal actions and inaction, be a trusted commercial advisor as well as legal counsellor, and be a gatekeeper but not a roadblock. Legal professionals must be pragmatic, focus on adding value by preserving value and help the company understand the value in mitigating and controlling risk, without being too risk averse.