Team size: Ten+

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? 

We faced a situation where the time available was disproportionately small compared to increasing business aspirations. We produced a solution of providing pre-approved alternate positions for frequently negotiated contract terms which the business could use – this resulted in a significant time reduction in closing contracts, greater empowerment of the sales team, and better client experience, at no additional cost.  

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

My team and I have been handling some of the most complex and, at times, cross border matters. Many of these are large matters where we may not have precedents to work with. We often need to ‘find a path’ that whilst meeting the business objectives, satisfies our professional standards – it must be lawful (both in letter and spirit), ethical and fair.  

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

My advice would be as follows:  

Focus on understanding the fundamentals of law and understand what makes the business tick – increasingly, lawyers need to find practical, implementable solutions that meet the business objectives, often with no precedents to work with. This is where the fundamentals of law help you to find solutions.  

Be inquisitive, keep learning and evolving all the time. While you focus on your chosen field, understand the basics of a wide variety of fields; this helps in crosspollination of ideas and enhances your ability to understand your client needs much better.  

Never, ever compromise on integrity. As a professional if you do not have integrity, you have nothing to show – even if technically you may be the most brilliant.  

Be confident, yet humble. Humility helps you to maintain your professional edge.  

Be kind and compassionate in your conduct.