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? 

The Onshore Wind industry is currently facing business challenges, that have led to a drastic reduction in headcount. This has also, in turn, affected the legal team. Consequently, my team of two lawyers was streamlined, leaving me as the sole resource for South Asia, responsible for supporting the entire Onshore Wind business. This shift has led to a considerable increase in work pressure due to the lack of resources. As a member of the legal leadership team, we strategised on how to optimise work processes and implement solutions to improve efficiency.

One of the innovation initiatives that I supported as a core member involved the standardisation of the NDA contract template, the update of the Cookbook Guidance on NDA negotiation, and the rollout of training sessions for the commercial teams. The idea behind this initiative was “help us to help you,” which meant training the commercial team on the key aspects of NDA negotiations, referring to the Cookbook for guidance, and using a standardised NDA template. As a result, the sales and commercial teams can now independently manage NDAs, seeking limited support from the legal department only for crucial legal matters. This, in turn, has helped legal focus on core legal matters. The tasks related to NDA agreement standardisation, Cookbook guidance updates, and training were handled internally by a specialised task force that was set up and not outsourced, incurring no external costs. This initiative has been appreciated by the business.

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

Be a strategic business partner and avoid being perceived as ‘sitting in an ivory tower.’ Adopting this attitude will render the legal team more approachable, fostering early resolution of issues and the identification of practical solutions to legal problems and challenges. It is important to understand the business mindset, ensuring that the solutions offered are commercially viable within the existing legal framework.   

Furthermore, aspiring in-house lawyers should undergo basic training in finance and accounts. This will improve their understanding of commercial challenges and facilitate the development of a business-oriented mindset. This will help them in providing practical legal advice, which will be appreciated.