How do you feel the pandemic has changed the world of work for in-house counsel and the function of the general counsel?

General counsel are now playing a more strategic and business centric role than before. We have to be adaptable, agile, innovative, and capable of keeping up with both financial sector and digital transformation challenges. This means that we need to not only be able to provide experience on traditional issues but also to advise the board and internal stakeholders on emergency governance policies. With the increased advisory function, the pandemic brought a new way of working. Our quality of work did not decrease during the pandemic, and with the introduction of hybrid models, it is expected to improve much more.

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

The team provides legal support across all Barclays business divisions and range of products – Investment Banking, Corporate Banking, Private Banking and Retail legacy business. Working closely with the business function and its origination, execution and syndicate teams, we provide legal coverage across a wide range of transactional and advisory matters. Our lawyers are based in London and Milan with previous experience in primary international firms, covering Italian and English law matters. The team supports transactions across all sectors and deal types, sub-debt and senior, including a burgeoning ESG market. The team has been involved in a number of landmark transactions executed by Barclays in the Italian market, such as Falck Renewables green convertible bond (the first Italian green convertible bond), M&A, debt and equity capital markets transactions and benchmark issuances by the Republic of Italy. In addition, the team has been involved in a wide range of complex NPL/ Distressed Debt transactions, including purchases of receivable portfolios and single-name and investments in real estate assets via Italian SPVs.