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

The pandemic has been a disruptive event that has completely changed the world and the work of in-house counsel. I have seen positive developments in our practice throughout the pandemic. Remote working positively impacted the work-life balance, timesaving (traffic, transport, and travelling to meetings), and a better approach to workload. Physical contact is essential and even necessary to some extent – a new joiner, new colleagues, and sensitive discussions. During the last two years, my legal team and I went through highly complicated deals, and we managed to fully handle it remotely. For those who have a strong work ethic and high levels of productivity in the new environment, it is essential to agree on reachable and tangible objectives.

In a changing financial landscape, how does the company remain competitive against new phenomena such as fintech and blockchain, and how does the legal team assist with this?

A company needs to be competitive, and in today’s financial landscape, innovation should be embraced. However, the approach to digital should be adopted in different ways concerning the market. The insurance sector, for example, is mainly traditional; therefore, the development should be less urgent as the introduction of new regulations usually drives it. The legal team has a pivotal role in identifying solutions to support the business and to anticipate the regulatory landscape, which is generally slower than IT progress.

What do you feel are the pros and cons of an in-house legal role compared to a private practice one?

The roles are quite different, despite apparent similarities. My career has developed across both roles, and I can firmly state that the general counsel are becoming more like proper managers. They must understand their business and complex internal dynamics and find practical solutions to benefit the company. That is one of the pros of a career in-house, especially considering that our internal clients are finally realising how technical expertise is not enough, and we need to work together. The only con I can find is that when you switch to an in-house career in Italy, you lose the privilege to defend in court – an unacceptable legacy from the past that is not present in any other EU country. Hopefully, it will be amended in the coming years.