Team size: Six 

First, can you please give us an idea of the sort of work your team has done recently? 

In general, the team has continued to participate in day-to-day business of the company, including supporting important deals and transactions that, due to their nature, cannot be shared. Worth noting has been the support provided this year to our internal real estate development projects that has not only meant a significant change in our day-to-day work, but has allowed us to participate in one of the most important real estate deals in the country. For an in-house team such as ourselves, it is always a challenge to participate in a complex operation in a niche legal sector. The real estate world requires specific knowledge that does not come easily. But with the support of great external lawyers and with hours of work and study I am very happy with the result obtained. 

What particular industry trends are you seeing in the legal sector in Luxembourg? 

Regarding trends in general, I think that we are still in somewhat of a strange period. Whilst some economic indicators, particularly inflation, were promising a very complicated scenario, the reality is that this has not materialised, yet. And it might never materialise. This has led, from a legal point of view to an environment where contracts are negotiated more thoroughly than in previous years. Clauses regarding controls, termination, penalties, including insolvency, that were common but not key in the past have seen an increase in relevance. Additionally, the increase in legal and administrative obligations both to us and to our clients continues to be a major trend without any signs of slowing down. 

What is a cause, business related or otherwise, that you care about, and why? 

From a more personal perspective, the main challenges for the future are the advent of new technologies and the retention of young talent. The use of AI, blockchain and other groundbreaking technological developments promise an exciting future ahead of us. On the one hand as an area of business that will need legal support to develop, on the other hand as an asset or technology to purchase with the consequent legal controls, and finally, to improve our work. In this sense, it is key to retain the young talent of the future. Lawyers that are both educated in the old system but that understand and are comfortable with the new future.