Team size: Four  

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

My team and I, in collaboration with management and support of operational teams, managed to sign purchase contracts of 14 brand new aircraft (Boeing 737 max 7 and max 8 an Embraer E195 E2) and engine as well as options aircraft. This is the largest investment the company has ever made. A very big milestone was achieved and marks a complete recovery of the company since Covid took place. Despite the small size of the legal team (four legal counsels) and the short deadlines, we achieved the negotiations leading to signatures of contracts thanks to a strong team cohesion and dedication.  

Also, we completed a very strategic project in a very limited period of time which consisted of selling a branch of activities (spin off) involving the transfer of personnel (over 1000 staff members) assets and liabilities. It allowed our company to focus on its core business, the transport of passengers, while allowing other companies specialising in cargo activities to invest and take over such strategic activities. This project was again achieved due to the great dedication and availability of all the team involved.    

These projects were achieved on top of the daily business. 

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

I see a lot more ads and solicitations regarding legal tech and automation of our daily business. Automation of documents, procedures, and templates is being integrated in the legal department. The legal department has no choice but to adapt to new technologies and to allow them to become part of daily work. 

The scope of activities that legal counsel undertake becomes wider. For example, a trend that I see more and more is the combination of compliance and legal matters within legal departments. It is often required for legal counsel to combine the set of skills. Compliance topics are taking up a big space within legal department forcing legal counsel to be trained to compliance topics in order to obtain appropriate skills.