Can you tell us about your journey to becoming an in-house counsel? What inspired you to pursue a career in this field? 

I was fortunate to start working in the legal field since my early days as a student, and I was fortunate to work in transnational companies and discover the corporate legal world with great mentors who, from the beginning, inspired me and gave me the necessary tools to know that a corporate lawyer is not just someone who advises the company to solve problems, but that the function of the corporate lawyer is to be a business ally who advises, prevents and mitigates risks focused on the objectives that the company has at that time. 

From this perspective, becoming that business ally for the commercial, financial and operations areas has given me a comprehensive and global vision of seeing beyond what the legal framework or doctrine dictates, but rather finding strategies and creative solutions to situations that arise in the day-to-day within the legal framework and regulatory compliance. 

On the other hand, I have always believed that corporate lawyers are the Pixar of lawyers. We have the great advantage of knowing and facing a large variety of challenges and situations. Translating and bringing to life the offerings of our internal clients for our external clients is not only professionally enriching but also personally fulfilling. There is no limit to imagination, and witnessing it materialise in the firm of a signed contract or a completed transaction marks the ultimate realisation of trust our internal clients invest in us. So, my inspiration, which I see more as personal satisfaction, is knowing that my contributions are part of the success of the companies in which I have worked. 

In your role as an in-house counsel, what are the main responsibilities and tasks you handle on a day-to-day basis? 

My practice focuses mainly on the generation of legal strategies for business decision making, corporate governance, M&A, compliance, creation and implementation of policies, process innovation, sharing best practices with different markets in Latin America, and the development of team members. 

Currently I work in a telecommunications company so the dynamism with which it moves leads you to work effectively and efficiently, maximising human and material resources you have. Also, part of my role within the organisation is to be that business ally for internal and external customers to meet the objectives that lead the company and our customers to succeed in their respective areas. 

Nowadays, corporate governance and compliance is a fundamental intangible asset that makes a difference when doing business for companies, because it is no longer only important to act ethically, but ethics is lived on a daily basis and part of my role inside and outside the organisation is to live these ethical values and that permeates to the collaborators, clients and stakeholders, making a difference in the products and services offered by the companies and in the case of the company where I currently work, compliance and corporate governance are part of the DNA and culture of the organisation, as well as the development of the employees. 

For me, it is a great privilege and responsibility to be a manager, as it is my way of thanking the different mentors I have had throughout my career. Without their advice, mentoring and guidance, my career would not be at the level it is today. These mentors have contributed to open doors to my professional and personal growth and, today in my current role, I focus my efforts in being that agent of change for the collaborators and to be that source of inspiration. 

What are some of the key challenges you have faced as a rising star in-house counsel, and how have you overcome them? 

The main challenges have been to adapt and be resilient to the evolution of the business, the constant regulatory change, and the consolidation of competition. I believe that as a corporate lawyer, you must constantly adapt to change and constantly learn new practices, new schemes of work, different forms of negotiation and closing operations. Today, although the focus is on goals achievement, the new component is how those goals are achieved. It is no longer just about closing for the sake of closing. As a manager, I have had to adapt to the new way of working with generations, since they are not motivated by the same things that could motivate me or other collaborators. It is crucial to learn and unlearn work styles and communication dynamics. Currently, corporate lawyers and those of us who have collaborators in our charge have an enormous responsibility to understand the motivators, the personal and professional needs of our clients and, in the case of collaborators, to manage their development and growth. 

What steps have you taken to enhance your professional development and expand your legal skill set? 

I am always training myself in relevant topics of the industry and the legal work in general, learning how to implement new systems to the day-to-day execution, accepting different roles within the organisation and understanding the needs of internal and external clients. Today, I have realised that to perform my work efficiently and satisfactorily, it is necessary to learn the language of my interlocutors, to understand the business from the financial, operational, implementation and administrative point of view, in order to shape the legal precepts that give sense to what the organisation and our clients are looking for.