About

Dutco Group’s general counsel since 2007, Helen Graham’s extensive prior career included conduct spanning seven years on the largest London Maritime Arbitrators Association arbitration relating to the conversion of an offshore vessel while working as a partner with Norton Rose in London. Since joining Dutco Group, Graham has enjoyed a large number of successes and has shaped the role of the in-house legal function at the company. She explains that fully winning over the management element of Dutco Group was key to this: ‘The highlights of an in-house legal career come when senior managers in the business realise that you add value to their business, that you are there to have their back and find solutions to their problems. I do not see myself as a lawyer only, and realise that my analytical skills enable me to contribute in a wider and meaningful way’. She goes on to say that ‘confronting a difficult problem where the business has exposure and formulating a strategy to extract the business from the risk without litigation or downside’ is the gold standard for general counsel. For Graham, ‘getting lawyers out of their office and away from email communication and engaging face-to-face with the business managers to deal with business problems as a part of the operational function’ ranks among the most important philosophies she has instilled in the legal department, and has been the major contributory factor to the team’s success. ‘It is hugely important to make every member of staff feel that they have an important contribution to make, that we approach our work with passion, dedication and professional integrity’, she adds.