Team size: 16

Looking forward, what technological advancements do you feel will impact the role of in-house legal teams in the future the most?

Continued improvement of DMS systems along with contract review software if it can be configured correctly for the needs of the business. Currently, it is likely to have the most impact on lower value, higher volume template reviews but that of course may change over time.

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

Continued career development for legal department team members to attract and retain high performing talent, develop, and engage talent and nurture an innovative and creative culture. We are running several initiatives at present which include reverse law firm secondments, online training, business English training, monthly legal seminars as well as exploring dual qualification.

What would you say are the unique qualities required to be successful as an in-house lawyer in your industry?

The legal team needs to support their business by providing strategic and commercial legal advice through the company’s business forums. It needs to leverage a collegiate approach, to allow the team to provide full-service and comprehensive legal advice, to improve efficiency, mitigate legal risk and contribute to achieving Aldar’s strategic objectives. Most of all, they need to be commercial and approachable, being seen as business facilitators rather than business blockers.

Focus on: The requirement to continually evolve and build relationships

Aldar is a leading real estate developer in the region, was publicly listed in 2004, and is currently in strategic growth mode. For the legal department to keep abreast of a diverse business such as Aldar’s, the general counsel needs to continually monitor the business’s growth to ensure that the legal function evolves in parallel and can support the ever-increasing business needs. This means not only looking at team numbers but also constantly reviewing the skill sets of the lawyers within the team through continued evaluation and development of annual business plans to create a consistently high impact.

Today, lawyers cannot just provide legal advice; they need to be strategic, flexible, and adaptable enough to problem solve and be capable of marketing their talents to the wider business. Traditionally, business teams have been reticent at approaching the legal department. There is sometimes a feeling that lawyers cause delays and unnecessary complications. Successful legal departments are now combatting this stereotype by proactively developing relationships and working collaboratively with teams across the business to deliver simple ‘plain English’ legal advice. Collaborative relationships can only be built on trust and achieved when both parties foster an approachable, sympathetic, and appreciative mindset. Effective in-house lawyers position themselves as part of the wider team and not within a ‘legal silo’. The process of facilitating collaborative working relationships then improves the visibility of the legal department within the business resulting in increased efficiency.