Could you share an example of a time when you came up with an innovation that improved how your legal team works and did not come at a large expense?

There are two examples of where I feel that I have played a role in driving and supporting innovations to improve the work of my legal team and the organisation as a whole.

The first innovation consisted of moving to cloud services. More than five years ago, the legal team led by myself came up with an idea to move our organisation’s documents to the cloud. At that time, management viewed the move to cloud services as risky in as it may have led to loss of information or confidentiality issues. Nonetheless, we have successfully convinced management about the measures and procedures within cloud services that can effectively address their concerns. The initiative was approved by management and its value became clear during the Covid-19 pandemic where working remotely became necessary. I am proud to say that my organisation, unlike some others, was able to easily and immediately switch over to remote working – requiring no specific measures and incurring no additional cost.

The second innovation that we implemented within our team is the greater use of electronic letters and digital signatures. During the Covid-19 period, the organisation faced difficulties in issuing letters to its counterparts and stakeholders via the traditional manner of hard copies. As a result, I presented the idea of electronic letters and digital signatures to the CEO, who welcomed the idea due to its legal basis and support in Omani law. We immediately worked with the authorised digital signature issuing authority in Oman to provide digital signatures to all our organisation’s employees at very minimal costs. During the summer of 2020, we successfully transitioned to electronic letters signed with certified digital signatures, increasing our team efficiency in regard to sending our documents. In addition, the move has greatly reduced the use of paper within our organisation.

These two innovations supported and streamlined the work of not only the legal team, but the entire organisation. I am proud to say that other organisations have copied these initiatives, and both the legal team and I have been actively offering supporting other entities seeking to implement similar practices.

How do you balance your responsibilities as a GC with your involvement in dispute resolution and M&A matters?

As the general counsel, I find myself more involved in the strategic initiatives and matters of the organisation, as well as in the decision-making and business operations, rather than the day-to-day legal work. Notably, my organization does not deal with M&A matters. Instead, I primarily provide legal support to the project development department, particularly in the relation to renewable energy projects. Additionally, I assist the contracts department in handling claims and disputes with counterparties.

I empower my team to manage claims daily by engaging directly with the contracts department from the initial stages once a claim has been submitted. This practice has been developed and supported by management to ensure that the organization adopts a comprehensive review and position on each claim in accordance with the contract. Therefore, a member of the legal team is responsible for reviewing and working with the contracts department on any claim and they can come to me for advice or insight into matters that are new or that they have difficulties with. If a matter reaches dispute level, I become more involved in the process to understand where we stand and the likelihood of success if it reaches the dispute resolution process.

I am pleased to say that personally, with the support of the CEO, we have been able to reach a settlement in several disputes affected by Covid-19. I would say that both parties were mature enough to put in the time and effort to find ways to resolve disputes that could have otherwise ended in a lengthy litigious manner.

How do you prioritise diversity and inclusion within your legal department, and what initiatives have you implemented to foster a more inclusive and equitable work environment?

Diversity and inclusion among the legal team is something I consider to be extremely important. Over the past seven to eight years, we have been able to build a talented legal team consisting mainly of women. One important thing I keep in mind is to hire the right person considering their technical strength and personal attitude. This ensures that the team member will engage effectively with the team and play an active role in the teamwork. Furthermore, to ensure business continuity, I have diversified the team between experienced team members and new graduate or junior lawyers so that I have flexibility in hiring within the allowed budget. Additionally, this model allows the senior staff to build their mentoring experience by guiding junior team members – which is essential when taking on a leadership role.

Furthermore, the work-from-home initiative provided a flexible work environment for team members. This is becoming more important for women in our culture who want to achieve a balanced working and taking care of their families. I see remote working as one of the methods of providing a fair working environment which ensures employees can manage their workload while meeting the needs of his family.

What emerging technologies do you see as having the most significant impact on the legal profession in the near future, and how do you stay updated on these developments?

There is no doubt that artificial intelligence will have the greatest impact not only on the legal profession but on all professions. With the AI capabilities available today, I believe that in the near future, we will see a fully digitalised lawyer with AI capabilities. AI is not something that is limited to the legal profession but extends to all aspects of our lives and, therefore, is something that I personally follow and read articles about. It is also a theme and topic that is increasingly present in seminars, workshops, and conferences and how it is taking over our working environment. I believe that AI is something we need to work with and regulate effectively otherwise it can be exploited and misused.