Team size: Seven  
Major legal advisers: Linklaters, Dentons, DWF, Squire Patton Boggs, Al Tamimi  
 
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?  
 
We collaborated with our in-house technology developers to modify existing software used by the business to develop a bespoke technology solution for legal. In our quest to choose the ideal technology for our in-house legal team, we quickly learned that there was no “one software fits all” solution on the market. The adoption of many software programs resulted in expensive subscription costs, not to mention the compatibility concerns.  
 
With the help of our developers, we modified existing software in our business to meet our legal needs, we then filled in the gaps by adding compatible market plugins. This innovative collaboration between the in-house legal and development teams has resulted in a comprehensive, personalised digital transformation of the legal department, at a fraction of the price of major software solutions on the market.  
 
How do you balance your responsibilities as a GC with your involvement in dispute resolution and M&A matters?  
 
In addition to legal delivery, the modern GC’s role extends to strategic business consulting, which often comes with the time commitment of appointments on strategic committees. A GC cannot juggle these roles without a strong legal operating model – with a clear strategy, goals, team structure, responsibilities, and governance.  
 
At Equiti we have litigation and corporate transaction specialists in senior positions on the legal team, who bring a depth of expertise on the subject matter. As a GC, I work closely with the professionals on my team through clear communication and a governance framework regarding the type and extent of involvement required at the GC level in litigation and in corporate transactions. Furthermore, my fellow professionals are empowered to take ownership of transactions, which in turn enhances their personal development.  
 
Can you foresee any key developments to the way general counsel work over the next five years?  
 
I foresee several key developments to the way GCs work over the next five years. First, generative AI, until the emergence of generative AI over the past eight months, the benefits of legal technology were mostly limited to efficiency and scale. Artificial Intelligence has disrupted legal services by engaging in the provision of substantive legal services, through drafting contracts, preparing due diligence reports, conducting legal research and analysis, and this is just the beginning.  
 
Secondly, I believe that with the changes to how legal services are being delivered, due to technology, GCs will also change the way their team performance is measured. KPIs will become increasingly outdated because of their narrow and task-based nature. I see the implementation of a more holistic system that measures the total value generated, both qualitatively and quantitatively.  
 
As AI and automation contribute to the delivery of the routine legal work, the role of the GC will evolve further to focus on the wider business, influence strategy, and participate in commercial decision-making. Empathic leadership and interpersonal skills will become more important than ever before to achieve these changes.  
 
Finally, GCs will need to develop a multidisciplinary nature. The GC will need to develop, at the very least, a working knowledge of other departments in the business. As the non-legal strategic influence of the GC role grows, I expect the GC and the legal team, to be more deeply engaged with other teams when solving problems, leading to rich cross-disciplinary integration with the wider business.