MERIEM FILALI
HEAD OF LEGAL NORTHWEST AFRICA CLUSTER
NESTLE MOROCCO

What innovations have you made to the way your legal team works in the past year?

Over the past year, our team has innovated by collaborating closely with the Agriservices team. A significant initiative has been in contract shaping to professionalise dairy farms, with a strong focus on sustainability. We’ve integrated regenerative agriculture practices and developed legal solutions to support farmers in reducing their environmental impact, including the promotion of solar panel usage and better manure management to lower emissions. This innovation not only supports sustainable farming, but also ensures that legal frameworks align with environmental objectives.

Based on your experience, what is the key to collaborating successfully with business partners?

Collaboration with business partners is most successful when an in-house lawyer fully understands the business’ objectives and aligns legal strategies with these goals. By integrating business needs with legal expertise, we can achieve sustainable growth while ensuring compliance with industry standards and local regulations. Open and transparent communication is also key, ensuring all stakeholders are informed, aligned, and actively involved in decision-making. This approach helps to foster trust, streamline processes, and ensure that legal considerations support and drive the business forward effectively.

Apart from legal matters, has the team worked on other company initiatives you would like to highlight?

Apart from legal matters, our team has been actively involved in maintaining strong relationships with government bodies and regulatory authorities. This effort is key to ensuring our business operations are aligned with local regulations and policies. We’ve worked closely with these entities to foster cooperation, mitigate legal risks, and stay ahead of any regulatory changes that could impact our operations. This proactive approach has helped maintain a positive, collaborative environment between Nestlé and the local governments across the region.

Are the effects of AI on the legal world overplayed, or underplayed?

The effects of AI on the legal world are a topic of ongoing debate. Some argue that the impact of AI is overplayed, suggesting that it may not fully replace the expertise and judgment of human lawyers. On the other hand, there are those who believe that the effects of AI on the legal world are underplayed. They argue that AI has the potential to revolutionise the legal industry by automating repetitive tasks, conducting legal research at a faster pace, and analysing vast amounts of data more efficiently.

Ultimately, the true impact of AI on the legal world is likely to be a combination of both perspectives. While AI can bring significant advancements and efficiencies to the legal field, it is important to recognise that human judgment, critical thinking, and ethical considerations will continue to play a crucial role in complex legal matters.