What are the most significant cases or transactions that your legal team has recently been involved in?

We are a subsidiary of a multinational company with an extended supply chain. Therefore, the pandemic has been one of the most challenging times to advise the business. It was necessary to adopt a commercial, strategic, and combative perspective to keep the business open amid extended lockdown periods and ever-changing legislation. Decision-making processes were largely focused on compliance and risk management. One of the most relevant cases the legal team has been involved in has been the re-design of the contractual negotiation system for customers, which resulted in a significant reduction in negotiation time and internal controls.

How do you feel the pandemic has changed the world of work for in-house counsel and the function of the general counsel?

The Covid-19 health crisis revealed the extraordinary ability of in-house counsel to adapt and deliver what the business needs. In an uncertain environment, where laws were continually changing, legal departments were able to stay on top of their game, giving strategic and efficient legal advice from remote. Moreover, the enhanced interaction and cooperation between the general counsel and the internal clients during the crisis has created a synergy that allows for closer communication and collaboration.

What are some of the key developments – legal, geopolitical or otherwise – that have affected your business over the past year?

The pandemic caused a global supply chain crisis, leading to increased freight rates impacting our imported products. However, the most relevant, specifically in Peru, is the political crisis after the election of the new president in July 2021, which has led the country to general instability due to weak governance. The uncertainty within a non-optimal context tremendously impacts consumers’ buying habits.

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

We are constantly striving for efficiency and improving our processes to guarantee that our intervention in the operations of our internal clients is as efficient as possible. In addition to the quick modernisation of processes such as electronic signatures and contract management, the future will be shaped with the tools that would allow in-house legal teams to save most of their time regarding day-to-day operative tasks. The pandemic has shown us that technology is key to continuing to provide valuable results, whether done from home or the office.