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

Some examples of the work my team has handled in the past year included: production and commercialisation of lubricants (Mobil brand); aviation fuel dispatch and supply of liquids and gas to local gas stations; establishing compliance program in the areas of anti-corruption, anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing; implementing contract management software.

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

The pandemic introduced a challenge to general counsel – managing a legal team remotely while maintaining the quality of service. In Terpel, we restructure the legal department to allow each team members to manage their own case in their specialisation. As a result, in-house counsel of Terpel have specialised knowledge in niche areas such as hydrocarbon sector.

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

The pandemic caused massive delays in export logistics. Significant amounts of goods did not arrive in Peru on time, and this brought in various challenges to the operation of our business. However, we managed to overcome challenges by focusing on the core value of our business.

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

Technological advancements of legal tech in the areas of drafting, and contract management will replace entry level lawyers. Thus, I believe that lawyers need to focus on specialisation. In-house counsel are required to expand their understanding of commercial and financial matters for business operation.