Team size: Four

How do you approach managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crises, and how does your legal strategy align with the broader business strategy to ensure the organisation’s resilience?

Depending on the magnitude of the event, we can establish a Crisis Committee, comprising the company’s decision areas, including the CEO. Within this Committee, we review the risks facing our business, identify the legal risks of the said event, and how they will be managed. We recommend alternatives, provide suggestions, and collectively decide on which action to take. Depending on the risks involved, controls can be reinforced without affecting the business. After this, the plan is escalated not only to the legal team but also to other relevant areas to ensure alignment with the action plan.

This analysis is incorporated into the Compliance System – Business Management Systems to determine if it is included in the SWOT for the year, whether procedures need adaptation, and if including it in the risk matrix poses a risk, along with the identified controls to mitigate that risk.

This analysis incorporates the PDCA Cycle of the area, making adjustments according to the time of year. In this case, we Plan, Do, Check, and Act, among which we must validate the effectiveness of the controls implemented.

In times of instability, as well as in any other circumstance, it is essential for the legal team to be present in business decisions. In our case, these decisions are seen in the review of the business plan conducted with the directors of our parent company, in Management Committees, and in Management meetings convened for specific events due to instability or crisis.

Firstly, we evaluate legal risks and develop contingency plans. Secondly, we collaborate with other departments such as finance, human resources, operations, and sales. Thirdly, we adapt the organisation by adjusting processes or procedures and implementing controls as needed, which may include both legal measures such as contract clauses and cybersecurity protocols, as well as non-legal controls. Additionally, we ensure effective communication of any modifications to the organisation or relevant processes and areas. Finally, we review our actions in forums such as the Management Committee or during business plan discussions to assess their appropriateness and correctness, making adjustments as necessary.

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?

Artificial Intelligence will have a significant impact. Applications such as ChatGPT and similar ones will be launched, thereby modifying the way we conduct our work. Our task is to see how we can incorporate these advancements into our workflows, identifying operational issues these applications may present, and focusing on areas where we can generate greater value.

This shift will consequently change the priorities of the legal department. To stay updated, I read relevant magazines, participate in forums, and maintain contact with industry opinion leaders who specialise in technological matters, among other strategies.