How important is choosing to work with external lawyers who align with your company’s values? Are you likely to reconsider what firms you work with based on this?

It is essential that external lawyers are aligned with the company’s practices, as well as how it operates. The ability of external lawyers to adapt to the working methods of the companies they work with is an asset to the success of the relationship. Nowadays, technical competence in handling matters is not the only factor considered when hiring, as it is necessary to ensure real harmony between the entities, to guarantee that the work done has added value. Knowledge of the specific way the company works, and not only of the area in which it operates, is a key factor when hiring, as it immediately demonstrates, on the part of external lawyers, an increased preparation and the possibility of the results being in line with the company’s goals.

In general, what would you like to see change about the external law firms you use? Examples could be greater flexibility in billing, a more expansive suite of services offered, more transparency in reporting ESG statistics etc.

It is very important for external teams to be multidisciplinary, as the evolution of legal frameworks and the associated problems increasingly move away from the typical, specific and isolated problem with no connection to other issues. It should be noted that external lawyers must have the ability to understand these needs, as it is not always possible for the company hiring them to have visibility for the big picture. A large part of external hirings is related to the fact that internal departments do not have the capacity, in terms of number of people and in terms of knowledge, to respond to existing needs within ever tighter deadlines. The adoption of a multidisciplinary approach, with the capacity to respond quickly and immediately, as if it were a task force, will undoubtedly be a way for external lawyers to stand out and offer a true value-added service.