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

In recent times, our legal team at Novartis has been involved in several significant cases and transactions. We supported the spin-off of one of the largest companies in our group, as well as the splitting of part of the business of another company in a large M&A transaction. We also led a huge restructuring that resulted in a downsizing of 20% of the existing headcount. Another subject worth highlighting is the litigation against the HA regarding the reimbursement of one of our products, where legal played a critical role.

Our involvement in these matters was crucial to ensure compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, and to protect the company’s reputation and financial interests, and maximise its assets.

Our team’s dedication and hard work were instrumental in achieving successful outcomes in these complex cases and transactions.

Personally, I am proud to work alongside such a talented and committed group of legal professionals.

Why are in-house lawyers well-placed to drive change within their organisations?

In-house lawyers are very well-placed to drive change within organisations. In fact, we have a unique understanding of the business (contrary to the external counsels) which allows us to identify legal risks and opportunities that may impact the company. This understanding also enables us to share legal issues and risks with other departments in a way that is easily understandable and relevant to the business.

In-house lawyers are also well positioned to create strong relationship with their internal clients and understand their needs, goals, and challenges. This allows them to be fully aligned with the organisation’s objectives.

In-house legal community has a broader and holistic perspective of their companies, which makes them enterprise connectors, building bridges between departments. They are able to view legal issues in the context of the organisation’s overall strategy and objectives. On the other hand, their deep knowledge of the company helps them to ensure that the organisation’s legal risks are managed effectively.

In general, what would you like to see change about the external law firms you use?

Generally, we would like to see improvements in the way external law firms serve the needs of the clients.

First of all, external lawyers should show a greater sense of urgency. This includes not only a faster response but also an estimated timeline when the client does not specify a deadline. Additionally, acknowledge receipt of any communications from the client should be provided as soon as possible. This helps to demonstrate a sense of urgency and ensures that the client knows that their request has been received and is being addressed.

Adequate responses, tailored to our specific needs, including adapting legal language to non-lawyers, is also something very relevant.

Additionally, law firms should ensure easy access to their lawyers without barriers. In this regard, we highlight not only lawyers’ availability, but also a closer relation without intermediaries. A single point of contact for the client would also be very well received.

We also look for external law firms to become true partners who know our business, strategy, and goals, and that can provide targeted legal advice and solutions that respond to our challenges.

Furthermore, we would appreciate Law firms being efficient and transparent in their billing practices, avoiding unexpected charges and delivering accurate and timely invoices.

Last but not least, it is very important for us to work with law firms that share our values and principles. It ensures that both parties are aligned in terms of culture and approach to work, which is vital to ensure an effective and healthy partnership.

As we live in a fast-paced world today, what skills will a corporate legal team need to succeed in the modern in-house industry?

To succeed in the modern in-house industry, a corporate legal team needs to have a diverse range of skills.

One of the most important is agility. In-house legal teams need to be able to adapt quickly to changing circumstances and be flexible in their approach to problem-solving. This means being able to design strategies and change direction when needed to keep up with the pace of business.

Legal teams also have to deal with ambiguity and uncertainty, as the business (and the legal) landscape is constantly evolving. Therefore, they should be able to navigate uncertain situations and make decisions with limited information.

A legal team should adopt a positive attitude, be resilient in the face of challenges, and maintain a can-do attitude.

Another crucial skill to succeed in a corporate world is business acumen. Legal teams need to have a deep understanding of their organisation’s business operations, targets, and objectives so they can provide effective responses to the business problems.

As the world becomes more digital, in-house lawyers need to be proficient in using digital tools and technologies to manage their work more efficiently. This includes being able to work with legal tech platforms and use data analytics to identify trends and solutions.