Team size: 10 

Could you share an example of a time when you came up with an innovation that improved the way your legal team works and did not come at a huge cost?  

I created a standard draft of the legal opinion to identify and address potential legal risks efficiently in terms of both timing and risk mitigation. The issuer of the legal opinion was required to confirm the absence of any relevant legal risks in the specific case analysed. This approach ensured that no conceivable legal risk in the particular domain were overlooked by any member of the legal team or external legal consultants.  

I have supported the implementation of a digital application for updating litigation cases, with no additional costs. This application offers details insights, including the nature of litigation cases in various impacted areas (for example, abusive clauses, the currency of the claim, enforcement litigation with or without abusive clauses), as well as the financial impact of each type of claim in terms of currency, amounts, and impacted area.   

What are some of the key developments that have affected your business over the last year?  

The political environment rapidly altered the fiscal framework, making it highly volatile within a short timeframe. The incorporation of the European legal framework into Romania’s consumer protection laws resulted in substantial financial repercussions.  

How do you think the in-house legal role will evolve in the coming years?  

The complexity of the in-house legal department has markedly intensified over the past 10-15 years. This can be translated at least by two criteria: (i) the role of the legal director has evolved to include participation in strategic decision-making; and (ii) legal experts within the legal departments have become increasingly involved in initiating and executing business projects.  

The future role of the in-house legal shall continue in this direction, but the collaboration between company management and legal departments will need to be closely monitored to align with the requirements and expectations of the board and executive committee members.