What innovations have you made to the way your legal team works in the past year?

We have recently transformed our approach to contract management by implementing a centralized online contract management platform, serving both as a secure repository and a comprehensive database. This platform allows us to store and categorize our key contracts while providing easy access to key information through searchable summaries and filters. For our business teams, this innovation means faster, more direct access to contract summaries, terms, and obligations, significantly reducing the time spent on information requests and enhancing their ability to make informed decisions. The platform also allows us to generate custom reports – catering to the specific needs of various business units, from renewal timelines to contractual obligations. This initiative has allowed our team to better support our internal clients by focusing on higher-value legal work.

Based on your experience, what is the key to collaborating successfully with business partners?

It is crucial for us to understand and align with our business partners’ priorities and strategies. We actively engage with stakeholders to gain insight into the business’s goals so that we can effectively position ourselves as a strategic partner providing legal support to serve these objectives, while effectively managing risks. Building meaningful relationships with our stakeholders is also essential – we invest significant time in this regard to establish a foundation of trust so that there is open and collaborative communication. We work hard to integrate ourselves within the business and provide practical, commercially focussed advice and solutions – so that the Legal team is seen as a valued contributor to strategic objectives rather than a roadblock.