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US fast-food giant McDonald’s has been based in Singapore since 1979 and today employs more than 9,000 people in the city-state, serving more than six million customers every month. Given these figures, the efforts and achievements of McDonald’s Singapore’s four-member legal team have been recognised as outstanding by nominators. Heading the legal function is director of legal and government relations, Faz Hussen, who joined in 2015. Supporting Hussen in the team is senior associate and data protection officer Tan Eng Some who ‘has been instrumental in implementing policies’; associate Veeda Maraj who has been responsible for planning, coordinating, managing, drafting, reviewing and vetting documents relating to a major transfer; and legal coordinator Zarulheriah who assists the department in government relations especially with respect to the local Islamic authority (MUIS) for the company’s halal portfolio. A key contribution of the team in 2017 was its role in the company’s agreement with Lionhorn to be the developmental licensee (DL) for McDonald’s in Malaysia and Singapore worth S$400m for a 20-year franchise. As Hussen explains, ‘the DL deal was the most significant transaction that our team was recently involved in. This deal was challenging given that it closed within seven months of the process being mooted’. He adds that, ‘the team effected a seamless transfer process by working with all the business units, vendors and suppliers to ensure there was no discernible difference to the McDonald’s Singapore customer’. The team is also distinguished for resolving disputes with landlords and tenants by working with the real estate division to reach the best outcome for the company by ensuring its lease rights are protected whilst avoiding litigation. Demonstrating its integration within the company and justifying its position as its brand guardians, the legal team approve all marketing communications and support the HR department on employment matters. A lean department, Hussen has smoothly transitioned the team from to paperless working by building an e-contract system to review legal and real estate contracts. Summing up the role of the legal function, Hussen says, ‘the legal department is responsible for maintaining and advising on the legal, compliance, enterprise risk management, due diligence, intellectual property-brand protection, labour and employment, marketing, commercial and contractual matters, and real estate matters of the company’.