Team size: 12

What has been the number one challenge that has impacted you over the past year?

If you work in the energy sector, the answer to this question is straightforward: Russia’s war against Ukraine profoundly impacted the energy sector, especially in Europe, but also beyond. The record high energy prices (electricity, natural gas) have left deep scars and have also provoked many questions of a legal nature, such as on force majeure, sanctions, or whether changed circumstances lead to an adjustment of contracts. In addition, there have been numerous state interventions in the market. The last point, in particular, will continue to shape the coming years. It can be assumed that many emergency measures will remain or give rise to further new rules. The liberalised energy markets now resemble more of a planned economy system. In principle, this is an interesting development for lawyers and consultants. However, it is doubtful whether it leads in the right direction economically and from a social welfare point of view. As is well known, planned economy policies have not achieved the best results in the past.

Could you share an example of a time when you came up with an innovation that improved how your legal team works and did not come at a large expense?

In contrast to the massive changes mentioned above, how we work in corporate legal services has remained remarkably stable, if not old-fashioned. The same qualities are still required as they have always been: an understanding of the needs of the business and, at the same time, an understanding of the legal norms surrounding that environment. This combination is the asset of any in-house counsel. It arguably distinguishes in-house counsel from traditional lawyers, who usually have much more specific legal knowledge but are often less familiar with the commercial or organisational needs of the company. Fortunately for lawyers, it is also not the case that the changes mentioned could be better managed with the help of artificial intelligence. As before, the work in the legal department is simple: listen, understand, and apply the law in practice.

What would you say are the unique qualities required to be successful as an in-house lawyer in your industry?

As already indicated, it is essential to understand the company’s activities and the company itself. In the energy sector, this automatically means that you have to be interested in technical, physical and commercial issues. At the same time, it is also the case that it is an advantage to have experience in dealing with different jurisdictions. The energy sector is very much internationally interconnected. There are no self-sufficient countries or markets, which is why many transactions occur in a cross-border context. Accordingly, it is also helpful if you know other languages – but this is as important elsewhere as in the energy sector. I am in the fortunate position of being able to lead a team of lawyers in different countries. It is essential to act as a team across borders – which we do. In this sense, I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all my colleagues!