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

Traveloka has been actively engaged in handling a range of significant cases and transactions in recent times. Notably, we have been deeply involved in addressing customer complaints and navigating the impact of COVID-19 on our partners’ businesses, which includes issues of disruption, reorganization, and bankruptcy. This ongoing commitment has required close collaboration with Kudun & Partners.

Over the past year, we successfully resolved a court case with one of our major partners through a settlement. As a result, we have not only managed to preserve our partnership but also fostered a stronger relationship. We continue to work together, coordinating efforts to enhance sales and marketing of our partner’s products on Traveloka’s platform.

Additionally, we have effectively resolved numerous customer complaints filed at the Office of Customer Protection Board (OCPB) and have secured victories in consumer litigations at the Intellectual Property and International Trade Court. Throughout these processes, we have cultivated and strengthened our ties with OCPB officers and the official receivers at the Legal Execution Department who oversee the reorganization and bankruptcy proceedings involving our partners.

In Thailand, our legal team has been diligently handling various operational tasks. This includes providing general in-house secretarial support, reviewing agreements, developing agreement templates, offering advice on new products and services proposed by internal stakeholders, especially in the areas of travel and financial services.

Moreover, we have been instrumental in addressing employment-related matters within the company. This entails advising the HR department on the necessary processes and legal considerations before implementing specific actions. Our expertise extends to employment agreements, transfer of employment between entities, initiation of employee improvement programs, flexible working arrangements, and other HR-related policies.

Furthermore, we act as a valuable resource to our headquarters in Indonesia, supporting their legal counsels and associates on a task-by-task basis. This assistance covers diverse projects, such as expanding our business to new locations, exploring potential investment opportunities, and managing other key ventures.

How do you suggest in-house lawyers build strong relationships with business partners?

Understanding the business and industry our company is involved in is highly important. Getting this right results in efficient and practical legal advice, documentation, agreement, opinion and risk mitigation options being given to the business. Therefore, building effective relationships with business partners – including internal business units, product owners, banks and external partners – is key.

If there is an opportunity to do this, do not miss it; such chances to improve our knowledge, commercial mind, industry-wise and develop legal skills and analysis are absolutely crucial. Lawyers should be open-minded, move fast and catch up with business trends to support the company’s drive towards its overall goals.