First, can you please give us an idea of the sort of work your team has done recently (cases, transactions, projects)?

The legal department has been instrumental in navigating the challenges brought by Covid-19. The pandemic has spawned relentless changes through new legislation and administrative orders, which changed the landscape as to how our commercial and manufacturing operations would operate. The legal department has quickly adapted our internal regulations and procedures accordingly and ensured that all precautions were taken to protect our employees and customers. We adopted online training and consultation programmes to ensure constant legal guidance for our teams. Additionally, we were able to integrate with a local company acquired through a global M&A process. An essential part of our work has been rooted around pre-litigation negotiation. The legal department has recorded significant successes —it has re-organised the channel structures and handled them without courthouse friction. We have successfully defended the company against unjust termination claims filed by ex-channel partners. We have also made substantial progress in long-standing competition law matters. Employment Law-related litigation is also being followed up with success.

How do you feel the pandemic has changed the world of work for in-house counsel and the function of the general counsel?

The pandemic has required to give advice with incomplete information. We have often found ourselves in situations where immediate answers are needed. We have been continuously tested, not only for our knowledge of the law but also through our legal gut feeling as we were navigating uncharted territories. The legal department has become a much more integrated part of the daily activities of the company, and the scope of our role has expanded. In a context where questions were increasing, we were the ones who were giving answers. Internal lawyers interact with all distinct parts of the organisation; therefore, we could locate employees who needed help beyond legal matters and ensure that experts (such as HR) would reach out to them. The legal department became a glue that kept the organisation well connected.

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

You must be present to understand the business partners, their goals, and strategies. It is essential to build a strong relationship on such foundations. We must listen and understand the needs of our internal clients and clearly explain things to them. These practices will generate trust and produce solid and efficient relationships with business partners.