Could you share with us the story of your path to becoming an in-house counsel? What motivated you to choose this career path?

Since the inception of my career, my aspiration has been to engage in the business aspects of law, particularly focusing on preventive law methodologies. Recognising the significance of acquiring robust experience across various fields of law, such as corporate law, compliance, and contracts, I endeavoured to provide concurrent legal support to numerous companies operating in diverse sectors.

Moreover, I understood that to become a proficient preventive lawyer, one must possess a thorough understanding of the dispute phase to discern risks and potential consequences reliably. Therefore, prior to assuming the role of an in-house lawyer, I concurrently honed my skills in litigation, which provided me with a clear understanding of the trajectory of disputes, as well as in corporate law, compliance, and contract law. I made a concerted effort to immerse myself in various legal areas to embrace the preventive law approach.

Throughout my career, I have provided consultancy services to reputable brands, primarily in the retail, food, and technology sectors. Upon attaining a level of confidence in my ability to anticipate potential risks from a commercial standpoint and take prompt action, I made the decision to transition to an in-house lawyer. My primary motivation for this change was the observation, over my five-year tenure, of both dispute and preventive lawyering methods. Preventive law, with its requirement for a broader perspective and proactive thinking, stood out to me as more complex and challenging, making it one of my primary motivators for professional development.

In your role as an in-house counsel, what are the main responsibilities and tasks you handle on a day-to-day basis?

Presently, I offer legal consultancy services encompassing corporate law, including share transfers and mergers and acquisitions, as well as contracts, compliance, and other legal fields pertinent to daily business operations. My primary areas of focus include executing share transfer processes between subsidiaries and reviewing and revising the company’s commercial contracts. Additionally, I am responsible for following up on lawsuits in which the company is involved.

What are some of the key challenges you have faced as a rising star in-house counsel, and how have you overcome them?  

As an in-house counsel, my primary challenge is maintaining constant communication with clients, who may potentially become the opposing side in a case. This requires preparedness for a wide range of legal questions at any time. Additionally, since every co-worker is a potential litigant, it is crucial and difficult to provide material information in a measured manner that cannot be used against the company in the future.

Moreover, it is also challenging to keep confidential certain company policies, contract details, human resources policies, ongoing lawsuits, and court approaches to cases while preserving professional and friendly relationships within the office. Balancing these aspects with professionalism without jeopardising friendships is a significant challenge for in-house lawyers. Another key challenge is ensuring a full understanding of the company’s commercial policies to ensure that decisions align with these policies and being able to determine and lead the company in deciding which risks should be accepted or avoided in various situations.