Team size: 120 individuals

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

Over the past year, we focused on four key focus areas. Firstly, advising on Shell Upstream’s significant portfolio activities, at all stages of our business. Secondly, Shell’s withdrawal from involvement in all Russian hydrocarbons in response to the war in Ukraine. Thirdly, a wide range of commercial, contractual, operational, and regulatory matters with various third parties, in support of Shell’s Upstream operations and joint ventures. And lastly, Shell’s activities in respect of the energy transition (ET), particularly the role Upstream business has in the ET.

Looking forward, what technological advancements do you feel will impact the role of in-house legal teams in the future the most? Which have you found most useful in your legal team?

Applying digitalisation to our operations has been a significant enabler to achieving our legal strategic intent, allowing us to further partner with Shell businesses and functions in the delivery of Shell’s purpose and strategy.

There are currently four areas of immediate digital opportunity that we are focusing on. Automating regular and routine tasks allows us to free up individuals, focusing on the highest value activities. Enabling collaboration between Shell legal departments, with our business colleagues and with our external providers has revolutionised cooperation. Providing more intuitive, easier, and consistent experiences for our partners when engaging Shell legal services, and for our staff when delivering those services has allowed us to be involved in even more strategic matters from early stages. Improving the quality and completeness of our data has led to us gaining greater insights from it.

It is an exciting time. But given the dynamic and volatile markets in which we operate, there is a great need for diligence and focus on realising true practical value. As such, we in Shell legal have positioned ourselves as fast-followers, seeking to address the problems worth solving with solutions that are mature, practical and that people wish to use.

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

To build strong relationships with partners, you need to understand the business’ drivers and its strategy so that you can determine how to contribute to shaping and enabling business outcomes, co-creating and protecting long term value in the process. We seek to demonstrate the value in-house counsel bring to business, by using our expertise to deliver ever-more efficient and effective outcomes. All the while, we identify and build on critical relationships and better engage with our partners, consistently managing to improve the interface between business and legal services.