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? 

I work for a regional oil and gas company, where a significant portion of the workforce —approximately 8 out of 10 people — is employed by contractors to operate our facilities. This unique setup translates to a high volume of contracts that need to be executed daily, requiring efficient processes to ensure smooth operations and legal compliance. Initially, the company relied on a traditional ‘manual’ approach, involving time-consuming wet ink signatures for contract execution. 

However, when the pandemic hit, the landscape changed, and we saw an opportunity to innovate and improve our legal team’s efficiency without incurring significant expenses. Together with the IT department, we explored digital signature solutions to address the challenges we faced. 

After thorough research and collaboration, we successfully implemented Ariba and DocuSign, which proved to be a game-changer for both the legal department and the Supply Chain department. The adoption of these technologies streamlined the contract execution process, reducing the time required for signatures and minimising delays. By going digital, we enhanced the speed and accuracy of our contracting procedures, leading to increased productivity and smoother collaborations with contractors. 

Furthermore, we recognised the importance of establishing clear guidelines and responsibilities for this new process. To ensure seamless implementation, we took the initiative to draft and gain approval for internal regulations that defined roles and responsibilities in the digital contract execution process. This step was vital in maintaining transparency, mitigating potential risks, and fostering trust among all parties involved. 

The implementation of Ariba and DocuSign not only significantly improved how our legal team operates, but it also positively impacted our company’s overall efficiency and collaboration with external contractors. By leveraging technology, we achieved our goal without incurring substantial expenses, making this innovation a cost-effective and successful solution. 

Can you foresee any key developments to the way general counsel work over the next five years? 

Global regulations are continually evolving and becoming more complex. Examples of this are Sanctions Regimes, Export controls and Data Privacy. General counsel will face the challenge of navigating a rapidly changing legal landscape, requiring them to stay up-to-date with new laws, rulings, and compliance requirements across various jurisdictions. To address this, legal teams will need to invest in advanced legal research tools, data analytics, and expert advisory services to ensure compliance and mitigate risks effectively. 

What measures has your company taken to embed sustainability practices into its core business operations, and how does the role of the general counsel contribute to driving and ensuring sustainable practices within the company? 

The company I work for has made a conscious effort to embed sustainability practices into its core business operations, recognising the importance of environmental responsibility and long-term viability. One significant measure taken by our legal department to contribute to these efforts is the adoption of digitalization and reducing paper usage. 

Through the implementation of Ariba and DocuSign, we have embraced the path of digital transformation in our contract management process. By transitioning from manual, paper-based contract execution to digital signatures and digital contract repositories, we have achieved several sustainability and efficiency benefits. satisfactory measure from an operational standpoint, but also it has reduced enormously the amount of paper that our operations consume.