Team size:  Five

The most significant cases or transactions that I have been involved in over the past year:

Mercedes-Benz Vietnam (MBV) represents Mercedes-Benz Group AG in Vietnam, and has been tasked with the assembly, manufacturing, wholesale and customer service of passenger cars. Since our foundation in 1995, we have been a key player in the local automotive industry, especially in the luxury segment. Mercedes-Benz’s strategy is leading the technology and iconic luxury cars based on the grounds of sustainability, people transformation, cost efficiency and digitalisation.

With the company’s culture of strict compliance with laws, the role of in-house counsel is crucial to not only give comprehensive legal support ensuring legal-compliance in the Company’s day-to-day operations but also act as the second shoulder of the business to develop our chances-oriented, balance attitude towards risk, giving creative, efficient problem-solving and solutions. In this response, I would like to share two significant cases that I as in-house counsel have involved in over the past years:

What innovations have you made to the way your legal team works in the past year?

In the past year, our legal team has implemented several key innovations to enhance our efficiency and effectiveness:

An Enhanced Contract Management System: we established and enhanced from time to time a centrlised contract management system to provide the contract template, standard contractual terms, legal advice or precedents on critical transactions and best practices. This has facilitated better collaboration and knoweledge sharing within the team, ensureing consistency and reducing duplication of effort.

A Client-Centric Approach: we implemented the concept of client-centric approach by asking regular feedback from internal stakeholders. This has helps us better understand their needs and tailor our legal advice to be more practical and business oriented.

Adoption of digitalisation and AI: we have successfully implemented the use of e-signature within the Company, enabling the documents to be signed by electronically, in addition to the traditional signing method of wet-ink signature. We are also in the process of integrating advanced technology solutions to streamline our legal workflow and reduce manual tasks.

These innovations have collectively enhanced our team’s productivity, agility, and ability to provide high-quality legal support to the organisation.

Based on your experience, what is the key to collaborating successfully with business partners?

The key to collaborating successfully with business partners from my experience can be based on the following principles:

Mutual trust and shared goals: recognising and valuing each partner’s expertise and contributions fosters a positive working relationship and encourages collaboration. And ensuring that all involved parties have a same understanding of the issues and shared goals, that helps to drives collective motivation and commitment to achieving the desired outcomes.

Flexibility and Adaptability: being flexible and adaptable to changing circumstances and new information is essential. Business environments are dynamic, the legal advice need to be more practical and business oriented.

Proactive Problem-Solving: addressing issues and challenges proactively rather than reactively helps maintain momentum and prevent small problems from escalating. Collaborative problem-solving fosters a sense of partnership and shared responsibility.

Legal and Ethical Compliance: enhancing the mindset and culture of legal and ethical compliance is fundamental. This not only protects the partnership but also enhances is credibility and sustainability.

By focusing on these principles, I suppose that we can create a collaborative environment that drives success and foster mutual beneficial relationships with business partner.