Team size: Four

How do you approach managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crises, and how does your legal strategy align with the broader business strategy to ensure the organisation’s resilience?

In the event of a crisis, my priority is rapid, strategic legal action. It is paramount to immediately convene a cross-functional team – security operations, HR, finance, public relations – to assess risks: employee safety, contracts, regulations, litigation. The objective of this select team is to prioritise critical issues and leverage our existing, elaborate Business Continuity Plan (BCP) to guide our response. This includes developing scenario-based plans for swift, decisive action, and ensuring clear, consistent communication, both internally and externally.

My legal strategy is deeply intertwined with business resilience. Proactive risk management is key, anticipating legal challenges before they materialize and aligning them with the BCP. Depending on the situation at hand we would review key contracts, focusing on force majeure and contingency clauses, and maintain constant regulatory vigilance – and consult with external legal experts in crisis management and security as needed.

Post-crisis, a thorough ‘lessons learned’ review is crucial. Never miss a good opportunity to learn and refine policies, procedures, and the BCP, ensuring continuous improvement and preparedness.

My role is to mitigate risks and enable the business to thrive, even in volatile environments. As a GC, my objective is to balance immediate action with long-term stability. Ultimately, I am focused on building a culture of resilience through proactive legal strategy, deeply integrated with our BCP, enabling the company to navigate potential challenges with integrity and strength.

What emerging technologies do you see as having the most significant impact on the legal profession in the near future, and how do you stay updated on these developments?

The legal profession is rapidly evolving, and several emerging technologies will significantly impact it in the near future. I see Artificial Intelligence (AI), particularly in legal research and document analysis, as transformative. AI can automate tedious tasks, allowing lawyers to focus more on strategic counsel. Blockchain technology, with its potential for secure and transparent contract management and digital identity verification, will also play a crucial role. Finally, advanced data analytics will enable us to extract valuable insights from legal data, improving risk assessment and case strategy.

Staying updated on these developments is paramount. My approach is to cultivate a blend of external and internal knowledge. I prioritize engaging with leading legal experts, both through industry conferences and direct networking, to understand the practical applications of these technologies. This is coupled with a commitment to continuous internal learning, ensuring our legal team remains at the forefront of these advancements. To this end, we explore pilot programs and trials, allowing us to directly assess how these technologies integrate with the legal framework of G4S, and we maintain a culture of staying up to date through internal training and knowledge sharing. I find that this balance of external awareness and internal expertise ensures we are not just aware of the trends, but also able to strategically implement them.