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=

My approach to managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crisis lies in the legal team being proactive, strategic and well-coordinated. Whether instability or crisis presents itself as a major compliance matter, significant litigation or contract dispute, economic downturn, natural disaster, political upheaval, or a global pandemic, the role of the legal team becomes even more critical in helping the organization navigate risks and mitigate legal exposure. It is imperative that the legal strategy aligns with the overall business strategy to ensure resilience and long-term success, and with a legal strategy of staying adaptable, providing timely counsel, and focusing on resilience, my legal team will be able to help the organization through instability while supporting long-term recovery and growth.

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?

With emerging technologies such as AI, legal automation, cloud based legal tools and chatbots I see an opportunity for in-house legal departments to reshape how legal work is conducted, enhance efficiency and reduce costs. There will be a need to reach a level of trust in the technologies once perfected, but there is and should be no exclusion of the use of emerging technologies in the legal profession.

With AI being leveraged for document review, legal research and contract analysis, it will be possible to automate repetitive tasks, allowing our legal teams to focus on higher-level strategic work. Once perfected, legal automation will also have the ability to significantly change how contracts, legal documents, and forms are drafted.

Engaging in legal tech forums, attending conferences and courses are essential in keeping up to date on the progress of emerging legal technologies. By staying actively involved in technological developments I see the possibility of gaining a competitive edge and enhancing efficiency in an increasingly tech-driven landscape.