Team size: Eight

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?

It is necessary to (i)provide legal advice in line with business objectives considering changes (for example: regulatory, compliance and tax new laws), (ii) protect the company making sure that all risks are identified and mitigated; and (iii) ensure that legal and ethical standards will be met without exception. It is necessary to have a seat at the table and partner with business to make share that strategy is in line with the resilience needed to comply with legal and compliance requirements.

What are the major cases or transactions you have been involved in recently?

Divesture of line of products to a global competitor (Phibro) involving legal and regulatory aspects and approval from antitrust authorities (including CADE, the Brazilian antitrust authority).

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?

Artificial Intelligence (AI) must be the first one to be mentioned. As example, my team is using AI for legal research and contract analysis as the company provides a good AI internal tool that is reliable. Also, regarding our work, it is worth to mention that we are leveraging from smart available tools to keep a good control of contracts process from request to signature.

Considering the current environment and the outstanding technologies available, cybersecurity has been top of mind. In the past, compliance with data protection law (LGPD) was the priority, but now legal professionals will have protection of data and confidentiality as the main challenges.

A way to keep up to date on legal trends, it is to attend conferences and workshops, such as IAPP Artificial Intelligence Governance Professional. It is also key to keep in touch with experts’ professionals and read reports and publications.

As any other professional, continuous learning should be seen as an investment for the career.

In your opinion, what are the main trends that are salient in your country currently?

This may be one of my favourite topics. We are in the middle of some economic challenges in Brazil as we see the rising of inflation, higher interest rate, and the impact on consumer confidence. As a result of that, many companies in the country probably would not achieve goals in terms of sales. In difficult times like these, it is more important that legal professionals reinforce compliance policies and principles, putting more focus on interactive compliance trainings. Ethics and compliance have to be deeply reinforced in challenging times.