What are the key projects that you have been involved in over the past 12 months?

In line with a key area of strategic focus for the Origin Group, we supported the acquisition of six new businesses across Ireland and the UK during the year. These acquisitions strengthen the Group’s environmental and ecology consultancies portfolio and further progress our five-year operating profit growth ambitions for our Living Landscapes division.

Our role covered all aspects of the M&A process, from early involvement via disclosure agreements and non-binding offers, through to due diligence, negotiation of transaction documentation and on to post-completion integration. It involved varying degrees of deal structure complexity and deadlines, so partnering closely with the finance and tax teams in particular was crucial. You get to see a business close up and get to know it pretty well during a transaction, so it sets you up well for it becoming part of the Group.

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?

Against a backdrop of global shifting geo-political landscapes and increasing unpredictability, in-house counsel need to be adaptable and to stay on top of developments, in a much broader sense than just legal regulations or requirements. Know your business, understand where external risks may lie, plan ahead. This sets you up to be better positioned to respond to challenges coming at the business and to do so in a timely, relevant way.

From an internal perspective, building relationships and maintaining regular communication with key stakeholders helps ensure the work you are doing in the legal function is responding to the business strategy. It connects you to the real world of the business as it evolves, so you can ensure you stay relevant, rather than operating in a standalone static environment, detached from the reality of the business you are there to support.

What do you think are the most important attributes for a modern in-house counsel to possess?

Commercial perspective is as relevant as ever for in-house legal teams today. Understanding the business environment and commercial objectives of the organisation will allow more tailored advice from the legal team to align with those goals. Commercial context for each piece of work allows you to appreciate the bigger picture and recognise both risks and opportunities; it is also instrumental for effective prioritisation of work.

Keeping things moving is always going to stand to you; in-house counsel are continually called on to make judgments, to make decisions, to give a steer, and in a fast-paced environment you need to keep up and be responsive. This is also where the more you understand the business plans and drivers, the faster you can move.