What are the most significant cases and/or transactions that your legal team has recently been involved in?

Before starting my maternity leave in summer last year, my role involved negotiating contracts with some of the largest UK private medical insurers and advising on new healthcare regulations, such as the new Provider Selection Regime, for the procurement of services. Working alongside my colleagues in Compliance, we overhauled the business’ approach to data privacy, and I also led on ESG matters including obtaining Onebright’s first Ecovadis certification. Prior to joining Onebright, I advised Mina on the sale of its business to Fleetcor for an undisclosed sum.

What do you see as an opportunity or risk over the next six months?

With the continued rise of ASLPs and fractional lawyers, I think we’re seeing a shift in how small in-house teams like ours can operate. For a long time, it felt like the only options during busy periods were to work harder or to send work out to external counsel. I see a real opportunity for lean legal teams to build more flexibility, to bring in support when needed without committing to permanent headcount or blowing their budget. During some difficult stages of my pregnancy last year, having that flexibility made a real difference and gave me the support needed.

Have you had any experiences during your career as a lawyer that stand out as particularly unique or interesting?

Around eighteen months ago, I set up the Inclusie Club to provide free support to aspiring lawyers and to help them see the full spectrum of what a legal career can look like. Our panellists included career-changers, General Counsels outside of London, and those working in the legal recruitment, to name a few. I wanted to show just how much of the profession exists beyond the traditional London law firm route that still dominates legal education. Bringing in speakers to share their stories and perspectives wasn’t just informative, it was about shifting mindsets on what a successful legal career looks like and providing a different perspective for aspiring lawyers. It has absolutely been a career highlight for me.

General counsel often speak of the need to be strategic to reach the pinnacle of the profession. What does being strategic mean to you?

Being strategic, particularly in a small legal team, means recognising that not every legal issue requires equal attention, nor can everything be addressed immediately. It requires making deliberate choices about where to focus our limited resources for maximum impact. This starts with setting and communicating clear short-term and long-term objectives that aren’t siloed from what the rest of the business is hoping to achieve.

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

I’d say a genuine interest in the business and the industry it operates in, a strong sense of self and a solution-oriented mindset are crucial. Modern in-house lawyers need the confidence to exercise judgment while enabling the business to move forward, rather than simply identifying risk.
Equally important is the ability to build trusted relationships across the organisation. Given the pace of change and the complexity of today’s regulatory and geopolitical environment, it’s neither realistic nor effective to try to be an expert at everything. Working collaboratively with colleagues across functions allows legal teams to identify risks early, spot opportunities, and deliver more commercially effective advice.