About

Total, a French oil and gas multinational that produces, refines and markets oil and petrochemicals, has been established in China for over 35 years, now has 4,350 employees and operates over 200 service stations across the country. As vice president and general counsel for Total China since 2014, Cuijun Shi has centralised the legal team to establish a unified legal team in a short space of time. ‘The functioning of the centralised legal team has exemplified Total’s inter-branch synergies and solidarity and implemented the group “One Total” vision’, she says. Showing the alignment with the wider company, Shi and her team have been closely involved in the dispute resolution process, which has the possibility to significantly impact Total China’s finances and reputation, by formulating litigation strategy to ensure cost efficiency and avoid disappointing results for the company. Shi has experienced internal recognition for her efforts and enjoys a good working relationship with senior executives and the branch business heads. All energy companies have been affected by the global slump in oil prices, and Shi has been asked to make cost savings in the legal team in line with this. Her department has contributed by freezing headcount, decreasing the number of panel law firms in order to gain preferential rates, and by internalising all legal work possible. Speaking generally about her role, Shi says that an in-house lawyer needs ‘good business sense as you need to stand in the shoes of your business partner and help them out. Interpersonal effectiveness is a key success for in-house counsel as we are part of the business and we will spend more time than outside counsel dealing with our business partners’. Prior to her current role, Shi spent three years as senior legal counsel at Siemens China where she worked with the German conglomerate’s group legal department on global M&A and divestment projects. Prior to Siemens, Shi was the general counsel of the financial arm of State Grid Corporation of China, heading its legal and compliance department for one year in her first in-house role. Shi initially spent a total of 10 years in private practice before making her in-house move in 2010. Reflecting her expertise, Shi is panel arbitrator at China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETEC) and contributes to the in-house industry by speaking at summits on dispute resolution.