In what ways do you see the in-house legal role evolving in your region over the next few years?

Lawyers are becoming increasingly essential in their companies’ strategies for several reasons. Matters such as corruption, antitrust, and data privacy, among others, are compromising companies’ goodwill and require a robust internal prevention plan that allows for reducing such risks. In-house lawyers have a crucial role in the completion of this task.

Additionally, technology is advancing in the legal market. LegalTech and Legal Design are gaining enormous relevance and will undoubtedly become essential for corporate legal security. It will be the responsibility of in-house counsel to familiarise themselves with them and apply them in the business context.

Looking forward, what technological advancements do you feel will impact the role of in-house legal teams in the future the most?

Technology is already impacting the way we exercise law. LegalTech and Legal Design are widely used; they facilitate our jobs in meeting the needs of internal clients, rendering legal services more affordable, efficient and intuitive.

With technological advancements, lawyers can directly review issues and speed up their day-to-day tasks. Additionally, technology comes in handy for analysing and drafting contracts, communication, and policies. I am sure it will improve the performance of in-house legal counsel, allowing us to provide solid legal advice to companies.

If you had to give advice to an aspiring in-house lawyer or general counsel, what would it be and why?

There are two paths that a lawyer must follow when working in a company, which are correlated but independent among them.

First, a lawyer must evolve with the company and become harmonious with the other areas of the organisation without losing sight of its principles and values. Secondly, they must have the permanent goal of advancing with technology, constantly updating their knowledge and implementing the best legal practices to improve the company’s efficiency.