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

Over the past twelve months, I have been involved in several major audiovisual productions with international reach, such as Doc, a medical drama series currently streaming on Netflix and adapted from the Italian series of the same name, as well as other scripted and unscripted shows.

From a legal and business affairs perspective, productions of this scale and complexity require comprehensive support across multiple jurisdictions. As content is increasingly created for global audiences, productions face growing legal and business challenges, including compliance with differing regulatory requirements, guild, union and labour obligations, data privacy considerations, chain-of-title issues and the negotiation of rights and distribution structures that must operate effectively across multiple territories. The process of clearing rights has also become more complex as productions are intended for worldwide distribution.

In this context, my team has served as a strategic advisor to the productions, leading the negotiation of international commercial agreements and complex talent deals, and supporting the creative and operational needs of the projects across multiple territories. Our role has been to provide practical, business-oriented legal guidance that enables projects to move forward efficiently while maintaining compliance with local regulations and high ethical standards.

Can you describe an instance where your legal advice directly influenced business strategy or commercial objectives?

As production incentives have become increasingly important in the audiovisual industry, the legal advice provided by my team has played a key role in structuring productions to qualify for applicable incentives across different production territories.

Providing comprehensive legal guidance throughout this process has been critical to successfully securing these incentives, which have had a direct and meaningful impact on the productions’ overall success. This has included advising on eligibility requirements, contractual structures, and regulatory compliance.

How has the role of general counsel evolved, and what are the most important attributes for the modern in-house lawyer?

The role of the general counsel has evolved from that of a purely legal advisor to that of a strategic business partner. Today, it requires not only strong legal expertise, but also a deep understanding of the industry, the company’s business objectives and the broader commercial and regulatory landscape in which the company operates.

The most important attribute for the modern in-house lawyer is the ability to combine sound legal judgment with practical business insight. An effective in-house lawyer must understand the intricacies of the business, anticipate challenges in an ever-evolving industry and provide solutions-oriented advice that supports both legal compliance and business growth. Adaptability to technological developments, strong communication skills and the ability to build trusted relationships across all areas of the organisation are equally important attributes.

How can in-house counsel use AI to improve efficiency while maintaining quality, governance and integrity within legal teams?

AI tools can significantly improve efficiency within legal teams by automating repetitive and time-consuming tasks such as document review, summarisation, legal research and data organisation. This allows in-house counsel to dedicate more time to higher-value, strategic and complex matters that require legal judgment and business insight.

At the same time, maintaining quality, governance and integrity requires a responsible approach to the use of AI. In-house counsel must ensure that AI tools are used ethically and in compliance with applicable confidentiality and data protection standards. Lawyers must also learn to adequately and ethically prompt AI systems, understand their limitations, guard against potential bias and thoroughly review outputs for accuracy and reliability. Strong governance policies, continuous training and consistent human oversight are essential to ensuring that the use of AI supports both efficiency and the high professional standards expected of legal teams.

What major challenges or risks should in-house legal teams be preparing for over the next twelve months?

In-house legal teams should closely monitor the rapid evolution and adoption of AI, which presents significant legal and business challenges, particularly in relation to intellectual property, data privacy, confidentiality, cybersecurity and third-party rights.

At the same time, as companies continue to prioritise efficiency and cost optimisation, legal departments are increasingly challenged to drive process innovation, support the responsible adoption of technology and develop agile, business-oriented legal solutions that enable growth. Legal teams that are able to embrace technological innovation while maintaining strong ethical and governance standards will be best positioned to thrive.