Team size: 2

What key trends should in-house counsel be monitoring over the coming months?

In general, efficiency and the implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) are becoming central priorities. In-house legal teams must develop a deep understanding of AI, including its implementation, training requirements and legal implications for both the organisation and the legal function itself. On the one hand, legal teams should adopt AI-driven legal services and ensure that all team members — from leadership to junior staff — are properly trained in their use, as well as in their limitations, risks and opportunities. On the other hand, legal teams must evaluate and manage the legal risks arising from the use of AI across other business units.

At present, it is still unclear where the appropriate boundaries for AI usage should be drawn. Legal teams must therefore take a proactive and creative approach, identifying ways to leverage AI effectively while safeguarding trade secrets and confidential information.

On a different note, in-house counsel should remain attentive to broader external factors such as political developments, climate change, and global conflicts. From a political perspective, Colombia appears to be facing a potentially challenging transition of power. In terms of climate change, the anticipated El Niño phenomenon is likely to have a significant impact on mining operations across the country. Finally, global conflicts continue to influence economic conditions, including fuel prices, exchange rates and supply chain stability, all of which are expected to affect business operations over the next twelve months.

How do you manage situations where legal advice and commercial objectives conflict?

The best approach is to prevent conflicts from arising in the first place. Procurement and commercial teams should work closely with the legal function to ensure that the company is never placed in a situation where commercial objectives and legal considerations are at odds.

That said, robust compliance and ethics frameworks play a critical role in providing clear mechanisms to address and resolve any conflicts that may nonetheless arise.