Legal team size: Fifteen

Country you’re based in: Rwanda

Looking forward, what trends do you foresee in the legal landscape over the next 5–10 years that companies should prepare for?

The legal landscape, especially in the financial industry, will be significantly affected by digital transformation. With the increased use and adoption of AI and the system automation, lawyers will need to adapt to evolving client expectations and embrace more flexible working models.

In addition to the usual regulatory changes, lawyers should focus on the rapid development of data protection regulations, which demands greater accountability and transparency toward clients.

Other emerging areas expected significant growth include environmental law and sustainability law, driving by rising societal and corporate standards that are becoming more sensitive to both areas.

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

Two years ago, I was part of the legal team that oversaw the merger of KCB Rwanda and BPR Bank. The exercise exposed me to the mergers and acquisitions process, including related legal due diligence, and proved to be an enriching experience.

How does your team contribute to the overall business strategy of the company?

For the legal team to prove its value to the business, the following two steps need to be in place to enhance its strategic value. Firstly, it is key to refine delivery processes by optimizing workflows to embed strategic value into matter management. Secondly, it is important to align KPIs with business objectives by leveraging metrics to demonstrate how the legal function contributes to the organisation’s goals.

By embracing these steps, legal departments can evolve from being viewed as a support function to becoming a driving force that delivers measurable value and plays a pivotal role in shaping and implementing business strategy.

How are you bringing the legal department closer to your business colleagues?

By strengthening alignment with internal customers and business units through the annual review and signing of Service Level Agreements (SLAs) with each of them.