As we enter the next decade, what skills will a corporate legal team need to succeed in the modern in-house industry?

The key areas that will be critical for a lawyer in the next decade will be related to technology, data and the interface of these, in the provision of services and products to customers. We are dealing with an increasingly global setup, where boundaries are shrinking and yet countries are actively considering the benefits of being local. Governments are considering data localisation requirements as additional data privacy related laws, which can have a big impact on business opportunities.

To be considered as a strategic advisor, who can add value to the growing business needs, it would be essential for lawyers to firstly have a very good understanding of the business’ needs and to be able to weave in their expertise into them. Technology has hugely impacted our lives over the past few years and will continue to be a game changer, for both business and consumers alike. A company which does not keep up with changing technology is likely to become obsolete. This is equally applicable to an in-house legal team, as it needs to be savvy enough to reap the benefits of technology in the provision of legal services. Additionally, it is important to ensure that the business is using the technology appropriately, to gain a larger market share and provide better services to its customers.

Lastly, ESG is another area where in-house legal team will have a lot to contribute to, in the next decade. This is a dynamic and evolving area, where we have already started seeing litigations emerging in this space, while regulators are seeking to step into this space as well. It will be critical for businesses and in-house teams to work cohesively to achieve a beneficial outcome for the firm.

The unusual business environment created by the pandemic has been swiftly followed by the Ukraine crisis, and attendant supply chain costs rising and rising inflation. Are you now putting more emphasis on preparing for the unforeseen and, if so, what does this entail?

Information security and cyber risk will continue to play an important role in all business operations. The pandemic, the Russian Ukraine situation, and many other crises, have shown us that it is important to be resilient and equally important to be nimble and agile in the way we respond to external challenges. This will continue to be the need of the moment for any firm and in-house teams partnering with the business.