What are the most significant cases, projects or transactions that you and your legal team have recently been involved in?

Complex cross-border transactions, engagement with marquee clients, structure and design of new products, analysis and embedment of new regulation, assessment of the impact of judicial rulings, change of law,  managing litigation and resolution of disputes, preparation for the implementation of data privacy and cyber security frameworks, and assessing the impact and deployment of artificial intelligence. 

How do you approach managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crisis to ensure the organisation’s resilience?

Ensuring consistency and applying a long term lens to addressing the uncertainty from fast moving situations and emergent demands, being flexible but with prudence and ensuring risk mitigation. Anticipating developments and being prepared to respond swiftly and adapting for customised solutions.  Most importantly, engaging actively and candidly with stakeholders to provide a steer and build confidence in the approach.

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

I have had opportunities of starting, and building legal functions in established institutions and they have been journeys of discovery and learning, with lessons in  patience, humility, the importance of engagement and building of trust. These experiences have also taught me a lot about initiative and pro-active engagement being vital.

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

We will all have to be prepared for an increasingly fast paced world, with an immense amount of change in law and regulation having to be dealt with swiftly as the world changes rapidly. No matter how much we think the world will be less complex  with technology and other factors,  lawyers  will need to remain prepared to deal with a lot of complexity in law and regulation across jurisdictions even as the commercial worlds looks to simple and brief renditions of documents and processes for businesses.

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 is going to be increasingly complex and specialisms will continue to evolve. Technology will evolve as well to help address processes, and research and drafting, However, the ability to use this technology judiciously in bespoke situations is a skill lawyers will have to hone and retain and deploy.  Companies will of course be aware that technology cannot replace intellect and will benefit from their lawyers working closely with the businesses and other functions. Lawyers will also need to adapt to being better versed in all aspects of how businesses are run and what is commercially important.