How do you feel the pandemic has changed the world of work for in-house counsel and the function of the general counsel?

The pandemic has changed the world of work in general; and in-house legal practices are no exception. Remote working allowed us to improve oFur communication skills in virtual environments by using IT tools. Liaising with the business department for both advisory and function controls, we expanded our experience and knowledge in giving legal support to our colleagues in different departments. While trying to understand the business needs of our colleagues and the company, we are trying our best to provide the best possible solution for our colleagues and the company.

What are the most significant cases and transactions that your legal team has recently been involved in?

2021 was a remarkable year for our group; and ERG legal and corporate played a significant role in making that happen. Across five different jurisdictions, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Sweden, we have been involved in several extremely complicated M&A transactions with the value of over €2bn. The Industrial Plan presented to the financial market in May 2021 stated that the M&A transactions completed the business and industrial transformation of our group. In addition, our team also supported the group in performing a € 1bn project for the ‘repowering’ of its existing wind assets in Italy, France, the UK, and Poland by obtaining all the necessary permits from the public authorities. We also concluded two framework agreements for the supply of wind turbines with an overall value of over €800m. While negotiating long-term PPAs in several jurisdictions to support the group’s projects, we also liaised with our financial department in partially amending the group’s finance structure in several countries.

What do you feel are the pros and cons of an in-house legal role compared to a private practice one?

I spent the first half of my career at an international law firm. In retrospect, my salary as a private practice lawyer was much more lucrative than my current position. However, in-house practice has been more attractive to me since I can be part of the ‘boarder picture’ of the company by actively participating in decision-making processes.