Team size: Three

Looking forward, what technological advancements do you feel will impact the role of in-house legal teams in the future the most?

Any technology that can reduce the administrative burden on legal teams and improve efficiency will be well-received.

At Flash, we developed our own contract automation software that has been incredibly well received by both the legal team and our internal clients, as it has allowed us to focus on where we can really add value, for example, more complex contracts or issues.

I would also like to see improvements in law firm billing, so we can monitor spending in real time and speed up the invoice review and payment process.

What is a cause, business related or otherwise, that you care about, and why?

Bringing people together. As societies seem to be becoming more politically polarised, and individuals more isolated (due to factors such as social media and the Covid-19 pandemic), live events and entertainment can play an important role in restoring a sense of shared interest and community.

There are certainly other, arguably more pressing, causes at hand. However, I like to focus on where I can make a difference.

What would you say are the unique qualities required to be successful as an in-house lawyer in your industry?

Pragmatism. With the number of different stakeholders involved (often international) and typically challenging timeframes, it is impossible to reach the “perfect” position. Instead, you must be able to identify the priorities and key risks and try to reach an acceptable position in the circumstances.

A cool head. When the headline act of the biggest music event of the year cancels due to illness the day before the show (after months of contract negotiations), panic is not an option. Unfortunately, this actually happened. However, we were able work with our commercial team and management around the clock (reviewing artist contracts at 3am…) to book not one, but two, replacement artists so our ticketholders were not disappointed. In the end, it turned out to be one of our most commercially successful events. The show must go on…

What can law firms do to improve their service to the legal department?

Often it is the simplest things that are effective (yet can still be overlooked!). An acknowledgement email goes a long way, as does responsiveness generally and hitting deadlines.

Stay in touch. A regular chat to share knowledge or even just catch up on what is going on with your client will be valuable for the client and will undoubtably lead to more instructions.

In the same vein, be prepared to give away some advice for free. You will become a trusted advisor and see the returns on the larger instructions.

Remember that a big part of your job is to help your client look good in front of their boss!