Legal team size: ~130

Major legal advisers/ external counsel:

Wilmer Hale, Cravath Swaine & Moore, Paul Weiss, DLA Piper

What are the projects that you are most proud of working on over the past 12 months?

With a focus on generative AI-powered tools, we have been working aggressively to modernise and automate the way the legal team performs its work. This has been a change management exercise, in addition to a technological one, and I am extremely proud of how the team has embraced change and been open to new ways of working. As a result of streamlined processes and the use of technology, including Genpact’s secure instance of ChatGPT, we have been able to keep the legal department headcount and cost flat for the past two years. Genpact’s overall headcount and revenues have increased more than 6% in the same period. Simplification of processes and the use of technology is increasingly allowing our lawyers to focus on what they do best – solving complex problems and finding creative solutions to business challenges, enabling innovation and profitable growth.

Based on your experiences in the past year, are there any trends in the legal or business world that you are keeping an eye on that you think other in-house lawyers should be mindful of?

At most large companies, optimising how the legal department runs is a core part of being an effective general counsel. Our roles demand more than just the ability to provide sound legal guidance. Training the legal team on using AI as an assistant or “co-pilot” is going to be key to best-in-class legal operations. I expect it will also help attract and retain top talent, as high performers will want to be part of a legal department that is at the forefront of innovation. At Genpact, we are using several different third-party tools, as well as our secure instance of ChatGPT, to transform how we do our jobs each day. Examples of where we are using AI include legal research, contract review and redlining, automated workflows for compliance reviews and translation of policies and training programs. We have also deployed a chatbot to provide first line responses to standard questions that come to the legal department, such as questions on compliance policies and how to get legal support.

What are the key things you prioritise to get the most out of your team?

I believe that personal relationships, trust and communication skills continue to be the keys to success, especially in the age of AI. I work to cultivate relationships and build trust with the team through regular calls or meetings and transparent and frequent communications. I also encourage as much in-person interaction as is realistic for a team that works in a hybrid environment, with many people fully remote and spread across multiple time zones. We host quarterly global legal townhalls, which include in person sessions at key locations as well as people joining virtually. At these townhalls, in addition to sharing pertinent updates on legal team metrics for the quarter, or significant regulatory developments, we spend 10 to 15 minutes recognising top achievements, such as a lawyer or team of lawyers who closed a strategic deal or completed a significant project. We often include direct quotes from internal client stakeholders thanking the lawyer(s) for their contributions. This goes a long way in terms of team morale and engagement.