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

As Head of the Legal team advising the Wealth business within Aviva, a significant amount of our work involves working with our business teams to improve our pensions and investment products for our retail and workplace customers; whether as a result of transformation programmes, regulatory change, or new technology. One example of this is in relation to the launch of our new onshore bond product, which has been a notable success for our Adviser Platform. We worked collaboratively with our business colleagues to create new customer terms and conditions, product literature, and trust structures. I have also led the team advising on a substantial programme involving review of many of our historic products, and their anticipated future, taking into account regulatory developments such as the Pension Schemes Bill.

What do you see as an opportunity or risk over the next six months?  

There are a huge range of opportunities and risks arising over the next six months, due in part to the legal and regulatory developments particularly affecting the world of pensions, advice and investments. One particular forthcoming potential opportunity is to provide our customers with Targeted Support, which is a new FCA framework aimed at assisting customers in bridging the advice/guidance gap. As a Legal team we work in tandem with our colleagues across the wider Legal function, Compliance and Risk in order to ensure that we protect Aviva by ensuring that we remain within the scope of the new regulation, whilst providing a tangible benefit for our customers taking up this service.

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

During my first year working in-house at Aviva, I formed part of a team in an innovation competition which involved global teams pitching customer-focussed ideas for innovation. Our team was successful in getting through to the final. Pitching our idea to the Aviva CEO and the whole of the Executive Committee was an experience I’ll never forget! Although we came a close second, any disappointment was swiftly forgotten when we were awarded an FT Innovative Lawyer award in relation to the same idea.

What do you think are the most important attributes for a modern in-house counsel to possess? 

I have now spent roughly an equal part of my qualified life working in house as compared to working in private practice. To me, developing and maintaining trusted relationships is of key importance. Those relationships are founded on open and honest communications, and the ability to be approachable. Our strategy and our goals are all aligned with those of the business in order to ensure that we are working towards the same shared objectives, whilst retaining the role of protecting the organisation. Broadening our experience by becoming involved in new areas, asking questions, and developing new understanding is key. There is so much to learn and to be curious about.