Major legal advisers: BKM Berkemeyer

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

At CADIEM, I currently serve as legal manager, where I’m leading the strategic structuring of the legal and corporate affairs division, integrating legal, regulatory, and risk functions into a unified governance and compliance framework. I’m developing standardised internal procedures, designed key corporate governance initiatives, and worked closely with executive management to enhance transparency and control. This project is helping to reinforce CADIEM’s institutional maturity in a highly regulated market, while positioning the legal team as a proactive strategic partner for business growth.

Across both roles, I’ve brought a human-centred approach to legal leadership — embedding integrity and collaboration at the heart of legal compliance strategy, and building structures that don’t just mitigate risk, but also generate long-term value.

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

In Paraguay, we’re seeing a clear shift toward the professionalisation of governance and legal compliance structures, particularly in regulated sectors like finance and healthcare. Legal teams are expected not just to ensure compliance, but to act as strategic partners in creating institutional trust and transparency.

There’s growing emphasis on integrating legal and compliance functions with business strategy, and on enhancing internal documentation, reporting, and risk management processes. This trend is driving legal departments to become more agile, multidisciplinary, and forward-thinking.

In the healthcare industry, enforcement of ethical business practices and regulatory oversight is intensifying, requiring cross-functional coordination and stronger internal controls. At the same time, ESG considerations are beginning to influence legal risk assessments, especially among companies preparing for regional market engagement.

In this evolving landscape, in-house lawyers must cultivate not only legal expertise, but also soft skills, adaptability, and strategic vision — qualities that are becoming just as essential as technical knowledge.

What are some key attributes every in-house lawyer should possess?

Today’s in-house lawyer must go far beyond interpreting the law – they need to understand the business in depth, manage legal and operational risks proactively, and move at the pace and agility that the organisation demands.

Business acumen is essential: legal advice must be aligned with strategy, operations, and commercial objectives. This requires curiosity, analytical thinking, and the ability to see the full picture, not just the legal side of it.

At the same time, in-house lawyers must be adaptive, creative, and bold. We’re often asked to provide answers where the law is unclear or still evolving. In those moments, we must innovate, think strategically, and help the company move forward with confidence and responsibility.

Above all, we need to be collaborative leaders — able to build trust across areas, communicate clearly with non-legal audiences, and drive a culture of integrity that strengthens both decision-making and long-term value.