Legal team size: 30

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

To name a few: commercial contracts criminalisation cases; product distribution agreements, due diligence and compliance issues; environmental law compliance of clients; and specific and complex contracts for suppliers.

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?

Knowing our customers is essential when it comes to doing business: do customers, suppliers and other players comply with local law? What are their exact needs? Can we fulfil them? Legal insecurity in Paraguay is now a primary concern: lawsuits take excessive time and impartial legal decisions are weak, which means that private dispute resolution is a very valid tool.

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

Critical and strategic thinking to support and minimise risks for the clients. An in-house lawyer must become a trustworthy partner for the business, knowing processes and the client’s business objectives and challenges. Strong networking skills, staying permanently updated when combined with strong ethics and integrity continue to be highly valued.