How do you build and maintain strong relationships with key internal stakeholders, especially in high-pressure or fast-moving scenarios?

One of the fundamental pillars of my role is to serve as a strategic business partner, which involves building trusting relationships with all internal stakeholders. To achieve this, it is essential to have an in-depth understanding not only of the applicable legal regulations, but also of the nature of the business and market trends—from project financing and execution to sales and after-sales services. This understanding allows me to speak the same language as the operational teams and anticipate their legal needs, promoting a preventive rather than reactive approach.

In high-pressure or fast-evolving contexts, such as sudden regulatory changes, conflicts with third parties, project delivery delays, or reputational risks, the key is to maintain clear, consistent, and empathetic communication, offering viable solutions and/or mitigation alternatives.

Finally, I believe it is very important to practice active listening and remain flexible in order to strengthen relationships with stakeholders. This means understanding and adapting to the needs, timelines, and priorities of each team, acting as a true partner in the decision-making process.

What do you consider the biggest challenge for in-house legal teams today, and how are you addressing it within your own team?

One of the greatest challenges legal teams face today in the real estate sector is striking a balance between the agility that business demands and compliance with an increasingly complex and ever-evolving regulatory framework, especially regarding social housing projects, financing schemes, and shifting criteria from regulatory authorities.

The current context requires swift action to secure strategic alliances, making it essential for us to act as true business partners. This means deeply understanding the business model, strategic objectives, and market conditions and trends in order to provide timely responses with strategic vision, without losing sight of legal and reputational risk management. To address this challenge, our team has been implementing the following actions: (i) participating from the early planning stages allows us to identify risks in advance, define proper contractual structures, and anticipate regulatory requirements; (ii) using tools such as the risk matrix, we focus on the most critical issues, monitor them closely, and adjust controls as necessary; (iii) we have incorporated technological solutions to automate routine and administrative tasks, freeing up team capacity to focus on more strategic and complex matters; and, (iv) promoting a legal and ethical culture: We deliver practical training on key topics such as business ethics, regulatory compliance, and anti-money laundering to empower operational areas to act with greater autonomy and legal awareness.