Team size: 9

What are the key projects that you have been involved in over the past twelve months?

Over the past twelve months, I have been involved in the delivery of key projects of significant business and legal importance for the company and the entire capital group. The most important projects included the implementation of changes to the loyalty programme, including adapting its features to meet business needs and customer expectations.

I also led the preparation and implementation of consistent legal principles governing online and offline sales across the entire capital group, including rules for organising promotions, customer communication, and customer rights. The project included training sessions for more than 200 employees of the capital group, ensuring uniform application of the new rules in operational practice.

Another key project was the comprehensive revision of the marketplace terms and conditions, which involved implementing significant business and legal changes and aligning the regulations with the current operating model and regulatory requirements. The changes concerned a sales area generating hundreds of millions of PLN in annual turnover.

What are the key trends that in-house lawyers should monitor in 2026?

In 2026, the role of the in-house lawyer will increasingly be shaped by the intersection of regulation, technology, and business pressure for speed and efficiency. Key trends include the regulation of technology and data, in particular the practical application of the AI Act, the continued evolution of data protection laws, and cybersecurity regulations. In-house lawyers will be required not only to interpret these rules, but also to support their operational implementation within organisations.

There is also a growing importance of consumer and competition compliance, including increased activity by regulatory authorities and stricter financial sanctions. In practice, this means a stronger focus on prevention, audits, and risk management rather than solely reacting to infringements.

Automation of legal work and the development of legal tech, especially AI-based tools supporting document review, contract management, and internal legal requests, is another key trend.

Finally, there is closer integration of the legal function with the business, with in-house lawyers increasingly acting as strategic partners and actively participating in the design of business models rather than reviewing them ex post.

In your view, what are the most important qualities that a modern in-house lawyer should possess?

A modern in-house lawyer should combine strong legal expertise with the ability to operate effectively in a business- and technology-driven environment. Key qualities include business-oriented thinking and a solution-driven mindset, understood as the ability to recommend viable options rather than merely identifying risks.

Risk management capability is also essential, rather than striving for risk elimination, including the ability to balance legal risk against the organisation’s strategic objectives. Clear and effective communication is critical, particularly when working with managers and teams outside the legal function.

Openness to technology and change, including a willingness to work with LegalTech and AI tools and to continuously develop new skills, is another important quality. Finally, resilience and accountability are vital, especially in an environment of increasing regulatory and decision-making pressure.

Artificial intelligence is increasingly being implemented in legal teams to maximize efficiency. How can in-house lawyers ensure successful adoption of these tools without compromising the human factor?

Successful implementation of AI-based tools in legal teams requires a conscious and responsible approach in which technology supports people rather than replaces them. Key elements include clearly defining the purpose of implementation, identifying which tasks should be supported by AI (for example, document review or legal research) and which should remain within the human domain (risk assessment and strategic decision-making).

The ‘human in the loop’ principle is essential, ensuring that lawyers retain oversight and control over AI-generated outputs, particularly in high-risk legal or reputational areas. Transparency and team education are also critical, including training on the capabilities and limitations of AI so that tools are perceived as support rather than a threat.

Ethics and accountability must be maintained, with attention to data quality, confidentiality, and compliance with applicable regulations. Finally, a gradual rollout and testing approach allows teams to adapt and realistically assess the added value of the tools.