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

Despite not having been directly involved, the most significant transaction in which my team was involved was in the merger operation in 2022 with ALTRANPORTUGAL. This operation has resulted in the integration of Capgemini Portugal in ALTRANPORTUGAL (later changing the name to Capgemini Portugal). This change entailed an increase from 500 Capgemini employees to around 3,200 and to an increase in business volume of more than 60%. With such a big change, I would say that the biggest challenge has been the implementation and standardisation of internal policies and procedures that always need legal support.

Why are in-house lawyers well-placed to drive change within their organisations?

Nowadays, most businesses are won by whoever gets there first. The fact that you can have a lawyer nearby to help unblock a negotiation is clearly a competitive advantage. In-house lawyers have that power within their companies and therefore gain influence at critical moments.

By gaining the trust and respect of internal stakeholders, they gain the positioning that enables them to promote that change that is often necessary for companies to mature, both in terms of legal compliance and in commercial and sales terms.

As we live in a fast-paced world today, what skills will a corporate legal team need to succeed in the modern in-house industry?

A corporate lawyer must necessarily have the characteristics of a business manager. Our client does not want long answers with hypotheses and sub-hypotheses of possible solutions. What you want from an in-house lawyer is clear language, simple solutions and solutions that allow you to do business. The in-house lawyer cannot be an obstacle, he has to be the solution.