What are the key projects that you have been involved in over the past 12 months?

The legal team and I were involved in the negotiation of a strategic partnership with Open AI to bring the Guardian’s high-quality journalism to ChatGPT’s global users, while recognising and reflecting our intellectual property rights and the value associated with our award-winning journalism.

The negotiation involved working with colleagues across multiple teams on how best to respond to the risks and opportunities inherent in AI technology. This had to be done in the context of the need to be cognisant of internal sentiment and guided by our organisational AI principles: for AI to be used for the benefit of readers, our mission, our staff and the wider organisation — and with respect for those who create and own content.

We also advised on the strategic sale of the 233-year-old Observer newspaper. The transaction was structured to safeguard the paper’s historic 233-year legacy, preserve its liberal editorial values, enable continued investment in exceptional journalism and enhance its digital presence under robust new ownership. The Scott Trust — the Guardian’s shareholder, with a unique constitutional structure and purpose — took a substantial minority stake, with board representation and protective shareholder rights.

The in-house team played a pivotal role in structuring the complex sale, involving careful handling of intellectual property, detailed service arrangements and robust shareholder arrangements. This involved working with colleagues in multiple business areas and external counsel to protect the Scott Trust’s values, mitigate risk and facilitate long-term strategic objectives, under significant time pressure and sensitivity.

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

Clearly, all GCs are tracking the rapid evolution of generative AI and large language models.

GenAI’s disruption, for example of online search, raises implications for news and media business models. It also introduces reputational and legal risks — including where AI-generated false stories are misattributed to trusted journalism brands, eroding audience trust.

GenAI offers opportunities to enhance legal services by augmenting lawyers’ skills. But it also raises structural challenges, including how junior lawyers will be trained in future and how the broader practice of law evolves in response to increased automation.

What is a cause, business or otherwise, that you are passionate about?

I’m passionate about how media skills can empower young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, by developing critical thinking, communication skills and awareness of current affairs.

I’m proud to be involved with The Economist Educational Foundation, which equips teachers to lead engaging discussions in classrooms and online. What began as a small initiative founded by one individual has grown into a significant organisation, reaching hundreds of thousands of students annually, with resources used in over one hundred countries. I helped set up the legal and governance structures some years ago and serve on its board.

What do you think are the most important attributes for a modern in-house counsel to possess?

Curiosity: problem-solving begins with a genuine desire to understand, not only the legal issue, but also the business and its people.

Emotional intelligence: the ability to build trust, communicate clearly and work well with a wide range of colleagues and stakeholders is essential.

The ability to bring clarity to decision-making: for example, considering whether a decision is reversible. If a decision can later be reversed, it is sometimes better to decide quickly rather than perfectly. For decisions that are permanent, greater caution and scrutiny pays.

Above all, integrity. Professionalism and courage — particularly when ethical considerations conflict with commercial — is non-negotiable (and the foundation of long-term value).

Have you had any experiences during your career as a lawyer that stand out as particularly unique or interesting?

Serving on the Joint Committee on Legal Deposit, which oversees the arrangement, dating from 1662, requiring publishers to make available all works to the British Library.

As a trainee, giving a guided tour of the Royal Courts of Justice to executives of a client visiting the UK due to give evidence in court. The tour was, I suspect, not as historically rigorous as I’d hoped…