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

As group general counsel running our Legal function, I very much see both my role and the role of my team as protecting Aviva, driving good customer outcomes and delivering growth. We do that by working in partnership with the business as trusted advisers. There have been a number of key projects to highlight in the last twelve months which include: M&A transactions and subsequent integration work; delivering key customer initiatives; and the deployment and adoption of AI within the function, as well as supporting initiatives across the business.

Please provide a brief description of any internal transformation/development projects within your legal team over the last twelve months.

I am really focused on ensuring we are adapting and responding to changing needs and one of the keys ways to do that is by creating a culture of continuous learning and development within the legal function.

We have developed a function wide training programme with different curriculums focusing on several areas including: core skills and knowledge for legal professionals, which include sessions on SRA guidance, competition and legal ethics; emerging trends and innovation, which include sessions on AI developments and what this means for the legal profession and sector as well as sessions on how to use new tech/ applications; and soft skills with sessions focused on career development and responding directly to feedback from colleagues across the function. We also develop our functional capabilities through specific working groups (Sustainability and Gen AI) ensuring these are part of our core skills and knowledge set. It also ensures a level of consistency across our teams within the markets.

What are the most important attributes of the modern GC and what advice would you give to those aspiring to be an in-house lawyer?

The ability to work in partnership as trusted advisers. I very much see the role of the modern in-house counsel as protecting the organisation they work for by doing the right thing – the purpose I set for the Legal function at Aviva is to do the right thing and work with the business to drive growth and deliver the best possible outcome for our customers. We have a key role to play in delivering the strategy by working together, and our own legal function strategy is completely aligned with the broader business strategy. We have the same strategic goals and work towards the same deliverables and goes right down to the individual’s goals and deliverables.

Beyond your legal role, is there a cause or initiative you are especially passionate about?

I am passionate and committed to continuing to build a diverse and inclusive function and industry by making meaningful and long-lasting commitments to drive change. One of the ways in which we do this is through our Social Mobility Initiative. Each year we develop a full programme of activity which includes Social Mobility Business Partnership Days across several of our offices and a six-week internship giving participants insight across legal areas and teams as well as with the law firms we work with to give them tangible experience on which to build their careers. We are delighted that a high proportion of our previous interns have had success in securing a training place at law firms following their involvement.