Lawyer Monthly - November 2021 Edition

40 WWW.LAWYER-MONTHLY.COM | NOV 2021 DELIVERING COUNSEL IN A MULTI-JURISDICTION GROUP than your own research as you have an opportunity to ask about the capabilities of the firm you are looking to appoint. It can greatly speed up the process of finding appropriate talent to have a trusted source broker an introduction. It is therefore vital to build strong relationships in each jurisdiction. Legal systems in the East and the West are often quite similar, in that written or common law rules are applied to the legal question. A major difference, however, is found in how different regions look at certain actions. For example, certain civil law matters that would be negotiated as a civil dispute in Europe are actually classified as criminal matters in the Middle East. This changes the way you consider business in the Middle East, as the repercussions can be more extensive compared to the same transaction in Europe. It is the role of the GC to work out and implement the appropriate approach, navigating and asking the right questions. Trust your instinct As a GC, one of my biggest pieces of advice is to learn to trust your instinct. As an in- house GC, you do not have access to the same expansive resources available in private practice, such as a team of legal assistants, paralegals, and associates. Therefore, you must learn how to hone and trust your instinct. This pays off, as you learn to make quick and effective decisions based on what you think is right, all the while instilling a sense of confidence in your in-house legal team. Mentors play an important role in any legal practitioner’s career. As an in-house GC, and thus the firm’s most senior lawyer, my mentors tend to be the partners in the firms I work with. They understand my role, appreciate that I am on my own and support me, offering advice or acting as a sounding board for ideas. This is important to me and has been an important factor in the development of my legal instinct. Looking ahead – lessons from the pandemic Working across a broad range of jurisdictions is challenging during normal times but has been especially so over the course of the pandemic. That said, it has also been a time of great learning. The talented and dedicated in-house professionals and the global team of external advisors that I work with pulled together through this difficult period, and enhanced our ways of working, which we will build on in the future. Being a GC in a multijurisdictional group does come with challenges due to the complex, multi-faceted nature of the role and the number of stakeholders you need to engage with, but at the same time it is highly rewarding. Finding the right legal talent at a local level is one of the most important challenges a global GC will face.