Huawei Portugal's Andreia Collard says the 'attitude' of the external lawyer who is the main point of contact is important as it is key to fostering a good relationship
External law firms can add value by keeping in-house legal teams
up to date with new legislation, providing workshops and research
papers on specific issues, and by assessing how certain issues
could affect the different industries and sectors in which the
client operates, says Andreia Collard, head of legal at Huawei
Portugal.
With regard to her preferences when selecting legal advisers,
Collard says that she is less likely to engage law firms that
provide overly long briefings or give her advice that is too
theoretical. This is because it goes against her mantra of
"keeping things simple". Collard is also unlikely to use
law firms that take a long time to respond, because, in addition to
a practical approach, speed and efficiency are crucial when it
comes to resolving legal issues, she says.
Cause of frustration
It is also vital that external counsel demonstrate an in-depth
understanding of their clients' business, and not just focus on
the relevant laws, according to Collard. She adds that this is the
greatest cause of frustration when dealing with an external law
firm, in addition to the provision of advice that is excessively
legal, rather than business-focused. In terms of the qualities that
are desired, flexibility is another key attribute when looking for
external advisers, according to Collard.
Cultural fit
Portugal is a market in which Huawei, a Global telecommunications
equipment and services company with headquarters in China, performs
particularly strongly. In 2017, it reported a significant increase
in sales in Portugal, a country where it continues growing
especially in the "consumer devices market", according to
Collard. She adds Huawei's process for selecting external law
firms is fairly complex. "Personally, I value the pairing of
the law firm's service culture with the company's business
culture when making a final decision," she says, However,
Collard does point out that she values the experience and expertise
of the specific lawyer in question more than the firm itself. She
explains: "Anyone who says that the attitude of the principal
lawyer – who is the main point of contact – doesn't
make a difference may not be speaking the whole truth, as the
attitude is what fosters a good relationship between a firm and its
client."
Be pragmatic
However, despite the company's strict law firm selection
process, Collard says she does have a preferred firm. She declines
to reveal its identity, but says it has achieved its preferred
status on the basis of many years of consistently good service
provided to the company. Meanwhile, Collard also identifies
pragmatism as one of the essential qualities that she looks for
when selecting an external counsel. "They must see the
practical side and keep it simple," she explains.
One of the major issues keeping Huawei's in-house legal team
busy at the moment is the European General Data Protection
Regulation (GDPR), which is widely viewed as the biggest change in
private data regulation in the last twenty years. The GDPR is
designed to harmonise data privacy laws across Europe, as well as
protect and empower EU citizens' in relation to data privacy,
and reshape the way organisations across the region approach the
subject of data protection. The GDPR was approved by the European
Parliament in 2016 and is scheduled to come into effect in May,
after which non-compliance will result in the imposition of heavy
fines.
Multi-tasking
The new regulation extends the scope of EU data protection law to
all foreign companies processing EU residents' data. The GDPR
will also usher in a new set of digital rights for EU citizens.
This new legislation will be a key focus of Huawei's in-house
team in the coming year, according to Collard.
Meanwhile, Collard says the teams' main focus is innovation,
while the biggest challenge she faces as an in-house lawyer is
dealing with the wide variety of issues that arise on a day-to-day
basis, and which are all completely different. However, she adds
that the challenge is ensuring all the issues are handled, and
resolved, at the same time. But she adds: "It's a
challenge that I enjoy."
Andreia Collard is head of legal at Huawei Portugal
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