Change Management: Aligning the Legal Department with Business Strategy
Although the legal department is a strategic partner to the business not all parts of the organisation understand or accept the strategic nature of the relationship. Managing change to align to the vision of the legal department as strategic partner can bring organisational, cultural and efficiency challenges. In our opening panel, discussants will explore how in-house counsel can build or reshape the legal department to accommodate this changing role. They will also address how GCs can ensure the culture of the legal department aligns with achieving the organisation’s strategic goals.
Moderator: Hope Atuhairwe-Kisitu, Director, Legal & Corporate Affairs, Uganda Development Corporation
Wellness, Well-being and Working from home: Keeping teams together in a flexible working environment
This panel will explore how corporate legal teams are navigating the new normal of operating virtually or in hybrid form and the inevitable impact this is having on people’s wellness in terms of their mental health and as a team. In particular, the panel will explore:
Keynote: Beyond Legal: Defining Corporate Purpose
In conversation: Fred Waithaka, Head of Regulatory and Public Policy, Safaricom, Kenya and Cynthia Lareine, Co-Founder, ACGC
In this session we will explore the increasingly strong connection between corporate purpose & profitability. We will discuss how legal leaders within in-house teams can support businesses in rethinking corporate strategies in order to achieve long-term responsible and sustainable growth which reflects and aligns with the values of ethically minded customers and investors.
Digitizing the in-house team: How legal departments can leverage legal tech
According to Gartner, almost 90% of companies who invest in legal technology report that their organisations met or exceeded expected ROI. That said, getting the most out of legal tech and successfully undergoing a legal digital transformation, takes time, considerable foresight and a lot of planning. In this session, our panellists will discuss best practise when it comes to adopting & implementing legal tech including:
Moderator: Desmond Odhiambo
Partner, CDH
The right thing to do — The role of in-house lawyers as ethical leaders
GCs are expected to wear multiple hats and to balance their advisor role with their professional legal obligations. In addition to this, those in other functions may not fully understand the numerous ethical challenges or the constraints on in house lawyers including conflicts of interest, breaches of duty and violations of privilege and confidentiality. Our panellists will examine some of the ethical bear traps in-house counsel regularly face and share their experiences on how to navigate the challenge of being an ethical leader.
Moderator: Angelina Namakula-Ofwono, Chief Legal Officer/ Company Secretary, DFCU Bank
In-house lawyers play a unique role in influencing the leadership of their company or organisation and spearheading strategic change. Therefore, a discussion about Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) policy and sustainability which is not legally defined but yet increasingly important in business and beyond, has the potential to highlight not only the practical aspects of embedding policy but also the influential role of the in-house lawyer in setting the agenda.
Moderator: Prof Winifred Tarinyeba Kiryabwire, Chair and Non-Exec Director, DFCU Bank
The question of value remains at the forefront of all in-house counsel’s minds and specifically, how to extract the best value from external law firms. Join this session as our in-house lawyers present their expectations of what they ideally want from outside counsel firms. Our external law firms will also share valuable insights on what in their experience are the key ingredients for achieving successful relationships with corporate legal teams.
Moderator: Jennifer Mbaluto, Partner, Clifford Chance
Special Guest: Fred Waithaka, Head of Regulatory and Public Policy, Safaricom, Kenya
Sponsor: Clifford Chance
Trainers: