The 2024 NextGen GC Summit, hosted by Law Ninjas, united 400+ of Australia’s legal professionals for an exceptional series of panels and discussions from a distinguished lineup.

TransPerfect Legal’s Tom Balmer (Director, APAC), Kapilan Rasiah (Director, Melbourne) and Shulagna Sabir (Account Manager, Sydney) had the pleasure of attending. For those who could not be there, here are their key takeaways from the extraordinary panels and discussions over the two-day event.

Understand the Why

Understanding the ‘why’ behind decisions carried through various topics including handling difficult conversations, negotiation and promoting DEI – no matter the situation, it’s important to understand the client’s/other party’s priorities and our own organisational objectives.

• Understand the Underlying Reasons – Ensure we approach situations with empathy and present our ideas more effectively, aligning with the priorities of all stakeholders. Understand WHY it matters to each, and align your actions with those reasons.
• Clear Communication – When you understand everyone else’s why, ensure your own goals, processes and expectations are clearly conveyed to all stakeholders. When everyone is on the same page, it makes discussions much more open and collaborative.
• Adaptability & Flexibility – Adjust your approach with new insights or changing priorities, recognising that understanding the ‘why’ can lead to evolving strategies and solutions.

Dealing with Perfectionism

Many clients expect flawless delivery and meticulous attention to detail. Some strategies to deal with this include:

• Prioritise Tasks – Focus on high-value and high-risk tasks first to ensure they are delivered in line with their expectations.
• Manage Expectations – Clearly communicate realistic outcomes and timelines to balance high standards with practical constraints.
• Embrace Continuous Improvement – Focus on gradual progress and learning, valuing ongoing improvement and celebrating achievements along the way.

Embracing AI: Panel Insights and Best Practices

Unsurprisingly, AI had its own session but was mentioned throughout many others too – some of the best advice on working with AI included:

• Be Cautious of Free AI – If the product is free, the product is you. Many tools collect and utilise the data you provide them to improve. Make sure to clarify this before using them for confidential or sensitive work.
• Measure Risks & Benefits – Assess the security, confidentiality and hallucination risk with new AI solutions against the hard benefits they provide. Run tests to quantify both sides and report back to those who are still reticent to embrace it.
• Disclosure – Ensure transparency with internal and external stakeholders around AI usage, including what steps you are taking to ensure data is being protected and confidentiality is maintained.

Employee Retention

Finding and keeping great talent is central to building a great team. Tips for creating a great internal culture and keeping the best talent included:

• Setting Clear Expectations – Communicate the ‘real’ job from the interview stage and conduct open group interviews to help promote honest conversations, better assess cultural fit and ensure clear expectations from the beginning.
• Collective Responsibility on DEI – Fostering an inclusive and supportive work environment is a collective responsibility, not just a policy or poster on the wall. It is crucial to have the right individuals involved in DEI discussions and avoid jargon to communicate principles clearly and ensure they are followed.
• Provide a Path for Career Development – Highlight growth opportunities and develop a clear career map early so employees see the path to success. Assign projects and responsibilities across the team so everyone knows their role.
• Non-Work Contributions – Encourage your team to organise / participate in events, communities or projects that they are passionate about outside of work. Involve the whole team and utilise this involvement to build an inclusive and motivated environment where personal goals matter.

Managing Cyber Threats

Cyber incidents continue to rise in volume and severity. Managing the risk associated and preparing for the worst is massively important – especially with a new privacy regime coming next year.

• Assess Insurance Coverage – Evaluate both internal and external risk, and identify required coverage and potential gaps that may need cross-coverage. Utilise your broker for advice as you may already be covered under other policies or have missed a potential risk area.
• Be Prepared – Ensure you have an up-to-date cyber incident playbook in place, have mapped out your data sources and have undertaken a companywide practice so all employees are prepared.
• Establish External Partnerships – Take the time to vet and build relationships with external partners so you have trusted contacts in place (e.g., law firms, cyber insurers, forensic providers, and IT support).

Negotiating Contracts

Negotiation is a skill and a key part of an in-house lawyer’s role – they are part of a business and ultimately need to balance their legal training with their business acumen to ensure a smooth negotiation. Other tips include:

• Start Big – Address the big-ticket / deal-breaker items first. If the parties can’t come to an agreement, then the smaller items won’t matter in the end.
• Keep a Running Checklist – This helps provide a sense of accomplishment as you tick items off the negotiation checklist, especially for more junior employees.
• Ensure All Stakeholders Are Involved – This is important so there are no surprises and issues can be addressed early. Mapping stakeholders (on both sides of the negotiation) ensures issues are raised early and don’t derail discussions at a later stage.

Conclusion

The NextGen GC Summit was a packed, two-day schedule with insights covering all parts of an in-house lawyer’s role, and the above takeaways summarise just a few of the many incredible learnings. By applying these learnings, legal professionals can confidently navigate the evolving legal landscape and contribute effectively to their organisations.