An interview with Navrita Kaur, Chief Legal Officer at Microlink Solutions Berhad in Malaysia.
How would you describe the state of the GC Community in your region? How has it changed since you first moved in-house?
The role of the GC has evolved since I first ventured in-house 14 years ago. Back then, the GC or legal department was looked at as a support provider for an organisation’s legal needs which pretty much encompassed drafting and reviewing contracts, managing disputes and providing legal advice.
This has changed. The GC is now expected to participate in strategic decision making, business planning and risk management. There is also great emphasis on compliance and tackling issues like data protection, environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues, cybersecurity, anti-bribery and corruption and whistleblowing matters. Further, GCs are improving efficiency in their departments by adopting legal technology so that routine tasks can be automated thus allowing their team to focus on delivering higher value work. Being able to implement systems within the department that can track things like legal spend also helps control costs of external counsel thus allowing for better and clearer decision making.
Just as importantly, the GC also plays a significant role in talent development by building diverse and high performing legal teams and providing mentorship to the next generation of lawyers.
Why is expanding your network important to you?
I strongly believe that the learning process never stops. The more I interact with peers who are in the same position as me, or those from different backgrounds and industries who have fresh perspectives to share or even senior leaders who can speak from a wealth of experience, the more I find myself growing both, professionally and personally. Support and mentorship play a huge role in shaping a lawyer – and a strong network can provide valuable feedback and guide you towards self-improvement.
What kinds of connections or discussions would be most valuable to you?
For me, connections and discussions on industry and regulatory developments and sharing thoughts on best practices are extremely helpful in navigating complex areas of the law. Further, such interactions and discussions can also foster collaboration and creative problem solving.
What do you want to achieve by collaborating with other GCs and senior in-house lawyers?
Collaboration can help with identifying risk areas which can in turn help with putting in place mitigating steps be it for legal, regulatory, or reputational risks. Collaborating with other GCs and senior in-house lawyers can also provide valuable insights on emerging trends and set a benchmark. It’s interesting how many times, while at networking events or attending conferences, I find that the problem or hurdle I am facing resonates with many others and we can then share our perspective and ideas to figure out the best way to effectively tackle the issue. Two heads (or more!) are better than one after all.
Are there specific topics, challenges, or experiences you’d like to share or learn more about?
In this region at least, topics like data protection, cybersecurity, ESG and adoption of legal technology would be areas of great interest for a GC so there is much to gain from speaking with industry experts and fellow GCs on the type of processes, practices, or systems they have in place to address these.
