Jersey In-house Network launched

The Jersey In-house Network, to connect in-house lawyers, launched at an event at Private & Public Gallery last night.

Set up by leading offshore law firm, Mourant, the inaugural event brought together in-house lawyers from leading professional services firms and saw General Counsel at HSBC Channel Islands & Isle of Man, Michael Hancock, deliver a presentation sharing his views on the in-house role.

Michael said: "Against a backdrop of rapidly changing technology and regulatory developments, the role of an in-house lawyer is constantly evolving. It's about much more than just legal expertise - the expectation is increasingly on us to proactively manage risk, have direct input into key business decisions and to help our colleagues find the best way forward in any given situation.

"That's why it's vital to develop a solid commercial understanding of your business and also to share experiences and best practice with peers. The launch last night was really well received and I'm looking forward to more lively and insightful discussion at future events."

Mourant Ozannes is working to deliver a varied programme of future events to explore the issues faced by in-house lawyers at all levels, from managing their own career progression to integrating legal support with a business in line with the business' strategy, to responding to business change and managing legal risk.

Mourant Counsel and supporter of the initiative, Sarah Huelin, said: "We're really pleased to provide a dedicated forum for connecting in-house lawyers. Over the past few years, we've seen an increasing number of in-house lawyers working in Jersey and we understand that they face different issues to lawyers in private practice - often working independently or in very small teams to support their business.

"We have long-standing relationships across the financial services sector and the network is an opportunity for us to facilitate discussion on some of the technical, commercial and personal aspects of their roles. It will also help us to share access to our local knowledge and develop a deeper understanding of the challenges facing in-house counsel, so that we can adapt the way we work to meet the changing needs of our clients – which often involves working in partnership with in-house lawyers, as an extension of their team."

Mourant Partner and head of Employment in Jersey, Carla Benest, added: "The response so far has been overwhelmingly positive and we're looking forward to seeing many familiar, and new, faces as the network continues to grow and we explore the hot topics on the agenda of Jersey's in-house legal community."

For more information about the Jersey In-house Network (JIN) please contact Sarah Huelin at sarah.huelin@mourant.com