Natalia

Law firm assigned: Reed Smith LLP

Performed complex disclosure review for arbitration taking place in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia regarding a shareholders' dispute. Relevant privilege experience developed.

Law firms assigned: Wiggin LLP, Norton Rose Fulbright, Dragon Argent

Contributed to various reviews for high profile firms, leveraging expertise to perform due diligence and investigate cases involving contract disputes, copyright claims and compliance breaches.

• Performed complex disclosure review for contractual dispute using Relativity overseeing activities from start to completion, including QC review and counterparty disclosure.
• Participated in document review for compliance investigation under the USA's FCPA using Axcelerate.

Planned and launched a venture law firm with two partners to provide legal advice to small companies and entrepreneurs in Colombia. Assisted new businesses to achieve legal compliance with advice in contracts and commercial law, corporate law, marketing law, consumer law, compliance and intellectual property.

• Reviewed product portfolio for a personal care product business, ensuring compliance with consumer regulations designed to avoid misleading advertising or breach of packaged products regulations.
• Analysed new marketplace website, pre-launch, assessing compliance with data protection and e-commerce regulations, and assisted with drafting of terms and conditions of sale, data protection policy, privacy and cookies notice, authorisation buttons during purchase process, marketing, and consumer law.
• Registered portfolio of trademarks for small entrepreneurship launching chains of food markets and restaurants in Colombia.

Served as sole inhouse legal counsel for Danone in Colombia, reporting to Regional General Legal Counsel based in Mexico. Advised on product trade in Colombia and 13 other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, overseeing contract drafting and negotiations, marketing law, corporate law, labour law, technology law, and compliance. Managed implementation of company data protection regulations and advised on AML, competition law, and anti-corruption requirements. Provided legal advice to internal and external stakeholders and consulted with various external law firms. Developed regional contract management policy to be followed by employees and managers in the process of drafting and negotiation of commercial contracts. Member of managerial committee, participating in decision-making process of strategic commercial projects.

• Established first internal legal department in Danone Colombia, proving and embedding the value of comprehensive legal involvement in all aspects of business processes and projects as an empowering business partner to all functions.
• Conducted initial due diligence and risk assessment, identifying improvement opportunities and implementing measures to mitigate legal risks in line with company´s global guidelines.
• Negotiated and signed distribution contracts across 13 countries, securing lucrative network not previously achieved.
• Completed successful merger between two legal entities to streamline operations, leading all elements of planning and logistics, third party communication strategy, stakeholder management, and employee settlements.
• Implemented LSAs and MSAs negotiated by Danone at global level, adapting to local regulations, in areas such as marketing, and financial services.

Contributed to legal team reporting directly to general counsel for Latin American multinational company operating two different sales channels. Supported retail channel managing contracts, licenses, and permissions from authorities to legally operate stores, as well as reviewing and approving marketing campaigns and activities. Supported institutional sales operations by facilitating tender processes and drafting and reviewing supply contracts. Provided general legal advice in corporate matters, regulatory affairs, and litigation, and managed contracts required for day-to-day functions.

• Played key role in structuring of negotiations, decision-making processes, and dispute resolution as advocate representing company.
• Drafted contracts involving real estate, leases, purchases, design, and construction contracts, and oversaw marketing activities’ terms and conditions, key opinion leader contracts, brand licence agreements, and commercial agreements.
• Analysed tender documents and supplied requirements, reviewed legal terms and conditions, and drafted and reviewed supply contracts for product sales to healthcare providers.

Rapidly gained control of legal requirements processes on short-term project to oversee legal matters in support of construction, electromechanical assembly, and instrumentation of ethanol production plant. Negotiated and drafted supply contracts, construction contracts, service contracts, and made essential amendments to main contract. Performed compliance auditing of legal requirements applicable to contract.

• Conducted comprehensive risk assessment and developed matrix of legal contract requirements, enabling project to securely move into following phases, and mitigating legal risks.
• Engaged with unions to provided legal advice regarding labour matters and handled urgent labour.

Negotiated and drafted contracts for global projects and local Unilever subsidiaries across 9 countries of Latin America, including all 6 countries in Central America, plus Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela. Drove communication as point of contact with external law firms and delivered weekly newsletter with legal updates. Administered various corporate duties and managed contract archive. Implemented LSAs and MSAs of negotiations concluded by global team, in areas such as telecommunications and payroll services.

• Established tender process for contracting of logistics and manufacturing services by structuring new business model and creating separate legal entities in 9 countries, empowering individual entities with more independence and bargaining power when negotiating services.
• Expanded commercial contract expertise across diverse range of services, some of which were: manufacturing, warehousing, supply of raw materials and finished goods, transport, PR, software development, apps, influencers (KOL), market research, accounting, financial services, and advertising.
• Organised and designed administration and management system of company’s archive contract, which included overseeing digitalization process.

Conducted legal research and supported litigation team of prominent law firm with matters including drafting and reviewing commercial contracts and procedural documents.

Hospitality waitress in events taking place in the London Stadium

Customer service skills

Coordination of induction sessions for new students of the LL.M. programme