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From a humble team of lawyers in Asia, including four in Hong Kong in 1996, Citi’s lawyer headcount has now swelled to 150, spanning 19 jurisdictions in Asia. And according to Sunita Mirpuri, Director and Counsel – Corporate Bank of Citi, Hong Kong, each lawyer has been critical in driving growth at the company’s legal department since then. An investment in the right talent translates into what Citi calls ‘the human capital’ – the most important asset for any team worth their mettle, she tells Aparna Assomull Bundro.

Stephen Man, VP and Regional General Counsel Asia Pacific at Yahoo! candidly talks to Asian-mena Counsel about his transition from private practitioner to in-house counsel. Now helming the legal team at one of the biggest names in the IT industry, he takes us through a day in his life in the legal hot-seat in Hong Kong. Between a demanding role and two little ones at home – he appears to have tackled the mythical work-life balance that still eludes many.

Increasingly for in-house counsel, the intelligent appointment of an external panel of select legal advisers can significantly reduce the time and money spent on effectively managing risk. It follows then that developing close working relationships with external counsel can go a long way towards explaining value and justifying costs to senior management. External lawyers assist by providing a full suite of legal services, commercially savvy advice and specialist support and know-how. Evangelos Apostolou, Ernst & Young highlights the benefits of establishing an external counsel panel in an age where the role of in-house lawyers is continually evolving.